Some Background
My husband and I set out for Bydgoszcz, Toruń, and Gdańsk for our second getaway in Poland. My family is originally from the Bydgoszcz area, and Wyatt wanted to see it for himself. I still have quite a bit of family there, and I first visited with my parents about ten years ago. That trip was unforgettable. We were welcomed with open arms, and my relatives even held a family reunion. It was such a moving experience to feel the love and respect in a room full of people who didn’t even speak the same language.
I’ve carried that feeling with me ever since, knowing I have family across the ocean who are loving, praying, and thinking of us. It makes me feel especially connected to my grandmother, who is no longer here, but who kept the connection to Poland alive. Without her, so many stories could have been lost.
If you’re reading this, I can’t encourage you enough: listen to your elders, write their stories down, and seek out those connections. When they’re gone, only the memories and notes you’ve preserved remain, it’s our job to carry on their legacy.
Since that trip, we’ve even created a Facebook group where relatives share events, memories, and photos. Sometimes I think about how different things would be if I hadn’t suggested that spring break trip to Poland back in high school. Wyatt and I may not have spent the past month and a half here, and I wouldn’t feel this deep connection or have the joy of making such special memories with family on this very trip. Take the leap, listen, and carry the legacy forward.
Trip Summary
- August 25
- Took a train from Wrocław to Bydgoszcz
- Spent a few hours in Bydgoszcz walking around
- Ate at Pierogarnia Bydgoska for lunch
- Took a train from Bydgoszcz to Toruń
- Ate at Karczma Gęsia Szyja for dinner
- August 26
- Ate at Cukiernia & Restauracja Sowa for breakfast
- Took a train from Toruń to Gydina (Part 2 of the blog post here)
Bydgoszcz
We took the train from Wrocław to Bydgoszcz and planned just a couple of hours there. Bydgoszcz is beautiful, but it’s mostly a residential city. We arrived just before lunch, and Wyatt had a list of spots he wanted to see. He mostly planned this trip since I planned the last one.
Our first stop was Mill Island, a peaceful island filled with parks and restaurants. From there, we walked over to Stary Rynek, the old town square. One of the most moving places we saw was the Pomnik Walki i Męczeństwa Ziemi Bydgoskiej memorial, which honors those executed by firing squad during the first days of World War II. It’s a heartbreaking site, but such an important reminder of the past.
We also stopped by Przechodzący przez rzekę, the “Man Crossing the River” statue, which commemorates Poland joining the EU. Our last stop was the opera house, Wyatt has a funny habit of seeking out opera houses, even though he’s never actually been to an opera!
Since we only had a short time in Bydgoszcz before catching our train to Toruń, we decided to grab lunch first so we wouldn’t arrive hungry. We followed a small sign pointing to pierogi and found ourselves in a tucked-away spot called, Pierogarnia Bydgoska. Honestly, I didn’t have high expectations because it was hidden, but I couldn’t have been more wrong.
The woman who owned the place came straight from the kitchen, still dusted in flour, to take our order. Right then, I knew this was going to be a home-cooked meal full of love. We ordered lazy dumplings and a plate of meat pierogi. The dumplings were topped with cinnamon and brown sugar, served with a side of cream (in Poland, sour cream is mild and creamy, not tangy like in the US). It may sound unusual, but trust me, it was fantastic. They were like a warm hug on a plate, and I can’t help but feel jealous of anyone who grew up eating them regularly.
The pierogi were equally delicious, juicy, rich, and full of flavor. I can’t remember exactly which meat ones we ordered, but I do remember us sitting there in awe of how good the food was. This hidden spot turned out to be one of the best meals of our trip. Absolutely 5/5!
Toruń
When we arrived in Toruń, the first thing we did was check into our hostel to drop off our Osprey backpacks, our shoulders were still sore from carrying them around Bydgoszcz. We stayed at Imbir Hostel, which was very basic but did the job. The location was fantastic, right in the heart of Old Town, and the floor we stayed on had a good number of bathrooms shared between only three rooms. We had a private room, which is always such a relief; it’s nice not to have to share a space with strangers. The bed was very hard, but overall I’d give it a solid 4.5/5 on the hostel scale.
After settling in, we made our way to Cafe & Cukiernia Lenkiewicz, a place I remembered visiting with my cousin ten years ago. He went to school in Toruń, and after every exam week, he and his friends would come here for ice cream. I still remember getting mango back then and loving it. This time, I ordered the ricotta & cherries, while Wyatt got cherry. It was just as amazing as I remembered, and I can’t recommend this spot enough if you’re ever in Toruń.
On the way to sightseeing, I stumbled upon the most adorable souvenir shop, Sklep “MAMY WARSZTAT”. It was a modern little store filled with exactly my kind of things, pierogi earrings, uniquely sketched postcards, Copernicus pillows, and more. I honestly wanted to buy everything. Since we’re traveling light, I settled on just a postcard, but I told Wyatt that if we ever come back to Toruń with more luggage space, I’ll need half a suitcase for everything I want from that shop. It remains one of my favorite stores I’ve ever found while traveling.
For sightseeing, we made our way around some of the main attractions in Toruń: the Teutonic Castle ruins, Nicolaus Copernicus Monument, House of Nicolaus Copernicus, Brama Klasztorna, and the Krzywa Wieża (the Leaning Tower). If you didn’t know, Toruń is the birthplace of Copernicus, the Renaissance polymath who proposed the heliocentric model, placing the sun at the center of the universe. Toruń is also famously the birthplace of gingerbread. (I know it’s controversial, but the Polish side of me proudly sides with my people on this one!)
Naturally, I had to stop at Sklep Fabryczny Kopernik, the gingerbread factory store. I had visited ten years ago and was once again blown away by the variety of gingerbread products. While you can find some of their treats in grocery stores across Poland, the outlet store has the best selection. It was hard not to walk out with one of everything!
That evening, we had dinner at Karczma Gęsia Szyja with some of my relatives. It was such a joy to catch up and connect with family on the other side of the world who still feel so close to my heart. The food was delicious, though I can’t tell you everything we had since my relatives ordered for us in Polish. I do remember a goose dish with the most amazing potatoes, a meat snack board, and apple and chocolate cream desserts. Everything was fantastic, an easy 4/5.
The next morning we stopped at Cukiernia & Restauracja Sowa for a quick breakfast before our train to Gdynia. It’s a chain around Poland, but I think their quality is really good. Wyatt went for a cinnamon roll and a rhubarb pastry, while I got makowiec, a rich poppy seed roll that’s one of Poland’s most popular desserts. It was delicious, I wish I had gotten more than one during our trip, but there were always too many amazing desserts to choose from. Overall: 4.8/5! (Mostly rating my makowiec)
This was just part one of the trip! Part two takes you to Gdynia and Gdańsk, click here to keep reading.
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