A December visit to Poland may not have been first on our travel wish list, but we ended up being pleasantly surprised. We visited Poznań, Poland for a short weekend in the middle of December. Poznań was founded in the 13th century, and sits halfway between Berlin and Warsaw. We thought Germany was cold … until we reached Poland! This was an intense cold that hit us as soon as we stepped outside. There were dark grey, heavy clouds sitting on top of the buildings, and snow and ice on the ground. But in a nice contrast, all the locals we encountered were super fun, friendly, and happy.
Poznań has an excellent town square, where at noon each day, two mechanical goats swing out of the Town Hall Clock and butt heads 12 times. Quirky and fun.
Tall, narrow buildings housing café restaurants line the square, and there are many picturesque statues.
The dusting of snow over everything provides a special view of the city, especially for taking travel photos.
A Christmas Market in Poland
The Christmas Market was in full swing – food, drinks, lights, rides, vendors – a magical spot. Germany had cancelled its Christmas markets, so we were especially glad to see this one. We ate delicious Pierogies at the Pierogarnia Stary mlyn Restaurant in the main square. Fried, boiled, and baked are the options, and we sampled all three, fried were our favorite, boiled second, and baked third. We also ate the best soup ever here, Żurek, a classic Polish sour rye soup.
We found the Dubliner Irish Pub inside the Imperial Castle. An excellent Polish bartender with a great sense of humor took care of us, what a warm and welcoming spot.
After a both a couple of appetizers and beers, our bill was $25, including an outsized tip. The US dollar conversion to the Polish Zloty is in our favor AND things are certainly less expensive than everywhere else we’ve been in Europe.
Poland is a great country to visit for all the history, charm, and beauty, at great prices.
Barbara’s paternal great-grandfather was born in Poznań. She felt a special connection here, and we both had a wonderful time. Sure, it’s a great idea to visit Poland in December, with the wonderful people and the Christmas Markets making up for the cold. Cheers, Poland! Until we return again.
Na Zdrowie!
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