Lublin is the most important city in eastern Poland and has a rich history. I lived here for half a year and the city really grew on me during this time. Below I present you the most important Lublin travel tips, so that nothing stands in the way of your relaxing vacation.
Lublin travel tips for your trip
Lublin – climate and weather
The climate in Lublin differs from that in other parts of Europe. The city is located in a zone that forms the transition from the continental climate and the climate of Western Europe, which is influenced by the Atlantic Ocean. This means that in winter it can be much colder here than for example in Western Europe. But don’t worry: except for the period between December and February, temperatures rarely drop below -15 degrees Celsius. Then it can also snow more heavily from time to time.
Lublin – best time to visit
Apart from the cold winter months, you will always feel comfortable in Lublin. No matter what the weather is like, there is always something to discover. In the summer, you can take a wonderful walk along the Zemborzycki Reservoir in the south of the city or through the parks in the center, while in the winter you can enjoy the wonderfully decorated streets.
On All Saints’ Day (1.11.) you should avoid Lublin. Then almost all of Poland is on its feet to visit the graves of deceased relatives, and the traffic is almost unbearable. Otherwise, there are only a few days when there are more tourists in the city than usual. However, you should keep in mind that at Easter, just like at Christmas, public life comes to a standstill. Then it can happen that you have to look for an open restaurant for a long time.
Important Lublin events
In a city with a population of around 340,000, which is also a regional center with a large catchment area, there is of course always something going on. We would like to briefly present the most important events here. You should also know that there are many students in Lublin, who are spread over several universities. In addition to the old town, the miasteczko akademickie, the university district west of the old town, is a good place for events.
Lublin Jazz Festival
The Lublin Jazz Festival is the biggest in this region. Jazz has a long tradition in Poland and over the years has developed its own style, which you can hear during the week-long event in April.
Noc Kultury
During the culture night, the Noc Kultury, you can attend countless concerts, visit the theater, museums and much more in one night at the beginning of June – and all for free.
Carnaval Sztukmistrzów
Lublin is the only city in Poland to host Carnaval Sztukmistrzów. On the last weekend of July, thousands of onlookers are drawn to the Old Town to witness the colorful mix of circus performances, concerts and alternative cultural events.
Jarmark Jagielloński
In August the Jarmark Jagielloński is held. It commemorates the long history of the state of Poland-Lithuania, which was established in Lublin in the pre-modern era. Presented are the life, culture, history and food of the peoples who once lived in this confederation – a colorful festival with many exciting discoveries in the Old Town.
Lublin Sights
- Lublin Castle – one of the oldest preserved castles in Poland with a beautiful chapel
- Majdanek – former German concentration camp in the east of the city with a moving memorial site
- Krakowskie Przedmieście and Krakow Gate – Lublin’s main promenade, at the end of which stands the massive gate to the Old Town
- Old town – a unique collection of small, winding streets and magnificent town houses from the Renaissance period
- Perła Brewery – the largest brewery in this part of the country, where you can take interesting guided tours
- Saxon Garden – 200 year old green area in the style of an English landscape park in the center of town
- Cebularz Museum – small museum informing about the local culture of the Cebularzy, the citizens of Lublin
- Zemborzycki Reservoir – man-made lake in the south of the city and a popular recreational area
- Lithuanian Square – once a parade ground, Plac Litewski has a multimedia fountain and plenty of flair
- Muzeum Wsi Lubelskiej – huge open-air museum on the outskirts of the city, where you can get an insight into rural life in the region 100 years ago
You can find more about Lublin sightseeing in our blogpost about it.
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Lublin Arrival
Airplane
Lublin-Świdnik Airport has been in operation since 2012 and is very small. You can fly to Eindhoven, London Luton, Doncaster Sheffild and Oslo with Wizzair or to Dulin with Ryanair. Alternatively, a journey via Warsaw can also be useful.
