Palmiarnia

The Poznan Palm House is the largest glasshouse of its kind in Poland and one of the largest in Europe. It sits in Wilson Park, south of the centre, and gathers thousands of plants across a series of climate pavilions, from Mediterranean and subtropical zones to tropical rainforest, savannah and desert. The first hall went up in 1911, and the complex grew from there.

This is the easy indoor option in Poznan, warm and green whatever the weather does outside. It suits families, plant lovers and anyone who wants a calm hour off the streets. The scale is the point: some of the palms reach the roof of the glass halls, and the route runs from one climate zone to the next without you leaving the building.

The pavilions hold around 17,000 plants of some 700 species, from tall palms and giant cacti to dense tropical greenery. Among the collections is a large aquarium with about 170 species of fish. The air is warm and humid in the tropical halls and cooler in the desert and Mediterranean rooms, so the walk keeps changing. It is a steady, unhurried visit rather than a quick look.

The first palm house opened in Wilson Park in 1911, and a second, larger building followed for the National Exhibition of 1929. The glasshouses were badly damaged in the Second World War. The complex was rebuilt through the 1980s and reopened in 1992 in the form seen today, with the tall main pavilion at its centre.

Give it about an hour to walk the pavilions at an easy pace, a little longer with children or if you stop at the aquarium. It pairs neatly with a walk in Wilson Park itself, which is worth a turn while you are there.

The palm house is in Wilson Park, reached by tram from the centre in a few minutes. For the city-centre sights, see the Old Market Square and the Poznan guide.

Wilson Park is south of the Old Town, a short hop from the rest of the city:

• The Old Market Square and the noon goats, back in the centre.
• The fortress-hill park at Cytadela, north of the Old Town.
• Lake Malta, for lakeside trails to the east.

It is a good choice in cold or wet weather and for families, with thousands of plants across several climate zones under one roof and a large aquarium. Expect a calm hour rather than a big attraction.

It is the largest palm house in Poland and one of the largest in Europe, holding around 17,000 plants of some 700 species across its pavilions.