Loving Lublin - 10 Things to See and Do

Barry Pickard
Jan 9
7 min read

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. Regardless of this, please be advised that all opinions expressed in this blog post are genuine and authentically my own.

Author: Barry Pickard

Hi, I'm Barry, the owner of Tailor-Made Itineraries and I have been designing bespoke self-guided tours for adventurous and curious travellers since 2015. I am a history graduate with a passion for travel.

I created this blog to show, through my own adventures, how you can have an incredible travel experience as an independent traveller, giving you the information to navigate the world with confidence.

Lublin Castle

Mandragora Restaurant

Memorial Museum of Majdanek

Metropolitan Cathedral of St. John the Baptist and John the Evangelist

Lublin Botanical Gardens

Old Town

Zamoyski Palace

Lublin Underground Trail

What are the best things to do in Lublin, Poland? Sitting outside a bar terrace in the Old Town with a cold Polish beer, watching painted facades glow golden in late afternoon light, I realised this question had a much longer answer than I'd anticipated – and Lublin deserved far more attention than it typically gets.

The smell of fresh flowers drifts up from the Czechówka River Valley where the botanical gardens nestle into the hillside. In the underground cellars beneath Market Square, the air turns cool and earthy, carrying centuries of history in the limestone walls. Above ground, the Metropolitan Cathedral pulses with colour – not the usual sombre church atmosphere, but vivid Biblical scenes painted by Józef Meyer that practically leap from the walls. And if you climb the 207 steps up Trinity Tower, you'll hear the tin cock weathervane creaking as it watches over the city, supposedly warning residents of approaching dangers.

I'm Barry, a history graduate who's been designing self-guided tours since 2015, and I'll confess – Lublin wasn't even on my original Poland itinerary. It's only the ninth largest city in the country, sitting just two and a half hours from Warsaw, and most travellers blast straight past it on their way to Kraków. But when I started researching eastern Poland for my road trip, something about Lublin kept pulling me in. A medieval walled city that survived World War Two virtually intact? Underground tunnels with Renaissance frescoes? A major Holocaust memorial site that's less crowded than Auschwitz? That's when I knew I needed to spend proper time here.

If you're planning your Poland trip and wondering whether Lublin deserves a spot on your itinerary, or you're trying to figure out what's actually worth seeing in this often-overlooked city, you've found the right guide. I'll walk you through the ten experiences that made Lublin memorable for me – from exploring Lublin Castle's neogothic architecture to eating exceptional Jewish cuisine at Mandragora, from confronting Holocaust history at Majdanek to hunting for quirky street art around every corner. This isn't a comprehensive list of every attraction; it's the curated collection of what worked for me as an independent traveller who values substance over tourist traps. Lublin's got layers – medieval trade routes, Jewish heritage, Soviet history, and contemporary Polish culture all stacked on top of each other – and I'm going to help you navigate them all.

Don’t forget that Tailor-Made Itineraries delights in creating bespoke self-guided tours. So, if visiting any of these attractions appeals to you, reach out to me by email. I would be more than happy to design a self-guided tour around your requirements incorporating the wonderful sights of Lublin, or indeed, a general tour of Poland.

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1. Be the king of the castle – Lublin Castle

Lublin Castle is one of the oldest preserved Royal residencies in Poland. The hill on which it is located was first fortified with a wood-reinforced earthen wall in the 12th century. In the first half of the 13th century the stone keep was built which survives to this day and is the oldest standing building in the whole city. In the first decades of the 15th-century, king Władysław II commissioned a set of wall paintings for the chapel, which were completed in 1418 and are preserved to this day. The author was a Ruthenian Master Andrej. Due to their unique style, mixing Western and Eastern Orthodox influences, they are acclaimed internationally as an important historical monument.

There was a complete reconstruction of the castle between 1826 and 1828, with the new buildings being crafted in an English neogothic style. The building then served as a prison until 1954, and, following reconstruction and refurbishment, it has been the main site of the Lublin Museum since 1957.

2. Experience traditional Jewish food at Mandragora

Before the Holocaust of World War Two engulfed Lublin, the city had a thriving Jewish community. Mandragora maintains the great Jewish culinary tradition in Lublin, in this cosy and casual restaurant. We would highly recommend the Hummus and also the Fried Liver with Mushrooms in Wine and Honey Sauce for starters. Equally tasty for the main course was the Jewish Roast Duck with Tzimmes and also the Classic Schnitzel. Oh, and the desserts are exquisite!

