Perfect 3 Days in Wroclaw, Poland
April 2025: Wroclaw’s Salt Market, situated in the city centre
About Wroclaw
Wroclaw (pronounced “vahr-suave”) was a spontaneous pick during my Easter holiday. Wroclaw flights were cheap (only $36 USD) from Newcastle, and with the lure of getting closer to my goal of 100 countries, (#28!) I sprung for a solo trip, not entirely sure of what to expect.
I landed in the most charming, fairytale-esque city filled with romantic cobbled lanes, medieval architecture, and bakeries teeming with sweet smells.
April 2025: One of the many dwarf statues in Wroclaw
And to top it off? Over 800 Wroclaw dwarves greet you around the city, each with their own unique theme, like a beer girl dwarf outside of a brewery or the professor dwarf outside of the University of Wroclaw.
You don’t need more than 3 days to see the Wroclaw sights, so it makes for the perfect long weekend city break. Here are the key things to do in Wroclaw:
Where to Stay:
April 2025: The entrance to the University of Wroclaw
I stayed at Foka Hostel, a safe and simple spot 15 minutes from the center—nothing fancy, but it had everything I needed (including a convenience store across the street for my late-night sweet tooth).
I shared a room with 3 other girls: Beatrix (Australian); Hannah (Malaysian); and Ambre (German). Beatrix and I quickly became attached at the hip for the entire trip.
Getting Around:
Wroclaw is small enough where you can walk everywhere you need to. They also have both Uber and Bolt, and a convenient tram system that gets you all over the city.
Day 1: Walking Tour of the Wroclaw Old Town, Wroclaw Market Hall and the Racławice Panorama
I always start out my solo trips with a walking tour to get an intro to the city (typically booked through Get Your Guide). Our local guide, Peter, took our group through Wroclaw’s Old Town, where I met a fellow traveler named Aaron.
After the tour, Aaron and I went for schnitzels for lunch at Wroclaw Market Hall with Beatrix. Over schnitzels, we heard about Aaron’s Korean ex-girlfriend.
Can you name a better lunch than trying traditional Polish food and getting the gossip on a stranger’s break-up? I can’t.
After our late lunch, we went to the Racławice Panorama, which is a massive 360° painting depicting a battle between Moscow and Polish troops in the 1790s. I’m usually not one for battle history, BUT, the Racławice Panorama was incredible.
After the panorama, I had a strawberry iced-matcha and a piece of chocolate, and took a much needed nap (my dream!)
For dinner, I went to a cozy pub filled with Wroclaw locals and chatted the night away, with Aaron, Ambre and Beatrix.
Day 2: Day Trip to Ksiaz Castle
June 2017: Ksiaz Castle, courtesy of Loyloy Thal.
That morning, Beatrix and I set off for Swiebodzice, which is the town closest to the castle. Just an hour away, we rode westwards towards the Czech border.
What’s amazing about the castle is that there isn’t really a lot around it. Truly in the middle of nowhere, there is this huge bright pink castle on a hilltop, that looks like something a five-year-old would draw.
Even though the castle had a 300-year-old history, most of the focus was on its most famous inhabitant, English Princess Daisy, (Daisy von Pless) and her antics (read about the family’s step-mother cheating scandal here. You’re welcome).
After our trip to the castle, we hiked through fields toward the town. We stopped at a grocery store and grabbed what I could consider to be a suitable “death bed” meal: a package of chorizo, a soft demi baguette, a hunk of french Gouda, a cold cider and a Kinder Bueno.
We sat in the grass in a little park in between a set of family apartments in the sun, in this random Polish town. It was heaven.
Day 3: Tour University of Wroclaw and the Mathematical Tower, Witches’ Bridge and Pierogi Feast
April 2025: The University of Wroclaw
After a long second day, I took the final day slowly with a further scope of Wroclaw’s picturesque streets. I started the day off with a tour of the University of Wroclaw, which is famous for its illustrious Baroque architecture and ornate carvings. My ticket included the final floor, the Mathematical Tower, which provides an amazing birdseye view of the city centre.
April 2025: Brunch at Chleboteka
For brunch, we stopped at Chleboteka. I indulged in a mascarpone and berry croissant with an iced latte.
To work off our brunch, we hiked up the 247 steps to Wroclaw’s Witches Bridge (yes, where “witches” had to jump to their deaths in the middle ages), suspended between the two tours of St Mary Magdalene Cathedral, for a fairytale view of Wroclaw’s Market Square.
We spent the afternoon reading in the grass under the sun, before getting a final dinner of pierogies at Pierogarnia Stary Młyn Wrocław and a drink (OK, a few) in the Neon Side Gallery: a youthful bar district in the city centre illuminated by a gallery of neon signs.
Overall thoughts:
I’ve said it a million times and I’ll say it again: you don’t get time back. How often will you be having a picnic in a random park in Poland, hearing an Aussie’s life story? Or, how often will you be 23, feeling the sun on your back, reading in the grass?
To quote one of my all time travel heroes, the late Anthony Bourdain:
“If I’m an advocate for anything, it’s to move. As far as you can, as much as you can. Across the ocean, or simply across the river. The extent to which you can walk in someone else’s shoes or at least eat their food, it’s a plus for everybody. Open your mind, get up off the couch, move.”
Travel Tips for Wroclaw:
Budget-friendly: $36 flights from the UK, $60 for 4 hostel nights.
Solo-friendly: Safe, walkable, and easy to meet other travelers.
Cashless: Used Apple Pay everywhere—didn’t touch cash once.
Nearby cities: Pair with Krakow (3.5 hrs) or Prague (4 hrs).
How long: 2–3 days is plenty.
When to go: Early April = no crowds, no lines, sunny.
