If you’re like me, when you first thought about studying abroad in Europe you probably didn’t think about Poland as a country you may want to take your studies to. As I did research for where I wanted to spend my semester abroad, I came across the option of Wrocław, Poland, and I kept coming back to it as a place I would want to go.
My placement in Wrocław was the best experience I could have ever asked for, and here are just some of the things that made the city so incredible, and why I think you’ll love it too.
1. Poland is super cheap!
Poland may be part of the EU, but it still uses its own currency. They use the złoty and its value is less than the Canadian dollar (when does that happen, right?). That’s awesome as someone studying abroad because your dollar gets you so much farther!
2. The city centre is out of a story book.
Polish architecture is bright and colourful, which makes walking around the city centre such a cheerful and fun thing to do! Unfortunately, Wrocław was destroyed during WWII, but when it was rebuilt it was done in a beautiful way. It’s even more fun during the spring and summer, where you can get dinner or drinks in the outside seating areas offered by the restaurants.
3. You can never go wrong with pierogies!
One of my favourite Polish dishes to get while I was abroad were pierogies. They’re dumplings that can be filled with sweet or savory ingredients, so there’s something for everyone. My favourite place to get them while there was Kurna Chata, but you’ll find lots of great places to enjoy them!
4. Poland knows how to make great donuts.
They’re called Paçzki (pronounced “pawnch-kee”) and they’re the equivalent to jelly filled donuts but way better. The best place to get them are at the stands around the city where they’re freshly made every day. There are a ton of different kinds to get, such as cinnamon apple, blueberry, or Nutella. They cost about a dollar, and the they’re so much better than the 99 cent donuts you get from Tim Hortons (sorry Timmy’s!).
5. There’s always a place to stop for ice cream.
Lody is the word for ice cream in Polish and you will see it everywhere! Just like how Italy is proud of gelato, Poland is proud of its lody! It isn’t an uncommon thing to see lines around the corner at the best lody places even on cloudy days. My favourite thing to do after class on a nice day was to stop at the lody shop in Bema, and walk back to the dorms from there.
6. Eat at one of the oldest restaurants in Europe
Be sure to eat at Piwnica Świdnicka (http://strona.piwnicaswidnicka.com/) while you’re in Wrocław! It opened back in 1273, and you can find it under city hall. Inside, you’ll find old furniture, battle scene paintings, and traditional Polish food. You get a feel for the incredible history that has taken place in this city for hundreds of years. Just be sure to have cash on you since they don’t accept cards here.
9. Lots of museums to go to.
Wrocław has 22 museums to explore, so there’s something for everyone! From Centennial Hall, to The National Musuem, to the Racławice Panorama, there are more than enough options to keep you busy. My favourites were the Royal Palace History Museum and the University Museum, which were both free and made them even more worth the visit!
8. Visit Centennial Hall.
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Centennial Hall is a really cool building that was built in 1911 and is used for concerts, sports, and exhibitions. In behind Centennial Hall is the multimedia fountain where there are fountain shows set to music. Depending on the day, you’ll also find food trucks and markets set up out front! It’s just a 15 minute walk from the Kredka and Ołówek dorms where most students live for the semester so it’s worth the visit when you have some time to spare!
7. Go on a gnome hunt!
Wrocław has gnomes everywhere! Sounds weird, right? Back in the 80’s, there was an anti-Communist group that spray-painted gnomes everywhere as a part of their opposition against the regime at the time. In 2001, a statue went up to commemorate them, and since then, they’ve popped up all over the city. There are literally hundreds of gnomes to find throughout Wrocław, and it’s lots of fun to see how many you can find! These ones by city hall were some of my favourite ones.
10. The University of Wrocław’s main building is gorgeous.
When you apply to study abroad in Wrocław, you’ll see a picture of the university’s main building on the ISEP website. It’s so much more incredible in person. The building has the largest baroque façade in the world (171 metres long) which is pretty cool, but it gets even better when you go inside. Inside, there’s a museum, cathedral, and for the first two floors all of the ceilings are intricately painted. There aren’t any classes held in this building, which is a definite let-down, but it’s still a cool place to call your university.
11. There are lots of class options in English.
Of course if you do speak Polish you have even more options for class, but there are a lot of classes offered in English as well! So, if you looked at the Polish words throughout this and wondered how those letters came together to form a word, you aren’t alone! A foreign language shouldn’t keep you from considering Poland as the place you should go for your semester abroad. I was able to take a lot of classes geared towards international students, including classes on the history of Poland, which was a subject so interesting to learn about.
12. Central location for travel!
The nice thing about Europe is that it’s really easy to travel around to different countries, and Wrocław gives you a great location to travel to other Polish cities or to other countries. There’s a central train station, lots of bus companies who stop in Wrocław, and a nearby airport that value airlines fly in and out of. Whether you want to do some travel or a lot, be sure to take advantage of your chance in Europe and keep an eye out for those trains, bus, and flight tickets that you can snag a ticket for a price less than $10!