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3. Learn about the horrors of the Holocaust at the memorial museum of Majdanek

Majdanek was a German concentration camp in Lublin. Prisoners came from nearly 30 countries. Among an estimated 150,000 prisoners who entered Majdanek, 80,000 people, including 60,000 Jews, were killed. The tragic history of the Lublin concentration camp came to an end on 23rd July 1944 after the Red Army entered the city. On the partly preserved grounds of the former concentration camp there are 70 historical buildings from the years 1941-1944, including intact gas chambers and crematoria. There is also a stunning monument dedicated to Majdanek’s victims designed by Polish sculptor and architect Wiktor Tolkin. The monument consists of three parts, the symbolic gateway, the road, and the Mausoleum, containing a mound of ashes of the victims.

Memorial Museum of Majdanek, Lublin, Poland

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4. Marvel at the colourful interiors of the Metropolitan Cathedral of St. John the Baptist and John the Evangelist

The church was built between 1586 and 1604 to serve the Society of Jesus. In the 18th century, Józef Meyer decorated the interior of the church with beautiful paintings depicting Biblical scenes which are a must for any traveler to see.

Metropolitan Cathedral of St. John the Baptist and John the Evangelist, Lublin, Poland

5. Smell the flowers at the botanical gardens

The Botanical Gardens are nestled along the Czechówka River Valley, taking up an area of 25 ha. The gardens include an arboretum, rock garden, as well as rare and endangered native plants, and offers a very pleasant walk down into the valley.

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6. Sit outside an Old Town bar and have a beer (or two!)

Lublin Old Town is one of the most precious Polish collection of historic buildings. So what better way to appreciate the beautiful buildings by having a cold beer outside in one of the bar terraces.

7. Head for the countryside and visit Zamoyski Palace

The Zamoyski Palace is a large rococo and neoclassical palace complex and is one of Poland's official national Historic Monuments. The original palace was built in the first half of 18th century for Michał Bieliński, voivode (governor) of Chełmno. Its architecture is original - a merger of European art with old Polish building traditions. In 1799, the Palace was acquired by the aristocratic Zamoyski family and it currently hosts a Zamoyski family museum. The Palace is a 40 minute drive from Lublin.

8. Go underground

A labyrinth of tunnels and cellars lay hidden beneath the Old Town. They can be visited via the Lublin Underground Trail that runs from the dungeons of the Court of the Crown under the Market Square, up to Plac Po Farze. The trail passes through 14 chambers. The route was created by the merger of a number of the Old Town cellars, which in the past were used by traders for storage. The entire route includes exhibitions on the history of Lublin, and is a kind of journey through the most important events of the city. A trip can also be made to the Fortuna Cellar which is located in a town house that once belonged to the Lubomelski family. There are ten rooms in the Cellar including a former winery. The walls of the winery are covered with a renaissance polichrome - unique in Poland paintings of secular topics.

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9. Take in the Lublin skyline from the Trinity Tower

Climb the 207 steps up the 60-metre high Trinity Tower to reach the viewing terrace where you can admire the cityscape of Lublin. Look out for the tin cock that looks down from the top of the tower which, as the legend goes, warns the residents about approaching dangers.

10. Seek out the street art of the Old Town

Lublin Old Town has many quirky, artistic touches, some of which are temporary, so pay close attention as you walk around. Street art, including the balloons at the Krakow Gate, the classic art posters covering up boarded up windows, and the knitted bike stand covers, can be found within the city’s walls. Happy hunting!

Conclusion

Lublin surprised me in the best possible way. It's got the medieval charm and historic architecture that make Polish cities so compelling, but without the crowds that can make Kraków exhausting during peak season. Whether you're climbing castle ramparts, descending into underground cellars with Renaissance paintings, paying respects at Majdanek's sobering memorial, or simply enjoying a beer while watching Old Town life unfold, Lublin rewards travellers who venture off Poland's main tourist circuit. It's easily accessible from Warsaw, genuinely authentic in character, and packed with enough history and culture to fill several days. If you're the type of independent traveller who prefers discovering places before they hit everyone's Instagram feed, get to Lublin now – it won't stay under the radar forever.