Discover Włocławek
Accommodation in Włocławek
Włocławek combines urban history with public art and opportunities for active exploration. At the Muzeum Historii Włocławka, permanent exhibitions take you from prehistoric times to the Polish People’s Republic; murals tell the city’s story across its streets. There is also a cultural centre with events and an observation tower overlooking Włocławek and the surrounding area. Depending on whether you want your stay to focus more on culture, the city or cycling, you will find different starting points here for planning your trip.
Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Włocławek, aerial view
Photo: Aneta Pawska via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
City history and faience
The Muzeum Historii Włocławka opened in 1972 as a department of the Muzeum Ziemi Kujawskiej i Dobrzyńskiej. It is housed in three listed townhouses where Stary Rynek meets ul. Szpichlerna. The combination of historic buildings and an exhibition about the city’s long history makes the museum a good starting point if you want to get to know Włocławek beyond its present-day streets and squares. The permanent exhibitions explore the history of Włocławek and the region, spanning the period from prehistoric times to the Polish People’s Republic. This brings a broad historical period together in a single visit, rather than narrowing the city’s history to just one era.
The interactive Skarbiec Fajansu cultural centre offers a different way to discover local culture. It presents the 150-year history of Włocławek’s faience craft. While the museum covers the historical development of the city and region across many eras, Skarbiec Fajansu focuses on a particular craft and its history. If you are interested in regional culture, you can give these two themes different weight when choosing your outings.
Murals, events and walks
Włocławek has a murals trail featuring large-scale wall paintings whose theme is the city’s history. Most of the works are located in the immediate Śródmieście area. Listed locations include Żabia 14/16, Wojska Polskiego 3, Piekarska 15, Bulwary Marszałka Józefa Piłsudskiego 22 and 25, Cyganka 9 and Żabia 2. These specific addresses can help you find your way if you want to include the murals in your exploration of the city. Their historical focus connects the paintings thematically with the city’s history, which is also featured at the Muzeum Historii Włocławka.
The Centrum Kultury Browar B. in Włocławek offers a changing cultural programme that includes music concerts and theatre performances, contemporary art exhibitions, and regular classes and group activities. Its programme ranges from individual events to classes and group activities. Another suggestion for exploring the city is the signposted Miejski Spacerowy Szlak Obiektów Zabytkowych, which leads to historic buildings. If you enjoy combining cultural activities with a walk when you travel, you can choose from these different formats without limiting your visit to a single museum theme.
Cycling and views over the city
Włower, the city’s bicycle rental system, has nearly 100 modern bicycles and 22 stations distributed across different neighbourhoods of Włocławek. Two signposted cycling routes of different lengths also pass through the city. The black Jezioro Wikaryjskie–Włocławek–Wieniec cycling route is 20 km long. The red Nadwiślański cycling route runs from Włocławek via Nieszawa to Ciechocinek and is 38 km long. These specific route details can help you make cycling a focus of your trip planning. Włower, the black route and the red route are different ways to explore cycling in and around Włocławek.
An observation tower stands at the highest point in the city and offers panoramic views of the city and the surrounding area. Free binoculars are available at heights of 3.5 m, 7.7 m, 11.9 m and 16.1 m. These precise height details are also useful for finding your way around on site; the tower adds a view from above to the perspectives you gain while exploring the streets, cultural venues and cycling routes. It is another distinct activity for a stay that combines an interest in city views and culture.
In the wider region, the area covered by the Kujawski PTTK branch in Włocławek has 160.5 km of signposted hiking trails and 40 km of signposted cycling routes. These figures refer to the branch’s area of activity and complement the specific cycling routes that pass through Włocławek. When choosing a holiday apartment for your trip, you can first decide whether you want to focus on city history, cultural activities or active exploration. The experiences described here offer a range of themes, without requiring you to commit to just one kind of trip.
More destination pages
Find more destination pages here: Włocławek, Izbica Kujawska, Brzezie, Mieczysławowo, Skórzno, Grodztwo, Lubień Kujawski, Markowo, Smólnik, Chotel, Mikolajki, Kruszyn, Skoki Duże, Augustynowo, Wieniec, Baruchowo, Kowal, Szczutkowo, Antoniewo and Huta Chodecka.
For the broader travel overview: Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship.
