---
title: "Top 10 Things To Do in Szczecin, Poland (2026 Guide) | Wimup"
description: "The 10 best things to do in Szczecin, ranked. The Oder embankment terraces, the Pomeranian Dukes' Castle, a prize-winning concert hall and the city's own street food."
url: https://wimup.com/city/szczecin
type: City guide
updated: 2026-10-29
publisher: Wimup (https://wimup.com)
---

# Top 10 Things To Do in Szczecin

Szczecin, Poland · Europe · By Wimup Editorial, 13 min read

Szczecin is Poland's port on the Oder, upriver from the Baltic and closer to Berlin than to Warsaw. It was the German city of Stettin until 1945, which shows in the star-shaped squares and the terraces above the river. Most visitors skip it, so the castle, the concert hall and the bars are yours.

## Quick answer

Start on Wały Chrobrego, the terraces above the Oder, then cross to the Pomeranian Dukes' Castle and climb its bell tower. Take the lift up the cathedral tower, go underground at Przełomy and in the wartime shelter by the station, and book a night at the Philharmonic. Eat a pasztecik on Wojska Polskiego. Two days covers the city; a third buys Wolin or the Crooked Forest.

## Quick facts

- **Best months:** May · Jun · Sep
- **Ideal length:** 2–3 days
- **Budget per day:** $50–95
- **Language:** Polish
- **Getting around:** Trams across the centre, the old town and the embankment on foot
- **Tourism board:** [Official site](https://visitszczecin.eu/en?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)

## The 10 best things to do in Szczecin

### 1. Wały Chrobrego (Chrobry Embankment)

Landmark · Wały Chrobrego, 70-500 Szczecin

Half a kilometre of terraces about 19 metres above the Oder, laid out between 1902 and 1921 on the site of a demolished fort. The National Museum and the regional government sit on top; come at dusk, when the facades and the river turn gold.

- **Time:** 1 hr
- **Cost:** Free
- **Best at:** Sunset
- **Tip:** Walk down the steps to the riverside boulevard and back up, the view of the facades is from below

Links: [Website](https://visitszczecin.eu/en/culture/80-chrobry-embankment?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)

### 2. Pomeranian Dukes' Castle

Landmark · ul. Korsarzy 34, 70-540 Szczecin

The seat of the Griffin dukes, rebuilt after the war around two courtyards that are open daily and free. The Bell Tower is the reason to pay: about 200 steps to a terrace over the cathedral, the embankment and the river.

- **Time:** 1 hr 30 min
- **Cost:** Ticketed tower
- **Best at:** Morning
- **Tip:** The tower terrace takes ten people at a time and shuts in bad weather, so go early on a clear day

Links: [Website](https://zamek.szczecin.pl/en/page/individual-visit?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)

### 3. Mieczysław Karłowicz Philharmonic

Concert hall · ul. Małopolska 48, 70-515 Szczecin

A white glass block of pointed gables by Barozzi Veiga, opened in 2014 and winner of the EU Mies van der Rohe Award in 2015, the first for a building in Eastern Europe. The gold-leafed main hall is the payoff, so see it with an orchestra in it.

- **Time:** 2 hr
- **Cost:** Ticketed
- **Best at:** Evening
- **Tip:** Book a concert rather than a tour; the facade is lit from within after dark

Links: [Website](https://filharmonia.szczecin.pl/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)

### 4. Dialogue Centre Przełomy

Museum · plac Solidarności 1, 70-001 Szczecin

A National Museum branch built under Solidarity Square, named World Building of the Year in 2016. Its name means Breakthroughs, and it walks through the city's 20th-century turning points; the sloping roof above it is a public square.

- **Time:** 1 hr 30 min
- **Cost:** Ticketed
- **Best at:** Afternoon
- **Tip:** Pair it with the Wały Chrobrego museum; both belong to the National Museum

Links: [Website](https://www.muzeum.szczecin.pl/en/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)

### 5. St James Cathedral tower

Viewpoint · ul. Świętego Jakuba 1, 70-001 Szczecin

The cathedral's tower stands about 110 metres, and its top was rebuilt in 2008. A lift runs to a terrace about 56 metres up, the only way in, since the stairs are closed to visitors.

