Szczecin

Szczecin, Poland

Szczecin is an energetic city where the River Odra eventually flows into the Szczecin Lagoon. Today, it is the capital of the region of West Pomerania, which has suffered a turbulent history and now looks to an enlightened and cultural revival. A focal point is that it has managed to preserve its unique character and charm since its recent reform. Szczecin is now awakening to its full potential at an ever-increasing pace. You will feel truly inspired as you explore this enthralling city.

Population:

404,461 (2016)

Currency:

Zloty (PLN) 1 = 100 groszy
1 EUR ~ 4,28 PLN
1 USD ~ 3,87 PLN

Emergency Numbers:

Emergency Number: 112
Ambulance: 999
Fire Brigade: 998
Police: 997

Opening Hours:

Shops are generally open from 9am–6pm and from 10am–3pm at weekends.

There is a ban on Sunday trading in Poland except selected Sundays. Trade ban does NOT include cinemas, restaurants, cafés, small local stores where the owner can work, stores at gas stations, pharmacies. Shopping malls can be open but most of the stores inside will be closed (only cinemas, restaurants, pharmacies in shopping malls can be open).

Please note that stores in Poland are closed during bank holidays.

Newspapers:

Głos Szczecinski - www.gs24.pl
Kurier Szczecinski - www.24kurier.pl
Radio Szczecin - www.radioszczecin.pl/player.php
Nasze Miasto Szczecin - www.szczecin.naszemiasto.pl
MM Trendy - facebook.com/MagazynMMTrendy
Prestiż Szczecin - www.prestizszczecin.pl

The City

"Echte Stettiner" (True Szczeciner) - this was the way to describe someone stubborn, resolute, courageous, raw - in XIX-th century. Genius loci of Szczecin is felt here easily: in the communist era Szczecin was the city, where strikes broke out, where people put up a continuous resistance to the communist regime. Today, Szczecin is also full people with a firm, but at the same time welcoming character.

Szczecin was the capital of the Duchy of Pomerania, but also had been ruled by Denmark, Prussia, France, Sweden, Germany. Today it's inside the Polish borders. This extraordinary past can be seen today on every step: in architecture, urban planning, squares, parks; while walking you pass the still operating water pumps, shelters, old signs.
During the Second World War, Szczecin was destroyed in 80%, so - in contrast to most of the cities - we don't have the Old Town. Currently, it is being re-built.

Even visiting pubs and discos brings you a trip in time: in one of the pubs you can move to the seventeenth century, to the time of the Swedish Szczecin (it is opened in the former city fortifications); in another - to the Communist times (when there was a militia station). One of nightclubs is located in the former headquarters of the Royal Iron Railway.
The past is everywhere here and it is always clearly visible - while walking in Poland's largest cemetery, which is both a park and botanical garden; the largest shelter in today's Poland, during the session in the oldest cinema in the world... Szczecin is also the history of technology: the wreck of the tanker made of concrete, Poland's only one railway drawbridge or the oldest floating dock in Europe.
At the same time Szczecin is not afraid of momentum and bold architecture. Two buildings that have won the highest architectural awards make this city even more woth visiting: Szczecin Philharmonic, that gained the Mies van der Rohe award and the Centre for Dialogue Upheavals with the World Building of the Year award that was won during the festival of architecture in Berlin in November 2016.

How much time is needed to see Szczecin? Someone may say that the one-day intensive tour will do the trick. But this is not true, because Szczecin is not only about the past. Szczecin is also the vastness of space, water and greenery, which is best viewed from boat or kayak. Szczecin is a Floating Garden - many rare species of aquatic plants and animals have here their home.
Szczecin has many faces. How much time is needed to see and get to know them all?

Top 10!

Szczecin is a city with lots of stunning places. Some are famous for their history or architecture; some of them are hard to find and you really need a good guide to show you them. And some are to find here!

Do & See

This region begs to be explored, both the city and its surroundings. The area is full of spots for nature getaways with an array of leisure activities for those of you with a taste for the outdoors. If you like hiking, cycling, fishing and canoeing this is a wonderful place for it with forests and huge lakes.

Szczecin Tourist Card

Discover Szczecin with the Szczecin Tourist Card available in 24h and 72h options. Enjoy the huge savings with just one card!

The Szczecin Toursit Card you can buy:
• in every tourist information in Szczecin
• via "GoPay" mobile application available on iOS and Android, selecting „Szczecin - Karta Turystyczna” > Zakup biletu > Okresowy > Normalny
• online through the service "GoPay", selecting in the drop-down menu „Szczecin - Karta Turystyczna” option
• at "Szczecin Manufacture" on Chrobry Boulevard

The Szczecin Tourist Card means:
• traveling with public transport for free
• 50% discounts in all museums
• discount tickets for city's attractions, such as rope park, civil shelter or ferry trips
• discounts in pubs, cafes, restaurants, hotels
• discounts for kayak rentals and kayak trips
• discount tickets for exhibitions in the Ducal Castle

Full map of discounts is available on www.szczecin.eu

Terms and conditions for selling the Szczecin Tourist Card is to be found on the www.szczecin.eu.