Old Market Square
Colourful merchant houses frame one of Poland's most attractive squares. Wander the lanes, sit outside with a drink and see the Town Hall's mechanical goats clatter their horns.
Goats at 12 pm and 3 pmOur Poznań story
The gorgeous one from our Interrail trip
Poznań was part of my summer 2005 Interrail trip with friends, and my strongest memory is simply what a gorgeous city it was. The centre felt colourful and welcoming, with grand façades and a much more relaxed pace than some of Europe's better-known city-break destinations.
The Old Market Square was the star. Its rows of brightly painted merchant houses and handsome Town Hall made it the kind of place where wandering around was an activity in itself. It was beautiful without feeling stiff or overly polished.
Poznań also felt easy and affordable—a proper lived-in Polish city rather than somewhere existing only for tourists. That balance of history, colour and atmosphere is what made it so memorable.
More than twenty years later, we are planning to return for the 2026 Christmas markets. This time Podge will get to see the city too, dressed in lights and hopefully every bit as lovely as I remember it.
