Things to do in Wrocław

Wrocław's Old Town and Cathedral Island are ringed by tall, colourful townhouses and linked by pedestrian bridges – the natural starting point, whether you see it by e-car tour or on foot. Keep an eye on the pavements while you're there: the city's bronze dwarves turn a simple walk into a treasure hunt, each one a small, specific joke rather than a generic garden gnome.

For a wider view, Sky Tower's observation deck is the tallest vantage point in the city, and Hydropolis is a genuinely different rainy-day option – a water science centre inside a converted 19th-century reservoir. A short Odra river cruise rounds out a relaxed day.

With a full day to spare, Książ Castle is Poland's third-largest and pairs naturally with the nearby Church of Peace, while Adršpach Rock City – just across the Czech border – gives a landscape unlike anything else on a typical Poland trip. Wrocław also works as a base for visiting Auschwitz-Birkenau, though it's a longer day than doing it from Kraków.