As soon as you have secured a place to study and nice accommodation in Wroclaw, you can start planning your stay. After all, when you study abroad, you naturally want to experience a lot. To get you excited about Wroclaw, here’s a list of the top sights, tours and activities near the popular student city, in Lower Silesia and beyond.
Want to get a quick taste of the countryside? Then this excursion is just what you’re looking for. It takes just 25 minutes from the main railway station in Wroclaw to the Zakrzów Kotowice stop. From there, various hiking trails lead you to the 40-metre-high observation tower, which you can see from afar. Once you reach the top, an impressive view of the green landscape and the course of the Oder River awaits you. If you prefer a sporty day trip, you can of course cycle to the lookout tower and back to Wroclaw.
Distance: 20 km
Getting there: 25 minutes by train, 35 minutes by car and 1 hour by bike.
Duration: A few hours
Seasons: All year round
If you love forests and nature, we recommend a hike through the picturesque Zobten Mountains. As you climb to the top of the 700-metre-high Góra Ślęża, you will pass many natural water springs and some mystical sculptures. It is not for nothing that the mountain is called Silesian Olympus. The various viewpoints offer a magnificent view over the Silesian Plain and let you feel the beauty of untouched nature. On sunny days you can see as far as Wroclaw from the summit. Thanks to the various hiking trails, the Zobten Mountains can be crossed from several starting points, which is why you can get to know the area in different ways. For example, you can start from the car parks near Sobótka or Tąpadła.
Distance: 40 km
Getting there: approx. 1 hour by car or bus (Wroclaw – Sobótka – Sulistrowiczki – Tąpadła Pass).
Duration: day trip
Special sights and activities: Visit to the ancient granite bear sculpture, the lookout tower and the church at the summit.
Seasons: All year round
Contact and info: https://www.sleza.sobotka.pl/
Only about 35 kilometres from Wroclaw, another green experience awaits you. A visit to Lake Mietkowski promises cooling off in summer and romantic moments on chilly days. The reservoir is the largest lake in Lower Silesia and attracts its many guests with a wide range of leisure activities. The fine beach section is even equipped with sunbeds, bars and restaurants. There are also various water sports on offer, which provide plenty of variety.
Distance: 35 km
Journey: Approx. 45 minutes by car
Duration: A few hours to a day trip
Special sights and activities: Borzygniew beach section with restaurants and water sports rental, as well as a visit to the nearby Domanice Castle Park.
Seasons: All year round
You want to get some fresh air and escape from everyday university life? Then you’ll quickly switch off in the Bartsch Valley. There is something for everyone here. The small town of Milicz is a good starting point and can be reached quickly from Wroclaw. Those who prefer a quieter pace can explore the historic city centre with its narrow streets on a walking tour, whose history dates back to the 12th century. Milicz is also known for its regional cuisine, which includes one thing that should not be missed, especially in autumn: freshly caught carp from the surrounding area. This is native to the nearby ponds, which you can explore by bike on a network of routes over 500 kilometres long. Alternatively, you can explore the beautiful ecosystem of the Barycz Valley on the water by canoe or kayak. The Barycz River is a popular excursion destination where you can observe the untouched flora and fauna from a completely different perspective.
Distance: 50 km
Getting there: approx. 1 hour by car and 1:20 hour by train
Duration: day trip, extension over several days possible
Special sights and activities: Culinary Carp Days from September to November, Maltzan Castle and a kayak tour or rafting trip on the Bartsch River
Seasons: all year round
Contact and info: http://milicz.pl/
Lower Silesia is famous for its castles and palaces. Of many buildings only ruins remain. Some, however, are perfectly preserved. One of them is Fürstenstein Castle, which is not to be missed. The complex’s turbulent history, with wars and numerous changes of ownership, dates back to the 13th century. In addition to the magnificent rooms, the castle park and the palm house are also worth seeing. And if you are looking for a thrill, you can be transported to another world on a night tour or visit to the underground galleries from the Second World War (Project Riese). Conveniently, there is a hotel on the premises, so you don’t have to worry about accommodation.
Distance: 77 km
Getting there: approx. 1:20 hour by car, bus tours can be booked directly from Wroclaw
Duration: day trip, overnight stay possible directly on site
Special sights and activities: various themed tours of the castle complex.
Seasons: all year round
Contact and information: https://www.ksiaz.walbrzych.pl/
Located in the middle of a nature reserve, this pretty botanical garden of the University of Wroclaw. But you don’t have to be interested in trees to stroll through the grounds in wonder. Because this spacious paradise enchants not only those interested in natural science, but also those seeking peace and quiet and hiking enthusiasts. You can spend hours on the 62-hectare grounds and discover a lot. A whole 2500 genera with 3500 plant species and a mineral collection (GEOretum) adorn this patch of earth. The colourfulness is present in almost every season, as you will find exotic and extremely rare specimens in addition to many native trees on the garden grounds.
