Bydgoszcz In Your Pocket
Thank God for online booking. Walk into a foreign travel broker and it’s odds on they wouldn’t know how to spell Bydgoszcz, let alone pronounce it. Or what it was, for that matter. It’s impossible to open a holiday supplement without Kraków or Gdańsk eyeballing you in the face, and even Warsaw gets nice things printed about it nowadays. But Bydgoszcz, let’s be fair, sounds more like a crossword gone wrong than a tourist destination. First off, you’ll want to know how to get your mouth round the name – it’s Byd-gosh-ch. Secondly, you’ll be wanting to know what lies in store. And here’s the good news; it’s a belting city you’ve arrived in. Chopped into ribbons by the Brda and Wisła rivers, not to mention the Bydgoszcz Canal, it’s a scenic town of waterways, island, bridges and barges. It’s certainly not the Venice of the North, no matter what the locals claim otherwise, but that’s not to say Bydgoszcz doesn’t stand out in its own right. Just 45km from its more famous rival Toruń, Bydgoszcz was first mentioned in 1238 and hasn’t looked back since. The home, rightfully or otherwise, of the Teutonic Knights, Poles, Prussians and Germans over the centuries, Poland’s eighth biggest city grew on the back of its aquatic pedigree into an important centre of trade and commerce. Bristling with red brick Gothic architecture, restored riverside granaries and Art Nouveau masterpieces it’s a magnificent little city, and one that surprises all who make the trip.
As always we welcome all comments and suggestions. Send your thoughts and witticisms to
editor_poland@inyourpocket.com.
Polish Złoty
Latest Bydgoszcz Comments:
Biskupin
The worst food in there is still bestter then the best of your...Kredens
I think Security of Kredens club is more in to getting a chance to sleep with a girl rather than the purpose they are hired for ....St. Martin & Nicholas Cathedral
I'm seeking to hire a bicycle in Bydgoszcz. Any ideas on who can supply a cycle for rent?...St. Martin & Nicholas Cathedral
Where is the full size picture of this church?What year was it built?...Public Transport
Public transport in Bydgoszcz is awesome. The only problems you may run into is all information is posted at tram and bust stops in Polish only....Cepelia
Excellent shop. Bought lots of Boleslawiec pottery for my wife. In addition, great shop for carved, wooden jewelry boxes, and other items that make you think of Poland....Biskupin
I visited the reconstruction in Biskupin last week and it can be recommended. The area is very beautiful and apart from a few cafes close to the entrance, there is no sign of the "tourist traps" that sometimes make these venues tacky....Kubryk
lm a regular visitor to Bydgoszcz,and l have been to this pub,about 7 times.lt is by far the friendliest pub in town,the staff are excellent,and the clientele,are the friendliest lve met,in over 20 visits to Poland....Sphinx
having eaten in several "Sphinx", I won't dignify them with the title restaurant. The food is abysmal, lacking quality and unimaginative....Arriving by car
Back in the 1990's a couple of Polish friends and I once travelled by car from Warsaw to Bydgoszcz and it turned into a Bataan death march....