- **Time:** 45 min
- **Cost:** Ticketed
- **Best at:** Clear afternoon
- **Tip:** Check the days before you go; the terrace has kept short weekend hours

Links: [Website](https://visitszczecin.eu/en/others/40-st-james-arch-cathedral?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)

### 6. Szczecin Underground Routes

History · ul. Kolumba 1, 70-035 Szczecin

A Second World War air-raid shelter beside the main station, walked with a guide through its long tunnels. The Second World War route and a separate Cold War route fill different parts of the bunker.

- **Time:** 1–1 hr 30 min
- **Cost:** Ticketed
- **Best at:** Rainy day
- **Tip:** Book ahead; individual visits join a scheduled guided tour

Links: [Website](https://schron.szczecin.pl/en/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)

### 7. Central Cemetery

Park · ul. Ku Słońcu 125, 71-073 Szczecin

Opened in 1901 and modelled on Hamburg's Ohlsdorf, it is the largest cemetery in Poland at about 170 hectares. It was laid out as a park, with avenues and hundreds of tree and shrub species.

- **Time:** 2 hr
- **Cost:** Free
- **Best at:** Autumn
- **Tip:** Enter by the main gate on ulica Ku Słońcu and keep to the marked tourist trails

Links: [Website](https://visitszczecin.eu/en/others/49-central-cemetery?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)

### 8. Jasne Błonia and Kasprowicz Park

Park · plac Jasne Błonia, 71-000 Szczecin

A plane-tree lawn in front of City Hall that runs into Kasprowicz Park, the city's largest at 27 hectares. Różanka, the rose garden at its far end, dates from 1928; come in March for the crocuses.

- **Time:** 1 hr 30 min
- **Cost:** Free
- **Best at:** March and June
- **Tip:** Keep off the lawns in crocus season: trampling the flowers carries a fine

Links: [Website](https://visitszczecin.eu/en/others/64-rose-garden?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)

### 9. Museum of Technology and Transport

Museum · ul. Niemierzyńska 18a, 71-441 Szczecin

Historic trams, buses, cars and motorbikes parked across 16 tracks in a former tram depot. It is the best rainy-day museum in the city for anyone travelling with children.

- **Time:** 1 hr 30 min
- **Cost:** Ticketed
- **Best at:** Weekend
- **Tip:** Trams 3 and 10 run to the door

Links: [Website](https://visitszczecin.eu/en/museums/35-museum-technology-and-transport-szczecin?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)

### 10. Bar Pasztecik

Food · al. Wojska Polskiego 46, 70-475 Szczecin

The bar that made the pasztecik szczeciński, a deep-fried yeast roll with a meat or vegetable filling, on this site since 1975. Order it with a cup of red barszcz, as the regulars do.

- **Time:** 20 min
- **Cost:** Cheap
- **Best at:** Lunch
- **Tip:** It keeps daytime hours, so make it lunch

Links: [Website](https://visitszczecin.eu/en/taste-szczecin?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)

## Best museums in Szczecin

Six museums, two of them National Museum branches and one in an air-raid shelter.

1. **National Museum, Wały Chrobrego** (National Museum · Wały Chrobrego): The main building on the terraces: maritime history and the Pomeranian collections. [Website](https://www.muzeum.szczecin.pl/en/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
2. **Dialogue Centre Przełomy** (World Building of the Year 2016 · Centrum): Postwar Szczecin told underground, under a square that doubles as its roof. [Website](https://www.muzeum.szczecin.pl/en/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
3. **Museum of the History of Szczecin** (Old Town Hall · Stare Miasto): The city's story inside the Gothic Old Town Hall, rebuilt after 1944. [Website](https://www.muzeum.szczecin.pl/en/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
4. **Museum of Technology and Transport** (Former tram depot · Niemierzyn): Trams, buses and cars in a former depot of 16 tracks. [Website](https://visitszczecin.eu/en/museums/35-museum-technology-and-transport-szczecin?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
5. **Maritime Science Centre** (Science centre · Łasztownia): Planetarium and interactive sea-science halls in a 122-metre hull, opened 2023.
6. **Szczecin Underground Routes** (Air-raid shelter · Centrum): A wartime shelter by the station, seen on a guided tour. [Website](https://schron.szczecin.pl/en/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)

## Best restaurants in Szczecin

From the city's first Michelin listing to a fish bar in business since 1981.

