Europe with a dog - Poznan, Poland

Poznan's Colorful Old Market Square

Poland with a dog - Poznan

I didn't know much about Poznan before visiting except it was in Poland and it wasn't far from Berlin. It turned out to be a worthy stop on our tour around Poland and one that is over-looked by many travelers. Most who visit Poland go to the major cities of Warsaw or Krakow where they can visit the salt mines and concentration camps. I had chosen to stop in Poznan only because it was one the way to the larger cities and had an airport where my in-laws could fly into.

I have to admit that our first impressions of Poland were a bit disappointing. The main route between Berlin and Poznan is a major transport link for trucks and naturally has trucker-friendly road-side attractions which turned out to be strip clubs, small bars and lawn ornaments (you'll know what I'm talking about when you see them). It took us a while to find somewhere with an ATM where we could withdraw some zloty and when we did the gas station didn't have enough change for a 50 when we tried buying some sodas. But things improved as we got into Poznan.

Our hotel was the Ibis Poznan which is located within walking distance of the old main square. It is bordered on one side by the River Warta which had nice pathways along the rivers edge - great for dogs! The hotel seemed fairly new and the rooms were typical Ibis-style - smaller than US standards but clean, affordable and functional. Our room was 169 Zloty a night (about $60) with an extra 20 Zloty (about $7) for our dog. They had secure indoor parking for an additional 20 Zloty per day. Breakfast was not included but there was a large buffet assortment of options. We did eat in the on-site restaurant for dinner upon arrival and found the food to be very adequate - even catering to vegetarians. Don't forget to wash down your meal with a good Polish beer - available in the hotel's bar.

For anyone flying into Poznan airport, it is a very small airport with regional flights. We picked up my in-laws after they flew in from Atlanta (after changing in Germany en route). Its located about 15 minutes outside Poznan but is fairly easy to find. Just try to avoid going through the medieval downtown area of Poznan to avoid being stuck in a labyrinth of one-way streets. And watch out for those trams!

The Old Market Square turned out to be the biggest surprise of all. This main square is made up of colorful buildings each with its own features such as hand-painted murals and carvings. It was the end of May but Poznan was ready for summer - all the Square's restaurants had outdoor terraces, small cart vendors had souvenirs and artwork for sale, and musicians roamed around playing for all those enjoying the warmer weather. There was so many options for dining that we were a bit overwhelmed. We settled on a tex-mex themed restaurant called Sioux City (I know, not authentic but it had been over a year since my husband and I had Mexican and so we were excited about it!). We sat on an outdoor terrace and Polish waiters dressed as cowboys served us corn-on-the-cob, tacos and beans. A bit of a surreal experience but one that we all enjoyed nonetheless.

We hadn't booked much time in Poznan but enjoyed the time we did spend there and its on our list of places to revisit one day. The city seemed dog-friendly, at least in the short time that we were there. The old downtown area of the city is easily walkable with your dog and I expect most of the restaurants would have no problems with having them on a terrace.

Next stop: Rydzyna, Poland - a dog-friendly castle

Then: Warsaw - a historical city

Coming soon: Krakow - great base for day trips

Don't miss any pet travel articles - subscribe above to get article alerts delivered straight to your inbox.

Follow me on Twitter - @AndASmallDog

Email me with any questions or comments or visit my pet travel website - AndASmallDog.com

Related articles:

Amsterdam with your dog

Road trip through Alabama, Mississippi and Lousiana