Toruń is one of the most interesting cities in Poland. Travellers often miss it, as it is not as big and well-known as Cracow or Warsaw. But if you want to feel the vibe of a medieval city, filled with the smell of gingerbread, you should add it to your bucket list.
The city is full of monuments that remember the times of the Teutonic Knights. The old town, with its town hall in an Italian style, attracts thousands of tourists that come here to discover narrow streets and the history of astronomy.
To be honest, Toruń is one of my favourites places in Poland. I saw it for the first time as a little kid when we went to the Planetarium, but the only thing I remember is the sweet taste of all the gingerbread I had. Because of the proximity to my family's house, I visit it as often as I can and every time it surprises me with something new, and with its lovely, fairytale-like charm. So here is my personal list of places that you can't miss once you are here.
Visit the Old Town
The city was founded by Teutonic Knights and its oldest part, the Old Town, was built around 1250. Merchants added to the vitality of this place by organizing a market. Nowadays, there are little shops in the old properties, but only the booths with flowers remind one of the old hustle and bustle of the market place. You can pick from carnations, tulips, roses, and more to give a bit of a passionate spark to your trip.
I really like those flower sellers. They remind me a little bit of romantic Paris, and of Polish impressionists painting where the joy of colourful flowers was caught with precision and a bright, yet mystic light.
Rich properties that build the walls of the old town are reminders of the nobility that lived here. One worth noticing is the Artus Court. The history of this building reaches 1385, yet the building that we can admire today was built in 1829. During the era of the Teutonic Knights, this place was a centre of religious and secular events. Throughout history, the walls of this spectacular building hosted Polish Kings and noble politicians from other countries.
The Artus Court was also a crucial place for the economy of the city. Toruń, until around 1790, was one of the most important centres of trade in Poland. The city was especially famous for producing buttons, gingerbread, vodka, soaps, and also cast bells. The importance of Toruń was confirmed by the mint that the city held.
While in the old town, it is impossible to not notice the spectacular Town Hall that dominates the whole square. It was founded in the 13th century, yet the work on it lasted until the 1390s. At that time, the city was a very significant and important part of the Teutonic Knights’ lands, and there is no doubt that the size and scope of the Old Town Hall reflects that.
The Old Town Hall in Toruń is one of the very few town halls in Poland that has an open courtyard in the middle. The bottom part of the building was used for trade. Little counters were filled with bread, meat, and other foods. Citizens of Toruń could also get fabrics to sew new clothes here. The top parts of this building were used for representative meetings of city nobility. Nowadays, it is worth visiting the Old Town Hall not only to see its great architecture but also to admire the rich collection of the regional museum.
Climb the Tower and Admire the Panorama
The tower of the Old Town Hall was built in 1385 and is one of the oldest parts of the building that you can see. You can climb to the top of it to admire the breathtaking panorama of the city. From above, you have a great view of the numerous churches, miscellaneous tops of properties, or even see the Vistula river as it passes next to the city.
To give you an idea of how great the view is, let me just tell you one thing. I have a fear of climbing stairs (yes, those scary wooden ones with holes in between) and no matter how often I climb towers, bridges, etc., I still feel shaky and dizzy when I even look at those structures. Yet, I climb the tower every time that I come to this city. And while it’s easy for me to go up with some trusted company, I went to see this view even when I came to Toruń by myself.
Take a Picture with Copernicus
Toruń was the place where Nicolaus Copernicus was born and live for a while. Yup, THAT Copernicus. The guy who changed our perspective of the Universe and give us this weird idea that we are not in the centre of everything.
You can meet him right in front of the Town Hall, on a very high pedestal, in twice as big as life-size. When you notice his academic robe, his hands holding an astrolabe, and his big hair, you are not even going to need to read the heading from the pedestal. The letters say in Latin "Nicolaus Copernicus Thorunensis, terrae motor, solid caelique stator": Nicolaus Copernicus from Toruń, mover of the earth, stopped the sun and heavens.
Discover the Orient in a Beautiful Property
If you pay enough attention while on top of the tower, you might notice a building with a big star on the top. Located on one of the walls of the old town, House Under the Star is one of the most beautiful properties that you can see around the town.
The star that shines in the bright sun is not the only thing that can delight you while looking at this building. The Italianate Baroque facade with its rich relief of fruits and flowers is an architectural piece of art. Yet, the whole building is much older than the 17th century. It was founded in the 1200s. For ages, it was a home for important personalities, including Italian humanist Filippo Buonaccorsi, and even Copernicus himself.,
If you have a bit of time, you should see the inside of this property. It has painted ceilings with old beams from the 18th century. You can also admire the richly carved stairs executed in wood, and also a bit older cast-iron staircase that runs through all levels of the building.
Nowadays at this stunning property, you can see a rich collection of applied arts and sculptures from China, India, Korea, Japan, and Vietnam.
Say 'Hi'! to FiluÅ› and Don't Sit on a Donkey
While wandering around the old town, you might notice little statues that give the place a unique charm. You can say hello to a tiny dog with a hat in its mouth. He's a friend of a fictional professor that people met and love thanks to the comics of Zbigniew Lengren.
Each respectful medieval and Renaissance city had a pillory next to which people were punished for alleged crimes. Until the 19th century, Toruń had its pillory at the place where the monument of Copernicus now stands.
