Bydgoszcz recommended for an autumn city break

Bydgoszcz is a city of harmony and balance, perfectly combining the values of a large urban centre with a cozy, even intimate atmosphere. It is a place full of greenery and unusual monuments, whose boutique atmosphere captivates at any time of the year. After work or on the weekend – make yourself at home in Bydgoszcz.

The golden Polish autumn encourages walks. We take advantage of the last warm rays of the sun, enjoy the beauty of changing vegetation, undergo an autumn colour therapy that has a positive effect on the body and mind. Bydgoszcz offers a great opportunity for walks. Rich in Art Nouveau architecture where urban buildings intertwine with countless well-kept parks, squares and riverside areas.

The heart of Bydgoszcz is its unique urban treasure – the Mill Island, located just a few steps from the Old Market Square, surrounded by water, valued by Bydgoszcz residents and guests, a unique space of nature, recreation and culture. Its picturesque atmosphere is created by the historic tenement houses of Bydgoszcz Venice, the revitalized buildings of Rother's Mills and the impressive building of Opera Nova. Water, footbridges, well-kept greenery, beautiful buildings, monuments and modern marina buildings, give the impression of emerging from the water. All this, together with the large number of residents and tourists as well as cultural and sports events often organized here, creates an unusual atmosphere of the Bydgoszcz river island, which attracts like a magnet.

Industrial heritage stimulates creativity

Bydgoszcz is a city of harmony and balance, perfectly combining industrial heritage with modern technologies, caring for nature and constantly investing to become an increasingly attractive place for residents, tourists and business people.

One of the most interesting places referring to the industrial history of the City are the Rother's Mills. It is a historic complex consisting of a mill, two adjacent granaries (grain and flour), a boiler room and bathrooms. Its origins date back to 1842. Once it housed a powerful, 24-hour enterprise from which high-quality flour was transported around the world. For many years, the industrial spaces of the former Rother's Mills fell into disrepair. Currently, this object, revitalized by the City authorities, has gained a new meaning and life has entered there again. Today, it hosts events devoted to the popularization of science, local heritage, community development and creativity.

Just look inside for a moment to admire the monumental, industrial architecture. From the rooftop vantage point, you can admire the panorama of the city centre. The permanent exhibition "Knots. A story of a city by the river" also encourages a visit. The exhibition allows to experience the spirit of the City being inextricably linked to water. It is a reference to the Bydgoszcz Water Node (i.e. the location of Bydgoszcz on the Brda River, the Bydgoszcz Canal and the Vistula River), but also a symbolic reference to human ties and the intertwining of the fate of residents. The exhibition is not only a return to the past and an observation of the last 170 years of the development of Bydgoszcz, but also an opportunity to look at another important challenge – how to protect the City's water resources from the climate crisis.

Rother's mills are gradually filling up with life. Recently, Nowe Miejsce (New Place) has been opened here, where visitors are invited to have a cup of coffee and take part in workshops, discussions, watch an exhibition, or organize an event. It is a space open to intergenerational and intercultural creative activities, conversations, debates and stories. It is here that initiatives supporting civic engagement and the integration of local communities develop: over coffee and through art, board games, music, and cuisine. Residents of Bydgoszcz meet here, but also people, collectives and organizations that work for broadly understood tolerance, equality and minority rights. In New Place, as the name suggests, new cooperation and initiatives are established, new people, cultures and languages meet.

A spectacle of autumn colors

Bydgoszcz is one of the greenest cities in Poland. It covers over 6,000 hectares of green areas, including charming urban parks, forests and housing estate squares. In autumn, this green City turns into a whole palette of autumn colours, and the ripe green is slowly replaced by juicy ones: red, yellow and orange. It is worth spending time visiting Bydgoszcz parks at this time of year.

The largest of them (and at the same time the largest urban park in Poland) is the Forest Park of Culture and Recreation in Myślęcinek, occupying 830 ha. This vast urban area, overgrown with forests, is crossed by numerous cycling routes and paths for walkers, runners, skaters and skateboarders as well as Nordic-walking enthusiasts. The clearings encourage relaxation, picnicking and family games in the open air, and when the weather changes to winter, there is a ski slope with a ski lift. The varied landscape encourages horseback rides, forest hikes or MTB rallies. The park also houses the Garden of the Polish Fauna, with a separate mini-zoo, and in the Struga Myślęcińska valley, piled in a series of cascades, there is a 60-hectare Botanical Garden, along with a separate alpine hall and zones corresponding to different climates.