1. **Tkacka 7** (Modern Polish · Michelin 2026 · Stare Miasto): Seasonal local produce from an open kitchen, the first Michelin-recommended table in Szczecin. [Website](https://visitszczecin.eu/en/gastronomy/1427-tkacka-7?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
2. **Radecki** (Polish and Italian · Stare Miasto): Polish and Italian cooking a few doors along; order the forest mushroom soup. [Website](https://visitszczecin.eu/en/gastronomy/227-radecki-szczecin?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
3. **Z Drugiej Strony Lustra** (European · Centrum): French, Italian and Polish plates on Piłsudskiego, best known for its desserts.
4. **Rybarex** (Fish · Centrum): A family fish restaurant since 1981: fish salad, soups and seafood. [Website](https://visitszczecin.eu/en/gastronomy/230-rybarex?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
5. **Paprykarz Fish Market** (Fish and seafood · Centrum): Seafood dressed as a fish market, with the local paprykarz as a starter. [Website](https://visitszczecin.eu/en/gastronomy/220-paprykarz-fish-market?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
6. **Bar Pasztecik** (Street food · since 1969 · Centrum): The fried yeast roll the city is known for, with barszcz. [Website](https://visitszczecin.eu/en/taste-szczecin?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)

## Best bars & breweries in Szczecin

Three brewpubs, one of them in the Old Town Hall cellars, and a cocktail bar above the old fish market.

1. **Wyszak** (Brewpub · Stare Miasto): A family brewpub under the Gothic vaults of the Old Town Hall. [Website](https://visitszczecin.eu/en/gastronomy/182-wyszak-family-brewery?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
2. **Stara Komenda** (Brewpub · Centrum): Unpasteurised house beers in an 1867 military commandant's office. [Website](https://visitszczecin.eu/en/gastronomy/184-stara-komenda-brewery?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
3. **Nowy Browar** (Brewpub · Centrum): A brewery restaurant with a full menu and its own beer. [Website](https://visitszczecin.eu/en/gastronomy/218-nowy-browar-szczecin?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
4. **17 Schodów** (Cocktail bar · Podzamcze): Cocktails in a historic tenement on Targ Rybny, below the castle. [Website](https://visitszczecin.eu/en/gastronomy/278-17-schodow-17-stairs?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)

## Best parks & nature in Szczecin

Parks, a cemetery laid out as one, a quarry lake and the lake the regattas sail on.

1. **Jasne Błonia and Kasprowicz Park** (27 hectares · Łękno): Plane trees, crocuses in March and the city's largest park beyond. [Website](https://visitszczecin.eu/en/others/64-rose-garden?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
2. **Różanka Rose Garden** (Rose garden · Łękno): Two hectares and thousands of roses, laid out in 1928. [Website](https://visitszczecin.eu/en/others/64-rose-garden?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
3. **Central Cemetery** (About 170 hectares · Gumieńce): Poland's largest cemetery, designed as a park and opened in 1901. [Website](https://visitszczecin.eu/en/others/49-central-cemetery?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
4. **Emerald Lake** (Puszcza Bukowa · Zdroje): A flooded quarry since 1925, green with calcium carbonate. No swimming.
5. **Lake Dąbie** (Sailing · Dąbie): The big lake east of the Oder, where the Szczecin Match Race is sailed.

## Best stages & concerts in Szczecin

A concert hall that won Europe's top architecture prize, an opera in a castle and two theatres.

1. **Mieczysław Karłowicz Philharmonic** (Concert hall · Centrum): The 2015 Mies van der Rohe Award winner, with a gold-leafed main hall. [Website](https://filharmonia.szczecin.pl/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
2. **Opera at the Castle** (Opera · Stare Miasto): Opera, ballet and musicals on three stages in the dukes' castle. [Website](https://visitszczecin.eu/en/theatres/124-opera-castle-szczecin?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
3. **Teatr Polski** (Theatre · Centrum): A repertory drama theatre on ulica Swarożyca.
4. **Teatr Współczesny** (Theatre · Wały Chrobrego): Contemporary drama inside the National Museum building on the terraces.

## Best neighborhoods in Szczecin

A rebuilt old town, a Prussian grid of star squares, a river island and a villa suburb.

1. **Stare Miasto and Podzamcze** (Old Town · Riverside): The castle, the Old Town Hall and the cellar bars, all walkable.
2. **Śródmieście** (City centre · Centre): Star-shaped squares and wide avenues planned in the 1870s by James Hobrecht.
3. **Łasztownia** (Island · East bank): The river island across from the embankment, now science centre and event halls.
4. **Pogodno** (Villa district · West): A garden-city suburb of villas built before 1945, quiet and leafy.

## Best day trips from Szczecin

The Baltic coast, a Brick Gothic town, a bent pine grove and the river delta.

