Estimated reading time: 9 minutes
Toruń is a charming medieval gingerbread city in northern Poland. It’s nestled between the larger cities of Gdańsk and Poznań. The Old Town is beautifully preserved, and it is an UNESCO Site. Forever a place that I had on my bucket list, and this past November I had the opportunity to visit it. Due to the limited tourism, there really isn’t a good touristic infrastructure set in place yet. Despite that there’s a million museums to choose from! An oxymoron I know….
How to get to Toruń, Poland?
There is no international airport in Toruń. The closest airport, Bydgoszcz Ignacy Jan Paderewski Airport, is 50 km away and it would require a 1-hour bus or train. The major international airport, Gdańsk Lech Wałęsa Airport still requires a 2.5-3-hour train.
The train station Toruń Główny is located about 30 minutes away on foot, across the bridge from the Old Town, whereas Toruń Miasto is only a 10-minute walk. Once you are in Toruń’s Old Town, there is no need for taxis because the area is extremely walkable.
The best views of Toruń are across the bridge. Here you can see an unobstructed view of the medieval town from the riverside.
Table of contents
- Visit the Tourist Information Center
- Wander around the historical UNESCO town
- You must visit the Gingerbread Museum
- Planning your museums options around the 2 Day Museum Pass
- See Nicolaus Copernicus childhood home
- See the Teutonic Castle ruins
- Take a look inside the beautiful churches
- Go shopping at the local storefronts
- Helpful Tips for Planning your Trip to Poland
Visit the Tourist Information Center
I recommend stopping here first to receive a free map. (FYI it’s closed on Sundays.) The town of Toruń is small and with the map you can easily do a free self-guided walking tour pass twenty-one stops. They have also created an audio guide on SoundCloud where the points on the map correspond with the attraction you are looking at. Inside the tourist information center, you can get a million and one brochures and suggestion on what to do and see.
Side note: There is also a free guided walking tour (tip based) that happens on every other Saturday via Guruwalk.
Wander around the historical UNESCO town
Toruń has such a charming atmosphere! It’s distinctive red brick Gothic architecture and medieval Old Town is beautifully preserved. There are cozy streets, colorful façades, and just an overall relaxed, storybook feel.
Check out the Leaning Tower of Toruń
The Leaning Tower of Toruń is a medieval brick tower dating back to the 13th century and is one of the city’s most recognizable landmarks. Originally part of the Teutonic Knights’ defensive walls, the tower began to tilt over time due to unstable ground beneath it.
You must visit the Gingerbread Museum
Known in Polish as pierniki, gingerbread has been a specialty of Toruń for centuries. There are two museums that offer an interactive presentation. Since I arrived on a Monday, I went to the one that was opened. Both museums do a hands-on presentation.
These are the two spots:
⚲ Muzeum Toruńskiego Piernika
⚲ Żywe Muzeum Piernika
The presentation and interactive process is in Polish; you will have to schedule a bit in advance for an English presentation.
I went to the Żywe Muzeum Piernika and at the end of the tour you have an opportunity to frost your own gingerbread cookies. It’s an additional 2 USD per cookie. What a steal! You can ask the artist for frosting techniques for your custom design.
Planning your museums options around the 2 Day Museum Pass
If you plan on visiting multiple museums than I would recommend getting the Museum Pass. The two-day pass includes: entrance to the Old Town Hall, the Town Hall Tower, the House of Nicolaus Copernicus, the Toruń Gingerbread Museum, the Toruń Fortress Museum, the Travelers’ Museum and the Toruń History Museum.
Plan accordingly since these are the free days of each museum:
| Tuesday | The Toruń Gingerbread Museum is free |
| Wednesday | The permanent exhibitions in the Old Town Hall, the Tony Halik Museum of Travellers, the Museum of Far Eastern Art and the Toruń Fortress Museum is free. |
| Thursday | The admission to the permanent exhibitions at the Nicolaus Copernicus House and the Museum of the History of Toruń is free. |
See Nicolaus Copernicus childhood home
Nicolaus Copernicus was born in Toruń in 1473. The famous Polish astronomer can be found everywhere around town through monuments and other memorabilia. He developed the heliocentric theory, which showed that the Earth and other planets orbit the Sun. Go visit his childhood home to get a better understanding of his upbringing and life’s accomplishments.
See the Teutonic Castle ruins
A lot of the castle is in ruins, but that’s the charm. I have to say the signage outside is in both English, German and Polish. However, a lot of the signage indoors didn’t have English. I recommend downloading Google Translate. With the app, you can take photos, and the text will be translated.
Take a look inside the beautiful churches
All of the churches have stunning Gothic interiors and unique hand painted murals. I was surprised how much variation there was from church to church in this one small town.
⚲ St. John’s Cathedral -Nicolaus Copernicus was reportedly baptized here.
⚲ St. Jacob’s Church
⚲ The Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Go shopping at the local storefronts
I was pleasantly surprised by how many handmade, local storefronts are sprinkled around the Old Town square. Unlike larger cities, where gift shops are often filled with mass-produced, imported items, Toruń offers unique, locally made goods that truly reflect the city’s character. There’s artisan crafts to traditional gingerbread and small independent boutiques.
Definitely check out the store, Mamy Warsztat.
Helpful Tips for Planning your Trip to Poland
Are you planning on visiting these locations in Poland?
Book your Flight
Start by comparing airfare early to get the best deals.
Use tools like Skyscanner or Google Flights to track price trends and flexible travel dates.
Book your Accommodation
Whether you’re looking for hostels or hotels, Poland has a wide range of options.
Booking.com is great for hotels and guesthouses across the country.
Hostelworld is ideal for backpackers and budget travelers.
Travel Insurance for the unexpected
Always, always have travel insurance! Travel insurance is essential. It protects you from unexpected events like flight delays, illness, theft, or accidents.
I recommend SafetyWing, which offers flexible and affordable plans perfect for long-term travelers and digital nomads.
Best Resources to book Tours and Activities
GetYourGuide is great for booking everything from city tours and museum tickets to outdoor adventures. It’s easy to use, has tons of reviews, clear pricing, and offers free cancellation on most bookings.
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