Lublin Mini Guide
Lublin in Brief
A candidate for the European Capital of Culture 2016, Lublin is Poland's ninth largest city and the largest city east of the river Vistula with a population of circa 339,682 in 2018. Situated in the east of the country, Lublin lies approximately 200 miles north east of
Krakow and 100 miles south east of Warsaw.
Lublin's Past
Lublin was occupied by
Germany between 1939 and 1944 during World War II and is where the Jewish concentration camp, Majdanek was located. Vast areas of the city populated by Jews were destroyed during this occupation including Jewish Town, the Wieniawa District and 3/4 of the Old Town. Lublin was temporarily the communist capital of Poland for 164 days starting from 23 July 1944. Following the war, Lublin gradually became a strong municipal city and was instrumental in the working class movement in Poland, along with
Gdansk and Szczecin in 1980 shortly after which the political system underwent reform.
Options to get There
There is currently no airport in Lublin, however construction has been approved and is underway where EU funding will see the city receive its first airport about 10km south of the city. The airport opened in 2012 and is designed to handle up to 2m passengers per annum. The city is well connected by the motorway network with a new express way being constructed circulating the city. The city is served by Lublin Train Station which runs high speed trains from
Warsaw Airport, Lublin's nearest international airport.
How you can Spend Time in the City
Lublin is particularly popular with the arts and has arguably some of the best art galleries in Poland. Private and public galleries are widespread throughout Lublin, however street art is also very popular with mini exhibitions often being displayed throughout the city. Often referred to as Little Krakow, Lublin has an Old Town packed with historic architecture creating a unique atmosphere. A popular city with students, Lublin has a vibrant night life and music scene encouraged by the student population of the city, estimated to be in excess of 30% of the population.
Wining and Dining in Lublin
Lublin caters for all tastes and the nightlife and restaurant scene is excellent whether you are looking to sample local cuisine or international foods, from pubs to restaurants, dining out in Lublin has it all. Typical pubs such as Johnny's or U Szewca come highly recommended for a relaxed evening. Poland is famed for its cuisine and if you want to sample some Polish cuisine at its best look out for Pierogi, dough balls stuffed with cheese or Zrazy, a stuffed beef sirloin.
Festivals and Celebrations
The International Dance Theatres Festival has become one of Lublin's largest festivals and has grown in stature since its first showing back in 1997. Widely regarded as one of Poland's and Eastern Europe's most important dance theatre festivals it attracts around 200,000 visitors with over 200 artists performing. If you are in Lublin during Early November why not plan a visit. The Independent Film Festival Gold Anteatres was established in 2007 and is now a regular festival taking place in April each year.
Stay Safe
As with most cities, staying safe and keeping your belongings safe usually requires common sense. The Old Town has many intriguing side streets and alleyways, however it is recommended that you explore these by day and not at night. When parking your car in Lublin, ensure that you do not leave any valuables on display and try to park in a well lit and populated area.