In autumn, particularly picturesque is the oldest park in Bydgoszcz – Kazimierz The Great park. It was here, within the monastery buildings in the 16th century, that the Poor Clare Sisters had their garden. It is an exceptionally charming place, with two ponds, a swan house and a fountain. The magic of autumn colors is created here by rare specimens of trees.

When visiting this place, it is worth stopping at the monumental "Deluge" fountain, with a composition referring to the biblical flood, which is one of the most spectacular and beautiful fountains of this type in Poland.

During the autumn walk, it is also worth visiting the Jan Kochanowski park, which is the green heart of the Bydgoszcz music district. Fabulously winding alleys, vast green areas, a musical playground for children and about 80 species of trees and shrubs make this park one of the favorite recreational areas of the inhabitants. Soothing music often flows from the windows of the music schools located nearby. Right next to it there are also two important cultural objects – the Pomeranian Philharmonic and the Polish Theatre. It is also here that the most famous Bydgoszcz woman lives – the Archer, which is a symbol of Bydgoszcz, a sculpture of a woman with a bow, set in a park square opposite the theatre.

Another noteworthy place is located terraced on a steep hill, surrounded by a historic water tower – Jan Henryk Dąbrowski park. From here, one can admire the panorama of the City, traverse gentle and steep paths among centuries-old chestnut, beech and linden trees. This unusual landscape, reminiscent of miniature Switzerland, is complemented by fountains and water cascades.

Extraordinary city

It is no coincidence that Bydgoszcz was in the top ten in the prestigious European Best Destination 2020 poll. The greatest treasure of Bydgoszcz is the Brda River, which flows through the very centre. Its shores are usually the background of numerous urban events. Brda lives by the movement of water sports enthusiasts, and barges with museums and cafes or houses on the water which offer a unique form of accommodation. The City's relationship with water is also emphasized by "Crossing the river" – a sculpture balancing on a line stretched between the banks of Brda, which quickly became one of the latest symbols of Bydgoszcz. In the mirror of the river, one can see both historic buildings – the hallmarks being the Bydgoszcz Granaries, the monumental building of the Polish Post Office or the parish church, as well as modern buildings – office buildings, hotels, apartment buildings, sports and cultural facilities or the so-called Glass Granaries. More and more often the latest investments are located along the river, in the form of attractive office or residential real estate. Thanks to the City's investments in the reconstruction of the boulevards on the Brda or the revitalization of the park on the Old Bydgoszcz Canal, Bydgoszcz residents are gaining new, captivating places for recreation and relaxation.

In recent years, Bydgoszcz has become known anew as an extraordinary city. An attractive offer to spend time will be found by those who like to have fun in urban climates, as well as those looking for peace and contact with nature. History enthusiasts as well as people who like modern art will not be disappointed. In September, it is worth visiting Bydgoszcz, for example, on the occasion of interesting and diverse events, such as the Bydgoszcz "Travelers" Festival, Vintage Photo Festival or Blu Game Show.

It will also be a lot of fun to discover the industrial past of Bydgoszcz on the Trail of Water, Industry and Crafts TeH20, full of unique monuments of hydrotechnics and interesting stories about the entrepreneurial fate of residents who successfully harnessed the power of the river and created a unique identity of this place.

Despite its scale and natural dynamics for a large centre, Bydgoszcz lives its own, slightly more calm and intimate rhythm, in a balance far from monotony and in harmony with the course of the river. In many charming alleys, you can find extremely friendly and inspiring corners, such as alternative cafes, passionately created restaurants, unusual museums, or a Bydgoszcz free market full of regional products. Such places, and most of all the people one can meet here, create the unique atmosphere of Bydgoszcz. It is worth to feel it for a moment and let yourself be enchanted by this city.

This article comes from magazine:
FOCUS ON Business #12 September-October (5/2023)