It is not easy to be a dwarf, it is always a bit embarrassing when I stand out in the crowd with height and overall appearance. Fortunately, there is a place where I can easily blend in with the surroundings, and the presence of a leprechaun is no sensation. It is Wrocław a city that has fallen in love with gnomes. Today's post is devoted to the capital of Lower Silesia, and in particular to how you can spend your free time here with your family. Here is my list of places worth visiting, when we are in Wrocław with a child and have some free time. Let's say a children attractions in Wroclaw must see.
You can find all the places below on this map.
Wrocław dwarfs - a different level of sightseeing
I'm probably not objective, but I couldn't start otherwise. It is true that in this case it is difficult to talk about a specific location, because the dwarfs can be found all over the city and even in the surrounding municipalities. Their presence dates back to the communist era, when the Orange Alternative Movement painted dwarfs in order to conceal propaganda slogans. After this period, the dwarfs were forgotten for many years. Until 2005, when the first figurine of Papa Dwarf was created. Today, the family of Wrocław dwarfs has over 450 members. Among them you will find Butcher, Botany, Runner and many others. The lack of a figurine named Gajdek is not fully understandable to me, but for now let's drop a veil of silence on this fact. My favorite way to spend time with my friends' kids is competing to find more gnomes in a given time frame. Believe me - this great fun will make them forget about using smartphones or computers for a long time. And you can get to know the city from a completely different - down-to-earth perspective :)
Skytower - panorama of Wrocław
Lest it happen that it only promotes attractions similar to my height, now I encourage you to visit Skytower. It is the first skyscraper in Wrocław. It is 212 meters high and there is an observation deck on the 49th floor. For me it is important that we can get to it by elevator. I sweat on only the thought of having to climb the stairs up there. The entrance to the viewpoint takes place every half an hour, and we can spend 20 minutes there. Why is it worth it? We have the opportunity to see not only the beautiful panorama of the city and admire Wrocław from above, but also see Śnieżka or Ślęża. Believe me - the sight of the latter will easily awaken in your children the desire to reach these peaks. There are also other child-friendly places in the building, such as Kolejkowo (which I will tell more about later) or the Kinderplaneta playground.
Wroclaw Market Square - the city center with a wonderful old town
At the end of the 1990s, the entire Old Town of Wrocław was beautifully restored and now looks really great. The market itself, which is the central square of the city, is the third largest in Poland. What is worth paying attention to when we get there? I am most impressed by the Town Hall, one of the most beautiful monuments of Gothic bourgeois architecture in Central Europe. My weakness for this place may be related to the fact that in the building of Piwnica Świdnicka (the oldest restaurant in Europe) there is a large store of mead. However, this post is about attractions for children, so let's draw a veil of silence on this delicious drink. From the historical point of view, there are many interesting buildings on the Wrocław market, incl. : beautiful tenement houses or the Garrison Church. However, let's face it - it's not an attraction for children. That is why I suggest taking them immediately to the fountain, which, due to its glass housing, stands out from the others present in our country. Especially in summer, our children can have a great time here, and among the numerous restaurants, also for their parents, there will be a nice culinary attraction of the Wrocław market.
Wroclaw ZOO - Africarium, Aviary, Aquarium and much more
I am so old that I remember that thanks to the program "With a camera among animals" it was the most popular zoo in Poland. I loved the way the Gucwiński family talked about wild animals and their habits. However, it is not sentiment that makes me recommend visiting this place to everyone, who wants to provide amazing emotions for their children. The zoo in Wrocław is the largest in Poland, inhabited by 12,000 animals representing 1,100 species. Among them, those that always impress children the most: tigers, elephants, rhinoceros, monkeys and many others. The biggest attraction of the zoo, however, is the Africarium. I love visiting them, I feel like Tarzan there, maybe a 1:10 scale. The whole thing is a huge complex of swimming pools, aquariums and animal runs. In conditions similar to natural, they are inhabited by fish, reptiles, mammals and even insects. I don't think I know a child (or even a parent), who would not be impressed by a walk along the Mozambique Channel, a glass tunnel with shoals of fish, including sharks, floating above our heads. Certainly, the Wrocław Zoo is also a great choice for a walk in the fresh air for the whole family. A place, where people and animals come together. Since we are already at great zoos, be sure to also check the one in Gdańsk. Read more about attractions for children from this beautiful city.
