The Juice: Wroclaw

German archictecture and Polish culture combine in this wonderful city of gnomes, nightlife and non-stop festivals. Duncan Rhodes pours the Juice.

Something of a bastard son in Poland, Wroclaw (pronounced Vrots-warv) was born to Slavic parents but raised in Germany as the city of Breslau – before being handed back to Poland as a pile of rubble in the wake of WWII. An inglorious end of an era, the city has been busy reconstructing itself ever since, and whereas the glorious Gothic, Baroque and Renaissance Market Square was faithfully restored soon after the war, the redevelopment of Plac Grunwaldzki and the addition of a new marina on the river Oder in more recent times have undoubtedly added lustre to the city’s charms.

Forging a new identity from this once German city, bestowed with cultural treasures from Lwow (now Lviv, Ukraine), has been harder still but with its excellent universities attracting droves of foreign students, its geographical location in the heart of Europe, and a host of international festivals on the annual calendar, the city’s self-styling as ‘The Meeting Place’ seems like a clever pitch. After all with its dozens of waterways, islands and bridges, medieval churches, one of the best looking square’s on the continent and raucous nightlife who wouldn’t want to congregate here for a stein or two of piwo? Especially if there’s a football championship going on… bring on Euro 2012!

Best of the Beaten Track

Rounding up Wroclaw’s guidebook sights doesn’t take too long, although if the weather’s good the weak-willed will inevitably sacrifice the afternoon to the beer gods on the altars/terraces of the Rynek (Market Square). Even then you should still be able to take in the Gothic Town Hall, which is on the square itself.

A waltz around the interior reveals some splendid anterooms and temporary art exhibitions, whilst on the outside pay note to the astronomical clock (anything Prague can do…) and townspeople motifs. If you do manage to part with your Piast, then a short stroll East will then take you to the city’s most visited attraction, the Raclawice Panorama. Housed in an ugly Modernist cyclinder the Panorama is a vast circular painting commemorating the fateful occasion when some Polski peasants rose up and defied the odds to whoop some Ruski rump (sadly a case of winning the battle, losing the war). Audio tour lasts 30 mins. Just nearby find the National Museum (you can enter for free with your Panorama ticket) with a full spectrum of Polish art, whilst a short walk North will take you across the Oder river to Ostrow Tumski (cathedral island) where you can ascend the twin towers of St. John’s for sterling views of the city. A second day of sightseeing is best spent leaving the Old Town and heading further East this time, where Max Berg’s Centennial Hall, Wroclaw Zoo, and the Szczytnicki Park, with its Japanese Garden, all await discovery.

Hipster’s Guide

Wroclaw isn’t quite big enough to boast a distinct Bohemian district, although the area around Wlodkowica street, with its artsy bars and cafes, is a great place to hang out and wax poetic. To this purpose none surpass Mleczarnia with its flickering candlelight, old Jewish portraits and superb smoked-salmon toasties. The White Stork Synagogue occupies the small square behind it.

Otherwise the University Quarter of the Old Town is a nice place to kill time with the city’s academics, or you could go the whole hog and trek across the Grunwaldzki Bridge to the Wroclaw Technical University’s huge campus and wander around aimlessly, in wistful remembrance of your own student days… before heading to Tawerna student club on the river for a pint of watered down Lech and some table football. A geeky alternative would be a trip to the Post and Telecommunications Museum, with its mind-bogglingly complex yet low-tech machinery and a good history in English of the Polish postal service. Finally no city guide to Wroclaw would be complete without mention of the Orange Alternative movement’s mascot, the gnome. The little critters pose and pout on the city’s pavements, and you can read their full story here.

Experience & Events

Wroclaw is undoubtedly waiting for a canny tour operator to start a vodka-fuelled, speedboat treasure hunt along the river Oder in which the objective is to stop the Nazis escaping from the siege of Breslau – but until then experiencing the city will remain a tranquil affair of sinking beers on the square and pleasant waterside strolls. However if you are feeling brave you could knock on the door of the Free Dom squat at Jagiellonczyka 10d (along with the CRK centre) and spend some time with the counter culture kids, possibly plotting a revolution, although more likely getting high and going to an illegal rave.