1. **Świnoujście** (Beach town · Baltic coast): Poland's westernmost Baltic resort, at the mouth of the lagoon, by direct train.
2. **Międzyzdroje and Wolin National Park** (National park · Wolin Island): Sea cliffs up to 93 metres and a European bison enclosure.
3. **Stargard** (Brick Gothic · East): St Mary's, one of Poland's great Brick Gothic churches, and its town walls. [Website](https://stargard.eu/en/discoverstargard/stargard-the-jewel-of-pomerania/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
4. **Crooked Forest** (Natural monument · Near Gryfino): About 80 Scots pines bent 90 degrees at the base, planted around the 1930s.
5. **Lower Oder Valley** (River cruise · South of the city): Boat cruises from the city into the wetlands of the Oder delta.

## Festivals & annual events in Szczecin (2026)

- **Crocuses on Jasne Błonia** (March): Purple carpets cover the lawns of Jasne Błonia and the embankment. Look from the paths.
- **Kontrapunkt** (April–June): One of Poland's oldest theatre festivals, traced back to a theatre week in 1966.
- **European Night of Museums** (May): One Saturday when the museums stay open into the evening.
- **City birthday** (3–5 July 2026): Concerts at the Rose Garden and a parade, for the 1945 handover to Polish administration.
- **St James Fair** (23–26 July 2026): Four days of crafts, food and music at the cathedral, around the feast of its patron.
- **Żagle** (14–16 August 2026): Tall ships along Wały Chrobrego, concerts, and two-hour cruises under sail.
- **Szczecin Match Race** (8–11 October 2026): A World Match Racing Tour regatta sailed on Lake Dąbie.
- **Christmas market** (Late Nov–December): Stalls on Aleja Kwiatowa and two central squares; the 2025 market ran to 21 December.

## Must-try dishes in Szczecin, Poland

- **Pasztecik szczeciński**: A deep-fried yeast roll with a meat or vegetable filling.
- **Paprykarz szczeciński**: Fish, rice and tomato spread created in Szczecin in the 1960s.
- **Barszcz czerwony**: Clear beetroot soup, sipped from a cup beside a pasztecik.
- **Smoked fish**: Baltic and lagoon fish, smoked and sold along the coast.
- **Śledź**: Herring in oil, cream or vinegar, the standard Polish starter.
- **Pierogi**: Dumplings with potato and cheese, meat or cabbage.
- **Żurek**: Sour rye soup with sausage and egg.
- **Sernik**: Polish baked cheesecake made with twaróg.

## Szczecin transport & airports

- **Szczecin-Goleniów Airport** (SZZ): About 45 km northeast. A Polregio train runs from the terminal to Szczecin Główny in under an hour, but only a few times a day. [Website](https://visitszczecin.eu/en/30-travelling-szczecin-plane?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- **Rail** (PKP): Szczecin Główny sits below the old town. Trains to Berlin are replaced by buses between Angermünde and Szczecin while the line is rebuilt, likely until late 2027.
- **Trams and buses** (ZDiTM): ZDiTM runs the trams and buses. Pay by card on board or in an app; the Szczecin Tourist Card adds free rides. [Website](https://visitszczecin.eu/en/8-public-transport-szczecin?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- **On foot** (Centre): The castle, the Old Town Hall, the cathedral and Wały Chrobrego sit within a 15-minute walk of each other.

## Szczecin at a glance

- **Country:** Poland
- **Region:** West Pomeranian Voivodeship (capital)
- **Population:** About 385,000 (Statistics Poland, June 2025)
- **Founded:** Town charter 1243; Polish since 1945
- **Nickname:** Floating Garden (the city brand)
- **Language:** Polish
- **Currency:** Polish złoty (zł)
- **Time zone:** CET (UTC+1), CEST (UTC+2) in summer
- **Calling code:** +48 91
- **Airports:** Szczecin-Goleniów (SZZ) about 45 km northeast; Berlin Brandenburg (BER) across the border
- **Power:** 230V, 50Hz, Type C/E sockets
- **Emergency:** 112

## Interesting facts

- Catherine the Great was born in Stettin in 1729, as Princess Sophie of Anhalt-Zerbst.
- The Central Cemetery covers about 170 hectares, the largest in Poland and among the largest in Europe.
- Paprykarz szczeciński was standardised in 1967 by the local fishing firm Gryf.
- The Philharmonic won the 2015 Mies van der Rohe Award, a first for Eastern Europe.
- Emerald Lake filled in 1925, when groundwater burst into a working quarry.

