Poznań is a dynamic city, where almost 1,100 years ago the Polish state emerged. Populated by 540,000 inhabitants, it is the 5th largest and most popular destination in Poland, located at the heart of Europe. Over 120,000 students make the city teem with life. International events play a vital role in the local economy, as, since 1921, Poznań has been host to the most prominent trade shows in the country, organized by Poznań International Fair-Poznań Congress Center, the largest exhibition and meetings organizer in Central-Eastern Europe. It combines a unique heritage with rich cultural offer, lively atmosphere and spirit of entrepreneurship. 

Why Poznań? 

• Welcoming

Poznań is a compact city, neither too small nor too big, which makes it very welcoming and gives it a cosy, but vibrant atmosphere. Moreover, it boasts significant cultural and commercial diversity.

• Historical

Poznań has over 1,000 years of history and conserves important testimonies of its past. 

• Cultural

Poznań offers an intense cultural life all year round: opera, concert, theatres, niche movie theaters,  festivals, expositions, museums… (most of the museums offer free admission on Saturdays!). 

• Well connected

Poznan-Ławica International Airport is located a mere 7 kilometres from the city center, in the vicinity of the route leading directly to the major points of interest and tourist attractions. It provides multiple continental connections with major airline hubs, thus you can travel to Poznan conveniently from any place in the world.

• Culinary experience

Increasingly, Poznań is being dubbed the culinary capital of Poland by many gourmands. Is this title well-deserved? Undoubtedly, the restaurant, bar and cafe offer is exceedingly rich. Spread evenly all around Poznań, eateries brighten up more and more nooks and crannies of the city. Tourists and residents alike discover further emerging establishments, exchanging their impressions, and the chefs do their very best to satisfy the ever-growing expectations. In the city itself there are some 800 places that cater to the general public. They serve a range of dishes from all over the world, oriental, typical national European as well as vegan and vegetarian cuisine. Traditional Polish dishes are also available. Among them are almost 40 restaurants recommended by prestigious culinary Gault&Millau Poland Yellow Guide.

• Well equipped

Poznań offers a variety of places to organise large and small-scale meetings. It also has a wide range of unique venues - ideal for banquets, cocktail parties, exhibitions and other social events. Its stock of hotels is rich and constantly growing. 

• Popular meeting hub in Poland and Central-Eastern Europe

Poznań is the 3rd most popular MICE destination in Poland by the latest ICCA (International Congress and Convention Association) Statistics Report Country & City Rankings. Every year, approximately 5,000 national and international meetings are held in the city. 

Travel to Poznań

Poznań has its own airport, it is also a big railway hub. A motorway connects Poznań with Warsaw (in a distance of about 300 km or less than 3 hours). The city is located at the crossroads of the one of the largest European transportation routes connecting Moscow with Berlin, Paris and Madrid and also Budapest and Prague with the Baltic coast and farther on with the Scandinavian Peninsula. This location of the city, which favours the coexistence of many nationalities and cultures, was conducive to Poznań being an important meeting place in Europe. 

By plane
Poznań’s main international airport is the Henryk Wieniawski Poznań Ławica Airport (POZ). The airport provides flight connections with multiple destinations, including important hubs in Copenhagen, Munich, Frankfurt Main and Warsaw. Beside regular connections with four European hubs, it also offers the services of low fare airlines and charter flights to other capital and major cities, like Madrid, Barcelona, London, Stockholm, Oslo, Dublin, Tel Aviv, Rome, Athens and more. 

Poznań Ławica Airport works alongside some of the world’s most well-known airlines: Lufthansa, LOT, SAS, Ryanair and Wizzair. 
The airport is located a mere 7 kilometers from the city center, in the vicinity of the route leading directly to the major points of interest and tourist attractions. The most convenient way to get to the city is by using to use the public transport (day bus no. 59/ the night line no. 242) or taking a taxi. The taxi ranks are situated outside, next to the arrival terminal. The average fare from the airport to the city centre amounts to €5-7, while the single bus ticket costs €1.10. 

Hotels

Poznan is a very compact city, therefore the diverse range of accommodation possibilities, from top 5-star hotels to modern and budget friendly hostels are mostly located comfortably within the city center. The standardization of 1 to 5 star hotels is something which will be widely used and accepted throughout Europe. Poznań offers over 130 accommodation possibilities with about 13,000 beds, most of which have been reviewed online allowing future guests to verify their quality and standard before arrival.

Most hotels which can be used by IWA Conference participants are located in the city centre.

Green City

Poznań offers excellent opportunities for relaxation among lakes and forests, as well as many attractions for the enthusiasts of active leisure. Greenery covers roughly 27% of the city's land area. Small and large green spaces can be found throughout the city, some of them deserving particular attention.

After hours

Poznan is a bustling city, also in the evening. Pubs, bars and clubs are full of people enjoying a local beer or a tropical drink. There are currently over 150 types of Polish beer, most of which can be tasted somewhere around the town. The summer time makes the city vibe specially awesome, when one can enjoy the Warta River area, Poznan City beaches, water activities (e.g. yachting), outdoor events, open air cinemas, street theatres or simply wander in the city. 

Shopping

Poznań is known and regarded for its shopping centres and shops. In its arcades and shopping centers, shoppers will find goods by producers known the world over and also locally-produced items. Shopping in Poznań also means visiting a variety of small art galleries, jeweller’s shops, antique stores and souvenirs fairs, traditionally organised every weekend in the post-industrial surroundings of the former slaughterhouse.