The most beautiful cities in Poland. Top 10

There are also towns in Poland which, somewhere along the way of their turbulent history, lost their city rights and are now villages, but have retained their typical urban buildings and small-town character. Also such places were included in my list of the most beautiful cities in Poland, because they simply captivated me and I am sure that you will like them too. See the most beautiful cities in Poland through my eyes! First, I present you with a list of these places, and below I describe them in more detail. And if you want to find an even more detailed description, click on the linked (blue) city name, which takes you to the detailed description. Below you will find a map with the exact location of each city.

1. Gdańsk

Gdańsk has magic in it, which is why I think it is the most beautiful city in Poland! It is a historical, over a thousand-year-old Hanseatic center, which enchants not only with its wonderful buildings, but also with its location on the Baltic Sea, in the vicinity of Gdynia and Sopot, with which they form the Tri-City, so attractive and loved by tourists. Gdańsk captivates today with its stunning architecture, and has always aroused the admiration and delight of visitors, mainly due to its richness. Also today, it is eagerly visited by tourists from all over Europe.

You just have to come to Gdańsk and see this city for yourself. Walk along the Royal Route, i.e. Długa Street and Długi Targ, from the Golden Gate to the Green Gate and further along the Motława to the Żuraw - the symbol of Gdańsk. It was on this walking route that the most magnificent buildings of Gdańsk settled, such as the magnificent Town Hall, the ornate Artus Court, the popular Fountain with Neptune. Each tenement house has its own history and attracts attention with its beauty. On the other hand, climatic granaries grew up over the Motława River, looking through the surface of the water.

2. Krakow

Kraków, or the Kraków Castle, is the unique capital of Lesser Poland, and at the same time the historical capital of Poland. Many people consider Krakow to be the most beautiful city in Poland and this is not surprising. They appreciate the magnificent monuments here, which are a trace of centuries-old history. And this Polish history, after all, this city, apart from the partitions, has never been under foreign rule. The heart of historic Krakow beats at the Wawel Castle - the seat of the rulers of Poland. It is a real pearl among monuments - a symbol of Polish culture and tradition. Wawel is open to tourists every day from dawn to dusk, it is especially worth visiting the Royal Castle and the Cathedral, which dates back to the 11th century. This is impressive! The whole hill is available free of charge, only the exhibitions in the castle and the interior of the cathedral are payable.

Of course, being in Krakow, it is impossible to miss the Market Square with the Cloth Hall and the famous St. Mary's Church, with the recently renovated altar by Wit Stoss. It is one of the largest markets in Europe and the largest among those listed in this list. An interesting fact is that the Old Town of Krakow was the first in Poland to be inscribed on the prestigious UNESCO List. In summer, Krakow is beautiful, in the sparkling sun, but then you have to reckon with numerous tourists. It is even better here in winter, especially after dark, when it is quiet, the dirt of the street hides under a blanket of white fluff, and the buildings are lit up with lights. Then Krakow shows its less known, magical face.

3. Wrocław

While Krakow is associated with a centuries-old tradition, Wrocław, although also enjoying a very long history, is perceived by tourists as a modern, cosmopolitan and very attractive resort. This is the wonderful capital of Lower Silesia, lying on the islands on the Oder, so Wrocław is sometimes called the Venice of the North. You will find 130 bridges here, but this number is not the most electrifying. The unquestionable symbol of Wrocław has become the Wrocław dwarfs, which can already be found in the city... about 400! I do not know a child who would not like to find dwarves scattered all over the city🙂

In addition, you must visit the beautiful Market Square with two town halls, especially captivating is this old, Gothic, with the famous Świdnicka Cellar, the unique, secluded and mysterious Tumski Island with its majestic cathedral and the popular Wrocław Zoo with the Afrkarium, which rivals Western and American zoos. I was captivated by Wrocław on my first visit, and each subsequent visit only confirmed the first sensational impression. Tourists love Wroclaw too!