Toruń got very creative regarding punishment. On one of the corners of Toruń's Old Town, in front of the Town Hall, people can touch a cute looking donkey. In the 17th-18th century, this donkey was an object of fear to all soldiers from the city. The original version of the donkey was located by Żeglarska street. When a soldier did something wrong, he had to sit on the sharp ridge of the donkey. Additionally, for a bigger punishment, a weight was added to their legs. The fine was double: not only tremendous pain but also public humiliation.
Check if You Are a Liar by the Leaning Tower
You don't have to go to Pisa to see a leaning tower. Toruń has its own. The red-brick tower was raised at the end of the 13th century. Because of an almost 1.5-metre tilt, it hangs over the street. Maybe it's less impressive in form, as it is a part of defensive walls, but it can tell you if you have a clear conscious or maybe you are a little liar. Or so the legend says.
Apparently, there was a Teutonic Knight who had a romance with a townswoman. Instead of killing the knight for his vice, he got a punishment of 25 whiplashes and he had to build a tower that would lean, as he leaned from his order.
Now, you have to lean your back against the tower wall with your heels touching it as well. Then, you have to put your hands in front of you. If you can hold your balance for a while it means you have a clear conscience.
However, as any good monument, the Leaning Tower of Toruń bears more than one legend. The second one is connected with the city’s name. The river Vistula was a friend of the tower. However, the closer it was getting to the tower, the more it was eroding its walls. The Tower, worried about its fate, asked the Vistula to not come closer as it might fall down. The Vistula got angry and in response shouted "So fall down", which in Polish is "To ruń!". The echo spread these words around the city, and people picked it as a name for their settlement.
Go to Outer Space in the Planetarium
If you ever dreamt of going to the moon, you can feel like your dreams come true in Toruń's Planetarium. It's a great adventure for little ones and old ones. In their offer, the Planetarium has various shows from which you can learn a lot about the universe.
To be honest, the last time I saw a show here, I was a little kid. So we decided to go to the Planetarium once more, and it was simply magical. Great music, wonderful animation, and the gigantic copula on which the show is projected were simply breathtaking.
Make Your Own Gingerbread in the Gingerbread Museum
You can't visit Toruń and not try gingerbread! It's illegal! Joking (but it should be). The choice is great. You can even find vegan options.
I am absolutely in love with them, and thanks to the Universe, I have family in Toruń that never let me leave Poland without adding extra luggage just for gingerbread! As a kid, I would eat them during Christmas, but now life is too short to wait for the holidays ;)
The tradition of Toruń's gingerbread is very long. The first ones were produced more than 700 years ago. Becoming a qualified journeyman wasn't easy and took a lot of effort. Moreover, the receipts were guarded for centuries. The gingerbreads had various, elaborate shapes. They could even present a whole genre scene.
To learn more about gingerbread history, visit one of the gingerbread museums. Perhaps you are going to learn how to make them yourself!
ProTip: Toruń has two gingerbread museums. I've visited both of them, and both are worth seeing. Muzeum Piernika Toruńskiego is more of an interactive event, where a guide tells you the story about the crafts. While Żywe Muzeum Piernika has more artefacts from the epoch. In both of them, you can prepare your own dough and bake gingerbread.
Try Amazing Vegan Dishes in Ciasna
We were looking for some place to eat and we accidentally found a small, yet charming restaurant on Ciasna street. The food was super fresh and delicious. The lady who works there is extremely nice and friendly.
We couldn't sit inside because of the COVID restrictions, but the Vistula river is right behind the city walls, so we went there and enjoyed the first sunny day of the year in Poland.
Eat Pierogi in Stary MÅ‚yn or Pierogi Plus
I am a pierogi lover. I like to try various foods, but when I have to pick the one and only, the choice is obvious. Toruń has a lot of places to try this typical Polish dish (dumplings with various fillings). You can try Stary Młyn, which is more touristy and a bit pricey, but super delish.
My favourite pierogi place was Leniwa, which my friend showed me some time ago. They had the best pierogi I have ever had. Unfortunately, they haven't survived the pandemic. In their place, a new restaurant named Pierogi Plus was opened. Their dumplings are also great. Definitely worth visiting.
Drink a Great Coffee in Projekt Nano
A good trip means good coffee. My friend recommended Projekt Nano to me (thank you, Szczepan, for this!). Whether you are a coffeeholic or want to drink delicious tea, check out this place.
If you don't have enough, you can also buy their coffee in packs, various coffee cups, drips, and much more. Literally, everything you need to make your day a bit better!
Extra Tips
Toruń is very well connected with the railway. You can easily get here, for example, from Poznań or even Warsaw. The railway in Poland, in comparison to other countries in Europe, is quite cheap, so when you travel, save some money and the environment by choosing this way of exploring.
If you travel on a budget but want to see museums, try to visit Toruń on a Wednesday. On this day, tickets to all branches of the Regional Museum of Toruń are free.
For me, Toruń is a city that reminds me of childhood. I am simply in love with it, but all of my friends that I have taken there say that it is one of the most beautiful cities in Poland. It's nothing surprising, considering the well-preserved old town, with its gothic architecture, narrow streets, and many other attractions, where the modern hustle and bustle intertwine with old beliefs and legends.
