I can’t get my bearings in this town.
My routes to the Symposium and regular stores look chaotic to anyone who actually knows where they’re going. My sister Jo, ever the navigator, does a lot of quiet head-shaking as I take the longest, least logical paths. She kindly blames Poznań’s flatness and its lack of obvious landmarks. But I know the truth: I picked a route once and stuck with it. No amount of solid evidence could convince my brain to reprogramme.
Today’s our last full day in Poznań.
What a surprising, beautiful city I never expected to love.
I’m writing from my hotel room, where gauze curtains shift in a soft breeze. Sunlight pours in from the terrace, blue sky beyond. We just finished another flawless breakfast here at the Fortune Old Town Boutique. In a moment, we’ll head out for our final round of gallery visits and gift shopping.
Sketching has been a goal of mine, though setting a chair on the pavement solo doesn’t feel quite as natural as it does with a group of fellow sketchers. Still, it’s not hard. No one complains. Sometimes someone stops to chat or snap a photo. Always polite. Always warm. The people of Poznań are absolute charmers.
We’ve eaten extraordinarily well, though not particularly Polish. I tried a pierogi on day one, but made a poor choice of first filling and never circled back. I might have missed something special, but there’s been no shortage of memorable meals to take home with me. The potatoes here taste sweeter, richer somehow. And if not for the dairy, I’d eat żwik every day (have I spelled it differently each time I’ve mentioned it? I’ll spell check when I get home/add photos too)
We’re still puzzled as to how our hotel ranks only three stars. It’s spotless, quiet, beautifully located, and staffed by some of the kindest people I’ve met. Honestly, we nailed it. If you’re visiting, stay at Fortune Old Town Boutique.
Today’s plan: hit the art gallery, grab some gifts for the grandkids, and enjoy one last meal at our favorite café.
Notes from the streets of Poznań
Pedestrians rule. Step onto a crossing, and cars stop. They wait. No honking, no inching forward. Trams, however, have their own laws of physics. Everyone yields.
Sidewalk etiquette is a mystery. Left or right? Doesn’t seem to matter. People don’t yield. You just keep moving.
Jaywalking? Don’t. The fines are quick and expensive.
Cyclists appear from nowhere. No bells. No warnings. They use footpaths and bike lanes, and you’d better stay out of both if you’re not on two wheels.
Greet in Polish, continue in English. I tried. Truly. But Polish is as tough as they say, and everyone seems both proud of that and happy to switch to English once I offer a friendly dzień dobry.
Bottle caps stay on bottles. Plastic tops don’t come off fully, they hinge. Genius for the environment, and no more lost caps in bags or bins.
Smoking is present, and noticable to a kiwi not used to it anymore. Vaping exists, but no clouds of perfumed steam which is odd and appreciated.
9°C here isn’t 9°C at home. We braced for a freezing Sunday and planned a bed day. It came… and wasn’t bad. Locals wore coats and scarves. We added a layer and wandered happily in the cooler air.
Some taxis will still rip you off. Even with official badges. Ask if they’re using the meter before you ride. Uber is easier, reliable, and visible, our go-to ever since the incident (don’t ask).
You don’t book tables. You wait. Lines outside cafés are common. Once seated, there’s table service, and you pay there too. No rush, no tipping required.
Rubbish bins are scarce, but the streets are clean. There’s not a lot of public seating either except in parks, where deckchairs practically beg you to linger.
Police patrol in pairs. Almost always a man and a woman, strolling the Market Square, calm and present.
Everyone’s fit. Stylish, healthy, well-dressed. We didn’t see a single overweight Polish person.
Cash is dead. We didn’t use a single złoty. Cards and phones covered it all.
Poznań, you’ve been a revelation.
A place I couldn’t navigate, but somehow never felt lost.
A city I didn’t expect to love, but now won’t forget.