Warsaw has two airports, at least officially. While Chopin Airport (also known as Okęcie) in the south of the city can be reached quickly and is mainly served by normal airlines, Modlin Airport to the north of the city is much further away. Mainly low-cost airlines fly there. However, both airports are well connected to the city center, for example by train. There are flights to Warsaw from numerous cities, for example with Ryanair and Wizz Air.
From Warsaw you would then have to take the train or bus to Lublin, which takes another two and a half hours.
Train
Lublin’s main train station (Lublin Główny) is located about two kilometers southeast of the center. Tickets are available on the website of the Polish Railways.
We have introduced you to how train travel works in Poland in a separate article.
Bus
Traveling to Lublin by bus is a bit inconvenient. From abroad, you can take Flixbus*, Sindbad or Eurolines to Warsaw, but direct connections from Western European countries are only available from Eurolines. The journey takes a long time, from Western Germany for example you need about 25 hours to Lublin.
Therefore, it makes more sense to think about a combined journey, for example, take the train to Warsaw and from there take the bus to Lublin. Many small private operators depart from the Palace of Culture, which is located next to the Central Station, where trains from Germany stop. Here you don’t need to book in advance, the travel time is 2 to 3 hours depending on traffic. You can also take the Flixbus and book in advance. This has the advantage that you are guaranteed a seat. However, the buses start at different places in the city and are not always quick to reach.
Car
To reach Poland from Western Europe, You have to drive through Germany. In the meantime, the A2 has been extended to Warsaw, so that you can theoretically even drive from the Ruhr area to Warsaw without having to change the road once. However, you have to keep in mind that Polish freeways are subject to tolls and you have to pay almost 20 euros for the route from Germany to Warsaw. Information and a price calculator can be found on the website of the Autostrada operators.
From Warsaw, the new S17 expressway will take less than two hours to Lublin in good traffic conditions.
The parking situation in Lublin is still relaxed. However, you should beware of men who pretend to be parking attendants and sell worthless tickets. Always go to the parking machine yourself or use a really guarded parking lot.
Lublin local transport
Public transport
The public transport is regulated by the company ZTM. There is no metro or streetcar system. As one of only three cities in Poland, Lublin has a trolley bus system in the center, all other routes are served by modern “normal” buses. The network is clear and well organized, so you can reach all important places in the city quickly and easily.
Tickets
Tickets are available via cell phone app, at vending machines, at kiosks, and also from the driver for an additional fee. You can buy normal tickets that do not allow you to change trains (bilety jednoprzejazdowy) and are theoretically valid from the first stop on the line to the last. However, it is usually more practical to buy a timed ticket, which allows you to change trains as many times as you like within the specified time. These are available for 30, 60 and 120 minutes or 12 or 120 hours.
The exact prices can be found here, the list is easy to understand even without knowledge of Polish. In addition, there are many other tickets available, but you have to register for them, definitely too much effort for a vacation.
Polish language
Polish belongs to the family of West Slavic languages. So if you know Czech, you will understand a few words of Polish. Even if you know a few words of Russian, it will help you. Polish is not an easy language to learn, so the Poles will be even happier if you make an effort and learn a few words:
| English | Polish | Pronunciation |
| Hi! | Cześć | Tsheshtsh |
| Hello! | Dzień dobry | Dshin dobre |
| Good Morning! | Dzień dobry | Dshin dobre |
| Good evening! | Dobry wieczór | Dobry vjetshur |
| Thank You | Dziękuję | Dshenkuje |
| Please | Proszę | Proshe |
| How are You? | Jak się masz? | Jak she mash? |
| Nice to meet You | Miło cię poznać | Miou tshe posnatsh |
| Excuse me | Przepraszam | Psheprasham |
| Yes | Tak | Tak |
| No | Nie | Nje |
| I (don’t) understand | (Nie) rozumiem | (Nje) rosumjem |
You can manage reasonably well with English, young Lubliners all learn the language at school.
Ukrainian is also common, as well as German.
