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Poznan, Poland
Poznan's Stary Rynek (Old Market Square) is one of Europe's most picturesque, with its Renaissance-era Town Hall where two mechanical goats emerge at noon to butt heads — a tradition dating to a legend about two goats that escaped a cook. The square is lined with colorful merchant houses now hosting restaurants and cafes. Cathedral Island (Ostrow Tumski), connected by bridge, is where Poland itself was born — the 10th-century baptism of the first Polish ruler took place here, and the cathedral remains one of the country's most important churches. The Imperial Castle, built for Kaiser Wilhelm II, now houses a cultural center. The Srodka neighborhood has been revitalized with a massive trompe l'oeil mural that makes a building facade look like a fantastical scene. Poznan's St. Martin Croissant (rogal swiętomarcinski), a crescent-shaped pastry with white poppy seeds, has its own museum.
explore by interest
Time your visit to the Town Hall for noon to see the mechanical goats perform — then walk to Cathedral Island for the contrast between Renaissance and Romanesque Poznan.
May through September offers warm weather and outdoor terrace culture, with the Malta Festival in June bringing theater and music to the lakeside.