Events-wise there are plenty of great festivals to time your visit with, none bigger than Wroclaw Nonstop with its mix of art, culture and music. The Era Nowe Horizonty in summer is arguably Poland’s best film festival and the Thanks Jimi Festival in May is an annual World Record attempt for the most guitarists playing a tune (Hey Joe) in concert. Bring your own six-string.

Pillow Talk

Mleczarnia’s hostel is not only beautifully decorated but has the distinct advantage of being right on top of Mleczarnia bar. Nathan’s is another good budget choice. In the mid-range category Hotel Tumski is reasonably priced and sits pretty on one of the city’s islets, over the river. Charismatic and central four star choices include Art Hotel, just off the Market Square, and Dwor Polski, where King Sigismund III is said to have indulged in a bit of premarital rumpy-pumpy with Anne of Habsburg. Despite improving options, overall the city still has a slight dearth of hotel rooms, and apartments are certainly a viable option. Wroclaw Life can help you book a short stay apartment.

Fork Out

Poland isn’t famous for gastronomic greatness and, whilst Warsaw might be able to challenge conceptions, Wroclaw’s eating scene is decent rather than decadent. Naturally Polish is done best, whether you want the authentic ‘milk bar’ experience (ie. surly babcias dishing out sloppy soups and dumplings with withering looks), or upscale dining in the manner of former Polski princes. Try Mis for the former and Vincents for the latter. Thanks to a sizeable number of both Italian and Asian expats visitors can also dine at the likes of Amalfi and Darea. Finally, if you can find it – and it’s open – Abrams’ Tower is a 13th century fortification run by a Californian artist who takes great pride in his authentic Mexican cuisine. Call ahead.

Drop In

Whilst swanky joints exist in Wroclaw, such as Paparazzi, catering for the city’s cash-splashing business folk, undoubtedly students rule the roost on the nightlife front, and generally speaking partying with these friendly alcoholics is a lot more fun. The best places are located down hard-to-find dark alleys, such as Kamfora, Chill Out or Szepty, and for sheer mayhem Pasaz Niepolda boasts the highest concentration of bars and clubs in the city – Bezsennosc is by far the best. Whereas options abound for starting the evening, for my money there’s only one place to end a big night out in Wroclaw – and that’s Manana. Dolled-up divas, dread-locked drifters and moustachioed Lotharios dance ‘til dawn to everything from Chemical Brothers to Ella Fitzgerald’s It don’t mean a thing, if you ain’t got that swing…, whilst Botticelli’s Venus smirks approvingly on. Like all self-respecting Polish bars the party ends only when people stop drinking.

Getting There

Ryanair fly from London (Stansted), Liverpool, Bristol, East Midlands, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dublin and Shannon as well as a handful of European destinations. Wizzair fly from London (Luton), Sheffield and Cork.

More Juice

Wroclaw Life is the best overall travel guide to the city online, whilst Wroclaw Weekly is jam-packed with events week-in week-out. Wroclaw Life also print handy maps which you should be able to pick up around the city, and keep your eyes peeled for the amusing In Your Pocket guidebooks.

Hard Copy

Historian Norman Davis wrote a huge tome called Microcosm: Portrait of a Central European City about the ebbs and fortunes of Wroclaw, and if you’ve fallen in love with the city this is one fountain of knowledge that will slake your thirst (possibly drown you). You’ve seen the gnomes dotted about the city pavements, now read about the Orange Alternative movement that spawned them… Orange Alternative – The Dwarf Revolution includes commentary by oddball anarchist himself The Major, and charts his attempts at undermining the Communist system. Singing Stalinist anthems to chimpanzees anyone?

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