Distance: 60 km
Journey: approx. 1 hour by car
Duration: day trip
Special sights and activities: Spring flowering of rhododendrons from May to June and the flowering of more than 300 species and varieties of hydrangea in late summer.
Seasons: Mid-April to late October
Contact and info: https://arboretumwojslawice.pl/
A true natural spectacle awaits you in the Czech-Polish border region. It’s no wonder that many visitors spend several days or an entire holiday in the Giant Mountains. Countless hiking trails lead you past powerful waterfalls to various vantage points that will take your breath away. These include, for example, the Schneekoppe or the Hohe Rad. But besides the hiking routes, other leisure activities await you here. If you like it wilder, get on a mountain bike or admire the snow-covered mountains in winter while skiing. If you prefer to take it easy, you can also take the cable car up on warm days and enjoy the vastness of the mountains. One thing is for sure: in the Krkonoše Mountains, everyone gets their money’s worth, no matter what the season.
Distance: 130 km
Journey: Approx. 2:30 hour by car
Duration: At least as a day trip, preferably several days
Special sights and activities: Visit the Zackelfall and Pantschefall waterfalls, the Wang Norwegian church and the Karpacz Górny spa with its gravitational anomalies.
Seasons: all year round depending on the activity
Contact and info: https://kpnmab.pl/
The Lutheran Holy Trinity Peace Church is one of the most important sights in Silesia and thus deserves a place on your to-do list. As the world’s largest wooden baroque church, the building enjoys special protection as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The same applies to the Peace Church in Jawor. The two historic buildings can be ideally combined as a day trip. You only have to drive 35 kilometres from Jawor to the Peace Church in Schweidnitz. After your visit, you can stop at the Baroccaffee and end the day with coffee, tea and delicious food.
Distance: Schweidnitz 55 km and to Jauer 68 km
How to get there: To both cities you need about one hour by car from Wroclaw
Duration: Day trip
Special sights and activities: A trip to the Peace Churches can easily be combined with a visit to the Giant Mountains.
Seasons: All year round
Contact and information: https://kosciolpokoju.pl/
The Bystrzycy River is one of the most important tributaries of the Odra River, which flows through the centre of Wrocław. In order to protect the biodiversity of the Weistritz Valley, the landscape park of the same name was finally established in 1988. It is still considered an important recreational area in the west of Wroclaw, which you can easily reach by public transport or by bicycle. The picturesque, unspoilt landscape is particularly easy to explore by bike. If you prefer to go on foot, you can relax on a walk or a longer hike. This makes the Weistritz Valley a popular destination in summer and winter for people living in Wroclaw.
Distance: 20 km
Getting there: approx. 30 minutes by public transport or by car
Duration: day trip
Special sights and activities: River trips and rafting on the Weistritz river
Seasons: All year round
A little further away, but all the more spectacular for it, is the Braunau Hills, which might look familiar to you from the cinema screen. The striking rock town of Adršpach was the setting for the film series The Chronicles of Narnia. You can admire the unique landscape just over the Czech border on an interactive circular trail. You’ll pass a 16-metre-high waterfall, squeeze through a 50-centimetre-wide rock alley and take in the impressive view. But the Adersbach Rock City is not the only reason why you can spend several days here. There is also a copper mine, forest trails and many other activities.
Distance: 100 km
Journey: Approx. 2 hours by car
Duration: At least as a day trip, best is to spend several days here at once
Special sights and activities: Adersbach Rock Town, Broumov Brewery and Adersbach Castle.
Seasons: All year round
Contact and info: https://www.adrspasskeskaly.cz/
Even if just the word Auschwitz sends a cold shiver down your spine: A visit to the UNESCO-protected memorial and museum is of great historical value. After all, the suffering of the more than one million people in the concentration camp and the cruel Nazi Holocaust should not be forgotten. A day trip to Auschwitz-Birkenau is highly recommended as a reminder of the horrors of the Second World War and for historical education. Ideally, you should take part in an expert guided tour to gain a deeper understanding of this place.
Distance: 230 km
Journey: approx. 3 hours by car
Duration: Day trip
Seasons: All year round
Contact and info: http://auschwitz.org/
Wroclaw or Poland is a good starting point for exploring other significant cities due to its central location in Europe. Görlitz, for example, can be reached by train in 2 hours, making it an ideal destination for an interesting day trip. For other cities, it makes sense to take more time and spend at least a weekend there. In Prague or Berlin, there are so many sights and activities that one day would not be enough. As an alternative to travelling by train, you can contact local bus companies in Wroclaw, which offer guided tours and excursions to many cities – sometimes as day trips. In any case, you should not miss the following cities when studying in Wroclaw:
– Görlitz: 180 km away
– Krakow: 270 km away
– Dresden: 270 km away
– Prague: 300 km away
– Berlin: 350 km away