The remarkable city of Szczecin is in Northwest Poland, close to the German border, so it’s a popular day trip destination from Berlin. If you stay a little longer and dive a little deeper, you’ll see why it’s becoming a popular destination, with its stunning buildings, interesting museums, and famous nightlife.
Although much of the city was destroyed during WWII, Szczecin dates back to the 1st century and has a lot to offer to its visitors who want to go off the beaten path. There are notably plenty of German influences: the city has been Polish, German, Polish again, German again, and then Polish again.
It’s the capital of the West Pomeranian Voivodeship (the equivalent of provinces in Poland). It’s the country’s 9th-most populous metropolitan area, with about 800,000 inhabitants — similar to Winnipeg or Québec City.
Here are 11 things to do in Szczecin, Poland.
1. Pomeranian Dukes’ Castle
The Pomeranian Dukes’ Castle towers over the city and has an incredible history.
Details dating back to the 14th century show that it was the seat of the Dukes until the Queen moved in during the 18th century.
Parts of the castle were destroyed during Prussian rule but restored after the end of WWII. Now a museum, you can explore on your own or take a guided tour inside the castle to visit restored state rooms and apartments from various periods, as well as lots of artifacts representing the castle’s long history.
The castle also hosts about 30 temporary exhibitions every year. The themes and subjects are related to various fields of art and is an excellent opportunity to see works by famous artists such as Picasso and Dalí, as well as Polish artists such as Tadeusz Kantor and Magdalena Abakanowicz. Particularly worth seeing is a series of exhibitions entitled “Culture and Tradition of the Past Epochs”.
Entrance costs only a few dollars, depending on your ticket. It’s as low as C$5, with a guided tour being the most expensive at around C$38.
2. Stare Miasto (Old Town)
Although the oldest part of the Stare Miasto was entirely destroyed by bombing during WWII, there are still some old sections that are in good condition.
Unlike other places, which immediately tried to rebuild, Szczecin has been progressing slowly. Consequently, only a few monuments and buildings have been reconstructed, but they have done so with incredible attention to detail, and the old town has retained its charm.
The winding, cobbled streets open out onto bright, colorful squares with gabled houses and traditional street lamps, which, combined with its traditional landmarks, make Stare Miasto a must-visit spot.
The old town hall has been reconstructed using original plans, and you’d never guess it’s not the original. The city also elected to keep the original street layout, so there’s a tangled web of back streets to explore. It’s widely recognized as some of the best reconstruction work in Europe.
You can also walk along the Bulwar Piastowski, a nice waterfront promenade on the edge of the old town.
3. Szczecin Cathedral
Szczecin Cathedral (also called St. James the Apostle Archcathedral Basilica) is a symbol of hope and endurance, reflecting the hard times experienced by the city and its people. Originally designed and built in the 1100s, it was destroyed several times in its long history, once by a storm, again during the Scanian War in the 1600s, and again during WWII.
Renovations are still ongoing, so don’t be surprised if some sections are covered or closed off. That being said, there’s still a lot to admire. Just as the cathedral itself was rebuilt, much of the inside is a mix of saved, rescued, and restored pieces.
The triptych on the east side, composed of various parts, includes modern imagery and details dating back to the 1400s. In fact, every single one of the cathedral’s 15 chapels has fragments, artifacts, paintings, and artwork dating from the 14th, 15th, and 16th centuries.
It’s a real mix, especially as the building used to be Lutheran but is now Catholic. The result is a unique cathedral worth, at least, an hour’s visit.
4. Szczecin Underground
A great way to dive into the city’s history is to explore the Szczecin Underground Routes. Underneath Szczecin is a series of mazes, tunnels, and rooms that were originally 19th-century Catacombs.
During WWII, the people transformed these underground spaces to escape the bombing. There are 5 different levels descending as far as 17 meters below the surface.
Today, you can tour the tunnels, shelters, and bunkers. There are 2 main tour routes:
- One route explores reconstructed WWII shelters with artifacts, photos, and information on the people living underground during this time
- The other route is the Cold War tour, which looks at how the shelters were transformed for nuclear attacks, explains the tension that prevailed during that period, and includes gear from the planned defensive in case of an attack
Both tours are incredible and are just 1-hour long. It’s strongly recommended to do both.
5. National Museum
The National Museum is spread across 6 different buildings in Szczecin: the Maritime Museum, the History Museum, the Museum of Regional Traditions, the Museum of Contemporary Art, the Dialogue Center, and the Narrow Gauge Railway Exhibition.
The most popular are the Maritime Museum, History Museum, and the Dialogue Center. In fact, they’re all worth visiting if you have the time. The Regional Traditions Museum also has an incredible collection of paintings in the old art gallery.
The Maritime Museum is housed in an absolutely stunning 1910s-style building. Its collection includes fantastic maps covering everything from exploration to migration and cultural phenomena.
Spread the museums out over a couple of days and allow around 1-2 hours for each museum. A standard ticket costs just 15 zł, around C$5, but if you want to visit several museums, you can buy combined tickets to save money.
Another similar attraction is the Museum of Technology and Transport.
6. Chrobry Embankment
The Chrobry Embankment (Wały Chrobrego or Haken Terrace) is an observation terrace that rises 20m and is the perfect lookout point over the city.
