Guida di Poznan: cultura e divertimento in Polonia

Today Poznań presents itself as a youthful urban center with a vibrant nightlife and numerous cultural opportunities, ranging from art galleries to various nearby attractions. The Polish city also plays the role of a cosmopolitan tourist center, thanks to its twinning with many foreign cities, near and far, such as Brno (Czech Republic) and Toledo (United States).
Arriving in Poznań, one cannot miss admiring the Ostrów Tumski, or the Cathedral Island known for being the place where the city originated and mainly inhabited by bishops, priests, and monks. It is possible to reach the Cathedral Island from the center by tram (lines 4, 8, and 17) and bus (63). Here begins the tour with the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul, which was the first and only one to be built in Poland between 968 and 1000.
The tour continues with the Church of Our Lady, the Archbishop’s Palace, the Lubrański Academy (established in 1518), the Psalter House, and various canonries mostly dating from the 17th and 19th centuries.
If you go to the Stary Rynek, or the old town square, you can admire the town hall, the Church of St. Stanislaus and Our Lady, the former Jesuit college, the King’s Castle, the Franciscan Church, and the Gorka Palace.
A few minutes from the Cathedral Island is the district called ‘Srodka‘, from the Polish ‘Środa’ meaning ‘Wednesday’, the day when weekly markets were held.
In the Emperor’s district, you can admire the Emperor’s castle, while to discover how beer is made, you can join the tour held at the brewery on Szwajcarska str. History lovers can learn about the origins of Poznań by going to Ludgardy str. and observing one of only two interactive exhibitions available in Europe, while train enthusiasts can enjoy a fantastic steam train journey to the Wielkopolska National Park.
In Poznań, it is possible to shop at various shopping centers, supermarkets, and outdoor markets and have fun in the many nightclubs, especially at Stary Rynek.
In 2012 Poznań was host to some matches of the European Football Championship including the Italian national team’s games.