Hydropolis - a modern museum
The Water Knowledge Center has become one of the most recommended attractions for families with children. It consists of seven thematic zones. My favorite is the Depths. There we will meet a replica of the bathyscaphe in which in 1960 Jacques Piccard and Don Walsh descended almost 11 kilometers under the ocean surface. I like to sit inside this machine and pretend that, while penetrating the bottom of the ocean, I come across a treasure. Another place that will impress children 100% is the zone with steam fire. This fire does not burn at all, so we can put our hand in the flames and pretend to be tough in front of our companions. It is worth checking the current events in advance, because a lot is happening here.
Klockownia - madness in the playroom
There is probably no child in the world, who would not like blocks, so I recommend Klockownia in Wrocław with a clear conscience. It is a perfect place not only for fun, but also to develop the child's creativity and imagination. The whole place is divided into several parts and I especially like two of them. "Four-handed", because erecting buildings here requires cooperation between often foreign children. There I feel like a ruler to whom teams of workers build ever more elaborate palaces made of blocks. The second is the "Demolition" zone, there is nothing to hide, each of us carries negative emotions from time to time and it is probably better to vent them in a designated place than, for example, say something unpleasant to the other person. Here, everyone, a dwarf like me or a small child, can turn into King Kong destroying the Empire State Building.
Kolejkowo Wrocław - an attraction not only for railway enthusiasts
Despite my advanced age, I have something of a child inside. I get bored quickly, which is why I am glad that Kolejkowo was founded. It is the largest railway model in Poland. The most famous places in Wrocław and its vicinity are located on an area of 700 square meters. So we don't have to waste time moving from one attraction to another in the real world, because we have all of them in one room. So, if you are a parent, visiting Kolejkowo will save you the indispensable "Dad, mom, is it far away?" On the model you will additionally find around 4.5 thousand figurines of animals and people, and over a hundred vehicles. Kolejkowo is a bustling town where the sun rises and sets regularly.
Botanical Garden - family walk in the open air
An ideal place for a walk, not only in the summer season, definitely family friendly spot. Its roots date back to 1811, and part of its location is located on city fortifications destroyed by Napoleon. Almost 12,000 plants are waiting for visitors. A special reason for the pride of the garden authorities is the collection of subtropical and tropical aquatic and marsh plants, recommended in the literature for aquarium cultivation. However, we are not deceived that children, especially the younger ones, are passionate about the surrounding flora. Therefore, in order to engage them in a walk around this area, I propose to organize the selection of the strangest and most beautiful plant we meet. In this way, our little ones will actively search for their candidates, and we have a moment of peace.
Centennial Hall - history worth seeing
Since I am old, I remember 1913 as it was today, when a unique object with the largest dome span in the world at that time (65m) was commissioned. Today, this property with a very interesting history, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, attracts visitors and tourists of all ages to numerous events and concerts. It is worth going there with children, so that they can become familiar with the unique acoustics of this place through, for example, screams and singing.
Japanese Garden - a beautiful garden for people of all ages
If, when leaving the centenary hall (or being removed for screams), we still have free time for physical activity, it is worth going to the nearby gardens designed with the participation of a Japanese gardener. If the unique composition or even the rarity of vegetation there does not impress children, the big orange carps living in the local ponds will certainly be such an attraction. Such an amazing part of the city.
This is my suggestion of places worth visiting in the subject of Wroclaw children attractions. Even though I am a staunch bachelor (not necessarily by choice), I have quite a lot of experience spending time with the youngest. I hope you will like my suggestions. If, however, it turned out to be insufficient, I have the proverbial ace up my sleeve. This is a route in the guideU application, following the footsteps of Wrocław's legends. I am sure it will be a great way to spend time with your family. Remember - that is not all You can see in Wroclaw, but it is definitely a good start.