Built on the remains of the medieval fortification, it’s 500m long and has epic views. Grand staircases sweep up to the main terrace, which has impressive columns and several large edifices.
The terrace sits right along the riverside promenade, so you can enjoy a walk along the river after looking out over the city. There’s also a beautiful fountain and lovely landscaping, bringing greenery to the monumental stonework.
Locals often come here to meet up, and it’s the perfect place to watch the sun go down over the city as the lights flicker on. It’s easily one of the most beautiful places in Szczecin.
7. Szczecin Philharmonic building
Whether you like classical music or not, the Szczecin Philharmonic building is a must-visit spot. The stunning modern architecture of the building won the European Union’s Architecture Prize in 2015 and really stands out against the surrounding city.
The outside might be enough for you, but there are guided tours that only run occasionally. However, if you can catch one, don’t miss the chance to see the beautiful concert hall. The tours shed light on the building design and the history of performances and artists. Each tour lasts around 45 minutes, and the tickets are very cheap (C$4).
You should definitely attend a performance. At night, the building lights up in shades of blue, contrasting the nearby buildings. The performance hall is usually lit with a much warmer light, and with all the wood, it feels very welcoming.
8. Central Cemetery
It might sound depressing, but surprisingly, visiting the Central Cemetery is an interesting experience while in Szczecin. It’s the largest cemetery in Poland and the 3rd-largest in Europe. At around 120 years old, it’s actually a national monument.
The cemetery is laid out like a vast park with lots of stunning flowers and trees, which makes it incredibly peaceful. You can stroll along winding paths, visit the famous Pomnik Braterstwa Broni monument, and enjoy the fountains and pools.
There is also a lapidarium with ancient gravestones and items and an old windmill. As the graves of many rich and famous people stand next to those of military heroes, you’ll find companies offering tours to show you around.
Lots of people come here to reflect and enjoy the natural landscape or to admire the main chapel, which is captivating. There are many native animals like geese, hedgehogs, hares, foxes, and squirrels in the park, with educational boards providing details about the animals.
9. Downtown nightlife
Once the sun sets, make sure you’re still in the downtown area to enjoy Szczecin’s lively nightlife.
In the older parts of the town, you’ll find many bars hidden away in vaults and cellars. Traditional pubs are warm and welcoming, away from the noise on the street.
Here’s a list of some of the best places to visit if you want to have a nice night out in Szczecin:
While it’s not considered as part of nightlife, there is also a fun activity downtown: the Be Happy Museum Szczecin. It is highly rated as it’s a place to take funny and unique photos for your social media.
10. Park Kasprowicza
Park Kasprowicza is the largest park in Szczecin and is the perfect place to wander around, relax, and soak up the city. With flowers, exotic trees, and other plants sloping down to the banks of Lake Rusalka, it’s a beautiful and peaceful place.
The park adjoins the rose garden, which has over 9,000 roses of over 99 different varieties. There are also beautiful trees, including Apple, Hornbeam, maple, and chestnuts. It’s lovely at any time of year, but it’s particularly beautiful when the roses bloom.
The park is also home to a botanical garden with trees, water pools, footpaths, and information boards. It’s a natural haven, and many locals picnic here on sunny days.
If you’re willing to leave the city, the Beech Forest (Puszcza Bukowa) is another nice natural attraction. Even farther away is the Crooked Forest, where you’ll find 400 very unusually-shaped trees that make for a pretty unique sight.
11. Relaxation
If you want to relax after busy days of exploring the city, you can splurge on a nice hotel for at least a part of your stay. Trivago has plenty of accommodation options in Szczecin.
But the best option is a beautiful free hotel — and it’s easy to get! Our Flytrippers readers have earned over 3 million dollars in free travel with our travel rewards deals, so you should take advantage of them too (this hotel deal is a great one for beginners).
The Moxy Szczecin City is a beautiful and recent hotel in the heart of Szczecin, just across from the old city and all the attractions.
It costs 9,800 Marriott points per night (49,000 for 5 nights). That’s just 4,900 points per person per night with a companion! It’s not as cheap as Marriott hotels in Southeast Asia of course, but that’s not bad at all for Europe.
The current welcome bonus on the Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card gives you 53,000 points (or 106,000 points if your companion takes advantage of it too).
The cash price is $645 ($129/night for 5 nights) so using points can give you great value — those particular dates give you almost 50% more than our conservative Flytrippers Valuation! You can read how Marriott Bonvoy points work.
Moxy is the most hip, young, and lively of Marriott’s 30+ different hotel brands. The social lounge and bar area is a great spot to chill if you want to spend a day at a slower pace while in Szczecin.
If you prefer a fancier option, the Courtyard Szczecin City costs just a few more points and is located in the same building. I remind you that the Courtyard brand mostly includes full-service hotels outside of North America.
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Summary
With impressive castles, fascinating museums, historical sites where you can learn firsthand about WWII, and a vibrant nightlife, Szczecin is a hidden gem that’s definitely worth a visit. Not only that. Szczecin is perfect for those looking to relax, with big parks and forests outside the city and even a free hotel for those willing to enter the travel rewards realm.
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Featured image: Szczecin, Poland (photo credit: pixabay)
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