## Szczecin travel FAQ

### Is Szczecin worth visiting?

Yes, if you want a large Polish city without the crowds of Kraków or Gdańsk. The castle, the embankment terraces, the Philharmonic and the Dialogue Centre are first rate, and the Baltic coast and Wolin are within reach for a day.

### How many days do you need in Szczecin?

Two days covers the castle, Wały Chrobrego, the cathedral tower, the museums and an evening concert. Add a third for the coast at Świnoujście or Międzyzdroje, or for the Crooked Forest near Gryfino.

### When is the best time to visit Szczecin?

May, June and September, when the parks are at their best and the river boulevards are busy. Late March brings the crocuses on Jasne Błonia, mid-August the Żagle tall-ship festival, and December the Christmas market.

### How do you get to Szczecin from Berlin?

Trains run from Berlin, but between Angermünde and Szczecin they are replaced by buses while the line is rebuilt, likely until late 2027. Long-distance coaches are the simpler option meanwhile. Check Deutsche Bahn before you travel.

### What is Szczecin famous for?

Its port on the Oder, the Griffin dukes and their castle, and two foods: the pasztecik, a fried yeast roll, and paprykarz, a fish and rice spread. It was the German city of Stettin until 1945.

## Nearby guides

- [Berlin](https://wimup.com/city/berlin.md): Germany · 10 picks
- [Lübeck](https://wimup.com/city/lubeck.md): Germany · 10 picks
- [Toruń](https://wimup.com/city/torun.md): Poland · 10 picks
- [All of Europe →](https://wimup.com/europe): 156 cities

Part of the [Poland guide](https://wimup.com/country/poland.md) · [Europe](https://wimup.com/europe.md)

## Sources

- [Szczecin tourism board](https://visitszczecin.eu/en?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Wały Chrobrego (Chrobry Embankment) (official site)](https://visitszczecin.eu/en/culture/80-chrobry-embankment?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Pomeranian Dukes' Castle (official site)](https://zamek.szczecin.pl/en/page/individual-visit?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Mieczysław Karłowicz Philharmonic (official site)](https://filharmonia.szczecin.pl/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Dialogue Centre Przełomy (official site)](https://www.muzeum.szczecin.pl/en/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [St James Cathedral tower (official site)](https://visitszczecin.eu/en/others/40-st-james-arch-cathedral?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Szczecin Underground Routes (official site)](https://schron.szczecin.pl/en/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Central Cemetery (official site)](https://visitszczecin.eu/en/others/49-central-cemetery?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Jasne Błonia and Kasprowicz Park (official site)](https://visitszczecin.eu/en/others/64-rose-garden?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Museum of Technology and Transport (official site)](https://visitszczecin.eu/en/museums/35-museum-technology-and-transport-szczecin?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Bar Pasztecik (official site)](https://visitszczecin.eu/en/taste-szczecin?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Tkacka 7 (official site)](https://visitszczecin.eu/en/gastronomy/1427-tkacka-7?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Radecki (official site)](https://visitszczecin.eu/en/gastronomy/227-radecki-szczecin?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Rybarex (official site)](https://visitszczecin.eu/en/gastronomy/230-rybarex?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Paprykarz Fish Market (official site)](https://visitszczecin.eu/en/gastronomy/220-paprykarz-fish-market?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Wyszak (official site)](https://visitszczecin.eu/en/gastronomy/182-wyszak-family-brewery?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Stara Komenda (official site)](https://visitszczecin.eu/en/gastronomy/184-stara-komenda-brewery?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Nowy Browar (official site)](https://visitszczecin.eu/en/gastronomy/218-nowy-browar-szczecin?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [17 Schodów (official site)](https://visitszczecin.eu/en/gastronomy/278-17-schodow-17-stairs?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Opera at the Castle (official site)](https://visitszczecin.eu/en/theatres/124-opera-castle-szczecin?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Stargard (official site)](https://stargard.eu/en/discoverstargard/stargard-the-jewel-of-pomerania/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Szczecin-Goleniów Airport (official site)](https://visitszczecin.eu/en/30-travelling-szczecin-plane?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Trams and buses (official site)](https://visitszczecin.eu/en/8-public-transport-szczecin?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- Rankings are Wimup editorial picks. Prices, durations and budgets are editorial estimates, not live quotes; check the official site before you go.