This summer, Poznań invites you to slow down and walk through history. With free guided tours offered every weekend, “Summer on the Royal-Imperial Route 2025” opens the gates to forgotten alleys, majestic cathedrals, riverside paths, and green retreats. Whether you’re a local rediscovering familiar corners or a visitor seeing the city for the first time, these walks promise new perspectives and untold stories.
Discovering the City One Step at a Time
There is no better way to understand a city than to walk it. And there is perhaps no better place to do that this summer than Poznań. The Poznań Heritage Centre is once again launching its celebrated seasonal initiative, Summer on the Royal-Imperial Route 2025 — a series of free walking tours that take place across the city every weekend from late June through August. These immersive walks invite participants to slow their pace and explore the layers of heritage, architecture, and natural beauty that define this millennia-old city.
What Is the Royal-Imperial Route?
At the heart of the initiative is the Royal-Imperial Route, Poznań’s flagship historical and cultural trail. It weaves together the city’s most significant landmarks: from Ostrów Tumski, the cradle of Polish Christianity, through the merchant-era Old Town, to the grand 19th-century Imperial District. This path is more than a tourist route — it’s a curated experience.
It’s a story written by the city and forty generations of its inhabitants
as the organisers describe it.
A Special Year: Celebrating a Millennium
This year’s edition of the program is particularly special, as it marks the 1000th anniversary of the coronation of Bolesław Chrobry, Poland’s first king. To honour the occasion, the Heritage Centre has planned two unique historical walks titled Royal Island, focused on Ostrów Tumski as the backdrop for royal power struggles and foundational moments in Polish statehood. These join a robust program of more than a dozen thematic walks, each led by trained local guides passionate about bringing Poznań’s stories to life.
Something for Everyone: Adults and Families Alike
Family-friendly walks titled Come, See! are tailored for children aged 5 to 10, using games and storytelling to engage the youngest participants. For adults, there are deeper dives into themes such as urban nature, medieval architecture, riverside evolution, and sacred heritage.
We want to make the city feel accessible to everyone, no matter their age. That’s why some routes are lighter, playful, and suited for the whole family.
says Maja Rochowiak, specialist in tourism and events at the Poznań Heritage Centre.
Practical Details and Schedule
All tours are open to the public, free of charge, and require no registration — with the exception of the cathedral interior walks (Cathedral: User Manual), which require free tickets due to limited capacity. Most walks last 90 to 120 minutes and start from well-marked points such as Jordan Bridge, Freedom Square, or the Rose Courtyard at the Imperial Castle.
Here is the full schedule for Summer on the Royal-Imperial Route 2025:
July
- 4 July (20:00) – Cathedral: User Manual (Adults) – Start: Cathedral square | Free tickets from 27 June at Brama Poznania
- 5 July (17:00) – Green Islands: Parks (Adults) – Start: Chopin Park
- 12 July (11:00) – Royal Island Walk (Adults) – Start: Bishop Jordan Bridge
- 19 July (17:00) – Green Islands: Rivers (Adults) – Start: Bishop Jordan Bridge
- 26 July (17:00) – City Without Secrets: Old Town (Adults) – Start: Szewska/Dominikańska corner
August
- 2 August (17:00) – Ostrów Tumski Walk (Adults) – Start: Cathedral Lock
- 8 August (20:00) – Cathedral: User Manual (Adults) – Free tickets from 1 August
- 9 August (11:00) – Come, See: Old Town (Family-friendly) – Start: Plac Kolegiacki (goats sculpture)
- 9 August (17:00) – Royal-Imperial Route: Old Town (Adults) – Start: Town Hall
- 16 August (11:00) – Come, See: Freedom Square & Imperial District (Family-friendly) – Start: Freedom Square fountain
- 16 August (17:00) – Royal-Imperial Route: Śródmieście (Adults) – Start: Freedom Square
- 23 August (11:00) – Come, See: Cathedral Island & Old Warta Riverbed (Family-friendly) – Start: under the mural in Śródka
- 23 August (11:00) – Royal Island Walk (Adults) – Start: Bishop Jordan Bridge
- 30 August (17:00) – City Without Secrets: Imperial District (Adults) – Start: Rose Courtyard, Imperial Castle
With an ever-growing number of attendees—sometimes over a hundred per walk—the popularity of the program continues to rise.
It’s clear people want to connect with their city in a more intentional, informed way. Not just pass through it.
notes Rochowiak.
A Summer Invitation
For those spending the summer in Poznań, or simply passing through, Summer on the Royal-Imperial Route 2025 is an ideal opportunity to experience the city not as a backdrop, but as the main character. Every walk is an invitation to rediscover the streets, parks, cathedrals, and courtyards that shape Poznań’s identity—and to join the generations who have walked them before.
