Dwarfs, Ghosts and Beer: A Guide to Wrocław’s Old Town

(102 reviews)

Wrocław audio tour: Dwarfs, Ghosts and Beer: A Guide to Wrocław’s Old Town

This is a 1.6mi walking tour

It takes an average of 120 mins to complete.

Wrocław

Poland

$8.99

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About the Tour

Wrocław, one of Poland’s oldest cities, has been part of Poland, Czechia, Austria and Germany in its over 1,000-year existence. Today, it's more famous for the quirky dwarf figurines that adorn its streets.

On this walking tour, you’ll explore the city’s oldest and most charming districts and discover the many gripping stories behind its impressive historical buildings. You’ll be immersed in a world of legends and quirky facts. And you’ll also hear how tiny dwarf sculptures became a contemporary symbol of the city.

Starting in the old Market Square, you’ll wander through the medieval Old Town to Cathedral Island. Along the way, you’ll gain a fresh perspective on what life in Wrocław looked like a few centuries ago. You’ll also see some of the city’s most important and interesting sites, like Europe’s oldest alehouse, Piwnica Świdnicka, located in Wroclaw Old Town Hall. As you stroll to Wrocław Cathedral, where the tour ends, I’ll also tell you how Wrocław managed to survive a terrible flood in the 1990s.

On this hour-long tour, you’ll have a chance to:

See Poland’s biggest city hall building
Find out who were the most famous visitors to Europe’s oldest alehouse
Learn which building was once called ”the Cathedral of Commerce”
Enjoy stunning panoramic views from St Elizabeth of Hungary Roman Catholic Parish’s church tower, one of the tallest in the region
Hear the story behind the Slaughtered Animals Monument located near the University of Wrocław
Discover why Wrocław is called the City of Bridges

By the end of this Wrocław tour, you'll have gained greater insight into this fascinating Polish city. You’ll also have a chance to sit back and relax on a bench, or in one of the numerous lovely cafes we’ll pass on the tour and where you can sample traditional local cuisine.

Tour Producer

Wiktor Marcinkowski

4 tours

Hi,
I'm Victor, a Polish guy passionate about discovering amazing new places unseen by most people in Central Europe. If you're bored with cliched form of sightseeing, join me for an unforgettable adventure :)

Preview Location

Location 5

Witches' Bridge

Stop here in front of the church.

This is the Saint Mary Magdalene Cathedral. It was built originally in the 11th century and nowadays is one of the best examples of Gothic architecture in the city. The church is most famous for its high towers and the bridge connecting th... Stop here in front of the church.

This is the Saint Mary Magdalene Cathedral. It was built originally in the 11th century and nowadays is one of the best examples of Gothic architecture in the city. The church is most famous for its high towers and the bridge connecting them called the Witches' Bridge or Penitents' Bridge. Both the towers and the bridge were completed in the 1400s. At that time the bridge was located on the last floor of the towers. Nowadays it is located 45 meters above the ground and it's one of the best viewpoints in Wrocław. To reach the top you have to climb 247 stairs but it's worth it!

But why is the bridge called like that? According to the legend a young woman from Wrocław, Tekla, spent her time mainly playing, dressing up and having fun with boys. She didn't want to work or get married. One evening, her father upset with Tekla's recklessness, cursed his daughter. At night, dark powers kidnapped the girl and placed her on a bridge between the church towers. From then on, Tekla was forced to constantly sweep the footbridge. When she was tired, the little witch Martynka was sent to help her. The witch finally started to feel sorry for the tormented girl and asked the wizard Michael to remove the curse from Tekla so that she could leave the bridge. Since then, mothers have shown their daughters the Penitent Bridge as a warning against a carefree life. On the top, you can see little bronze figurines of Tekla and Martynka sweeping with a broom accompanied by a cat. Besides that, you'll also see a splendid city panorama full of historic monuments. It's one of the best spots to observe the aerial view of the Old Market Square. The Penitents Bridge is usually open daily (except bank holidays) from 10am to 6 pm and the tickets cost between 10 and 15 PLN per person.

You can visit the cathedral and end the tour now or you can continue the tour by turning left.

The street you are walking on is now called Shoemakers' Street. However, there is one problem - currently, there is no shoemaker's shop on the street. The current Polish name was probably incorrectly translated from the German name Schuhbrücke, which indicates that the street was hardened (paved) relatively early. This was probably because the street connected the old market square with the areas belonging to the prince. We can therefore assume that the city's ruler invested in hardening this road to ensure convenient access to the city center.

Nowadays it is one of few streets in the old town where you can take a tram as most of the streets in the neighbourhood are way too narrow for that.

The street is also home to the Football Fountain which is named that because of four large balls made of milled crystal glass providing fresh water to it, and that look like footballs. Read More

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Major Landmarks

Slaughtered Animals Monument
Kościół Garnizonowy Bazylika Mniejsza pw. Św. Elżbiety we Wrocławiu
Kamieniczki "Jaś i Małgosia"
Kamienica Pod Siedmioma Elektorami
Wrocław Market Square
Bridge of Penitents
The Pillory
Monument of Alexander Fredro
Wrocław Cathedral
Tumski Bridge
Sand Bridge
Market Hall
Ossolineum Institute
University of Wrocław

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Getting There

Route Overview

VoiceMap tours follow a route from a set starting point. It’s how we give turn-by-turn directions and tell a story greater than the sum of its parts.

Start location
Rynek, 50-438 Wrocław, Poland
Total distance

3km
Final location
Plac Katedralny 18, 50-329 Wrocław, Poland
Distance back to start location

1km

Directions to Starting Point

The tour starts in front of Aleksander Fredro monument (Polish: Pomnik Aleksandra Fredry) at the Market Square, very close to the City Hall building. Since the location is extremely central you can get there walking, by public transport (trams and buses) or taxi.

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Tips

Places to stop along the way

There are plenty of fascinating museums, churches,viewpoints and other tourist attractions along the way so you can take your time and spend a few hours there. If you feel like experiencing the local cuisine I'd suggest Piwnica Świdnicka (Adress: Rynek Ratusz 1A, 50-106 Wrocław) or Browar Złoty Pies ( Rynek 41, 51-116 Wrocław) where you can try some beer brewed on the spot.

Best time of day

You can take this tour all year round and around the clock. However, morning and early afternoon seems the best time if you want to visit some of the attractions along the way like museums or churches or if you feel like taking a boat tour. During the weekend's nights the market square may be crowded.

Precautions

The neighbourhood is quite safe, just use common caution. It's a good idea to wear a comfortable flat shoes ( some of the streets are paved with cobblestone). You can get some water as well as other grocery products along the way.

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