4. Lublin

Lublin - the capital of the Lublin Voivodeship - is beautiful. It is not only the largest, but also one of the most beautiful cities in eastern Poland. The Old Town of Lublin is really captivating, and its additional advantage is the fact that it has been excluded from car traffic. Therefore, it is worth taking a leisurely walk from under the age-old castle in Lublin along the Royal Route through the Grodzka Gate to the Market Square, with intricately decorated tenement houses. We visited Lublin quite a long time ago, but I remember that the Old Town made a huge impression on me and I could not help but admire the beauty of the local tenement houses. Not all of them were renovated at the time, but the climate was amazing anyway.

Lublin is an old city, once very significant, in the 20th century heavily forgotten and neglected, today it is restored to its former, due splendor. Tourists are captivated by its charm! I also recommend the Museum of the Lublin Countryside, because it is also worth noting. It spreads over a large area and offers less and less common wooden buildings and a lot of interesting facts.

5. Zamość

Zamość is an architectural pearl of the borderlands, and next to Lublin it is the most beautiful city in eastern Poland. Why such a harmonious city? Yes, it was a private city, founded by Jan Zamoyski, who commissioned the Italian master Bernardo Morando to design an ideal city - a fortress. It protected the Zamoyski estate and at the same time delighted with its beauty! This is how Zamość, called the Padua of the North, was created - a true masterpiece of the Polish Renaissance. Zamość enchants tourists to this day. No wonder that in 1992 the Old Town of Zamość was entered on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

In Zamość, you need to visit the fortress, but the heart of the city is the Market Square, and on it the magnificent Town Hall with a tower over 50 meters high and intricate fan stairs. Right next to it, however, much smaller, but also very decorated and colorful Armenian tenement houses with a unique attic. The attic itself may not be so unique, but it is usually noticeable in castles, town halls, and rarely adorns townhouses. It houses the Zamość Museum.

6. Warsaw

Warsaw is a quite controversial city in Poland, because it is often treated politically, not as a tourist destination. For years, Warsaw was rebuilt after war damage, often at the expense of other regions, which is why not every Pole can enjoy the beauty of our capital. And that's a big mistake. I cannot perceive Warsaw other than as a tourist destination, and for me it is simply a beautiful capital of Poland, with a wonderful Old Town that has suffered a lot, but today, faithfully reconstructed, it looks great and has even been appreciated by UNESCO, entering it on the prestigious Heritage List. So it is obvious to me that Warsaw was included in this ranking of the most beautiful cities in Poland!

Many Warsaw offers wonderful buildings, but also charming corners where you can have a nice time, and the tracts offer unusual walks, which are a feast for the eyes. It is definitely worth visiting Warsaw, an unusual city where historical buildings are adjacent to modern architecture. The intimate Market Square with a mermaid, the magnificent Castle Square and Krakowskie Przedmieście, but I also strongly recommend visiting the Royal Łazienki and the complex in Wilanów. A day isn't enough to get to know these attractions.

7. Lanckorona

Lanckorona is the first town in this list that currently does not have city rights. But what does it mean when everyone calls Lanckorona the City of Angels? Lanckorona is amazing! It is an extremely charming place, lying between Wadowice and Myślenice. Located on the mountainside, the Market Square is strongly sloped here and allows you to admire the beautiful panorama of the area, with valleys and hills. In good visibility, you will see Krakow or Babia Góra in the Żywiec Beskids.

Lanckorona has an amazing atmosphere, in terms of location it reminds me a bit of Cognacs, which also lies on the slope of the mountain, and in artistic terms it reminds me ofKazimierz Dolny on the Vistula, because this place was also liked by artists. Only Lanckorona is much more secluded, perfect for a "slow travel" holiday. The most impressive here are the colorful, largely wooden houses on the Market Square. Some of them have preserved wooden arcades, which looks great and very unique. And in the windows of these houses you will see angels, cats and other ornaments. In December, the Angel in the TownFestival, which is a kind of Christmas Market, invites you here.