Food in Lublin
Polish cuisine is quite hearty. Some of the same dishes have been cooked for centuries, and the country’s rural tradition in particular is reflected in the local cuisine. There is generally a lot of meat on the table, but cabbage and cereals are also important ingredients of Polish cuisine.
The main local dishes
- Bigos – stew with sauerkraut, mushrooms and meat
- Pierogi – filled dumplings, which are available either sweet or salty.
- Barszcz Czerwony – originally from Ukraine, beetroot soup.
- Żurek – sour flour soup with egg
- Gołąbki – literally “doves”, cabbage rolls with meat filling
- Cebularz – dough pancakes with onions and poppy seeds, a Lublin specialty so famous that Lubliners are often called cebularzy throughout the country
Where to eat and drink in Lublin?
You can get the classics of Polish cuisine on almost every corner in Lublin. They taste especially good here:
- Smaczek, Krakowskie Przedmieście 66. We have already introduced you to what a milk bar is in another article. Smaczek milk bar is a local legend and offers many Polish classics for little money.
- Perłowa Pijalnia Piwa, ul. Bernardyńska 15a. Delicious fresh beer from Perła. Here you can try all varieties in a very well-designed restaurant with delicious food!
- Sielsko Anielsko, Rynek 17. Welcome to the Polish farmhouse! At the marketplace the city suddenly seems far away, here you can enjoy traditional rural dishes in a rustic atmosphere.
- Grodzka 15, ul. Grodzka 15. Cozy cellar pub in the old town, where delicious beers are brewed.
Lublin accommodations
Finding accommodation in Lublin is easy. There are thousands of hotel beds for every budget. For a mid-range hotel you often don’t have to pay more than 40 euros per night, in a hostel you will pay about 10 euros per bed in a dormitory.
Where to stay in Lublin?
- LoLek Hostel, Bernardyńska 9. Colorful hostel near the old town with everything you need and nice service.
- Lubhotel, Krańcowa 19. Slightly out of town hotel with high comfort and very reasonable prices. A big plus are the own parking spaces.
- Vanilla Hotel, Krakowskie Przedmieście 12. Creative hotel housed in a historic building from the 17th century in the heart of the old town.
Security
Don’t worry, Lublin is a really safe city. You don’t have to be afraid of muggings, but it’s best to carry your valuables as close to your body as possible on the bus. Pickpocketing is a rare phenomenon, however, also because the city has so far been rather under the radar in terms of tourism.
Emergency numbers
If something does happen, you can call the emergency numbers. However, there is rarely anyone who speaks English at the end of the line:
- Police: 997
- General Emergency Call: 112/911
- Fire department: 998
Health
The health care system in Lublin is on a European level in most facilities. As an EU citizen, you are automatically insured in Poland, so in case of emergency you can go to a hospital in Lublin. You may have to pay for the treatment in advance. However, you can have the amount reimbursed by your health insurance at home. The waiting times in public hospitals and doctors are often long, so many people go to private hospitals or private doctors, which are more expensive. Pharmacies can be found on every corner, many medicines are also available in supermarkets and kiosks.
Money
ATMs can be found everywhere in Lublin. It is important that when withdrawing money you do not choose the conversion to euros, but to the local currency, the złoty. Otherwise, the bank will use an allegedly guaranteed exchange rate, which is always much worse than the actual one.
You can also exchange money in an exchange office (kantor). Here it is worth comparing, often there are several exchange offices next to each other, for example in ul. Peowiaków in the center. There are always two exchange rates indicated, depending on the exchange direction, the worse one is always valid. Some bureaux de change also charge a commission, it is best to ask beforehand.
Telephone and Internet
With a European sim card, you can make calls, surf the Internet and send texts in Lublin for the same price as at home. Network coverage is excellent throughout the city. If you run out of data, you can use the many Wi-Fi networks in the city. Almost all hotels, restaurants and cafés now offer Wi-Fi. The city is also expanding its urban Wi-Fi network.