8. Sandometer

Sandomierz is called "Little Rome" because, like the Italian capital, it is located on 7 hills, and there are also mysterious corridors under the city. The ones in Sandomierz are available for tourists! Sandomierz is a beautiful royal city, picturesquely located on the Vistula River, with a unique atmosphere penetrating charming alleys. A different image of this city appeared for the first time, in 2011, after the great flood of 2010. Sandomierz was sad, traces of flooding were visible in many places, and on the market square this impression was intensified by the exhibition of great photographs of Sandomierz from the time of the flood. Quite overwhelming and the charm of the city really had to be brought out, and there were almost no tourists.

Only subsequent visits to Sandomierz allowed us to see it in a completely different light. The city even flourished, the monuments were largely renovated, flowers appeared, and the Old Town began to teem with life, largely thanks to the series "Father Matthew" filmed here. Today, there is never a shortage of tourists in Sandomierz and it is worth having fun here for a while, visiting not only the beautiful Market Square with the characteristic Town Hall, the old castle, the great cathedral, but also the unique loess gorge almost in the city center and the Pepper Mountains in the suburbs, with a magical view of the Vistula River and the surrounding area.

9. Tarnów

Hailed as the Polish Pearl of the Renaissance, Tarnów is a beautiful city located on the Biała and Dunajec rivers. Few people know that outside Krakow you will find the most monuments in all of southern Poland. And there is another good reason to visit Tarnów - after all, it is a Polish heat pole🙂 The charm of the Old Town in Tarnów is undeniable, the beautiful Town Hall with a Renaissance attic stands in the heart of the Market Square, where arcaded tenement houses, housing the Museum of History, also delight.

Only a few steps away there is an extremely beautiful cathedral, where you can admire several meters of tombstones - masterpieces tailored to Europe, and behind this colossus you will travel to the past thanks to the Diocesan Alley, where you will reach the oldest tenement house in the city - the stone Mikołajowski House from 1524. Tarnów is a city of many minorities, where Jews, Gypsies and Hungarians lived in large numbers. Their traces are still found on the streets of Tarnów.

10. Łagów

And so I have collected all your pearls here. The last place in the list of the most beautiful cities in Poland today does not have city rights, but is called the pearl of the Lubuskie Voivodeship. It is, of course, Łagów wonderfully located between two spilling lakes - Łagowski and Trześniowski, whose waters almost pour into the streets of the old town, creating an amazing atmosphere. It is perfectly visible from the gothic tower of the castle, which is open to tourists.

The castle is not the only monument, in its vicinity there are two city gates that once led to Łagów. It is the same today, only that nowadays tourists are attracted mainly by leisure on azure lakes, both lazy and active. There is the possibility of sunbathing, water sports, boat trips, as well as diving, which is popular in the area. All in the circumstances of beautiful and pure nature.

And which city or cities in Poland appeal to you the most? Did I include them in my ranking or do you have a different opinion on this topic? I'm interested in your opinion, write your types in the comment 🙂

Check out ourranking of the most beautiful castles in Poland
See our ranking of the best regions in Poland

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What's worth seeing in the area?

If you have already visited this attraction, it is also worth visiting several other interesting ones places nearby. Within a radius of 100 kilometers you will find many interesting places places that can diversify your stay in this part of Poland.

• Kashubia, distance: 29.7  km
• Hel, distance: 30.1  km
• Puck Bay, distance: 33.3  km
• Rewa, distance: 33.3  km
• Rzucewo Castle, distance: 39.8  km
• Malbork Castle, distance: 41.9  km
• Władysławowo, distance: 52.3  km
• Elbląg, distance: 52.5  km
• Słowiński National Park, distance: 90.3  km
• Bory Tucholskie National Park, distance: 95.6  km