Bydgoszcz neighborhoods - The most important districts of Bydgoszcz

1. Things to prepare before going to Bydgoszcz
2. Costs of living in Bydgoszcz
3. Save money in Bydgoszcz - Tips for living in Bydgoszcz on a student budget
4. How to get to Bydgoszcz - Getting to Bydgoszcz by train, plane, car or bus
5. Bydgoszcz neighborhoods - The most important districts of Bydgoszcz
6. Accommodation for students in Bydgoszcz - Top tips and pieces of advice
7. Public transport in Bydgoszcz - Getting around Bydgoszcz
8. Nightlife in Bydgoszcz - Night club guide and going out in Bydgoszcz
9. Where to eat in Bydgoszcz - Polish cuisine and gastronomy in Bydgoszcz
10. Polish cuisine - The gastronomy of Poland and traditional dishes
11. The best things to do in Bydgoszcz
12. The best things to do in Bydgoszcz - Museums
13. The best things to do in Bydgoszcz - Churches
14. Where to relax in Bydgoszcz
15. Cinemas and Theatres in Bydgoszcz
16. Day trips from Bydgoszcz - Places to visit and excursions around Bydgoszcz
17. Festivals in Bydgoszcz - Festivities and celebrations calendar
18. Bydgoszcz In 2 Days - What to see in Bydgoszcz in 2 days

Bydgoszcz has many districts, which in Polish are called “dzielnica” or “osiedle” - the latter being the one you’ll probably hear the most. If it comes to attractiveness from the viewpoint of a tourist, the most popular districts are probably Stare Miasto and Śródmieście (Old Town and Downtown). However, for students, other parts of the city may be more interesting, as they are cheaper and they are closer to different university facilities. Here are the most important ones.

Stare Miasto (Old Town)

A charming place, with old buildings facing the river, perfect for long romantic walks. Some of the main sights are located here: the oldest churches including the Cathedral, City Hall, Granaries etc. The Old Market Square and Mill Island truly are the heart of the city.

If you live in the Old Town, you are close to all the clubs and cafes, as well to any events that take place in the city. However - it can be loud during the night at the weekends because of this, so consider if you mind having to overhear people partying from time to time.

Śródmieście (Downtown)

Śródmieście is a big area focused around two main streets of Bydgoszcz, with buildings from the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century. The theatre, concert venues, the main train station - they're all in this area. Oh, and don’t forget about Sielanka - a very green residential area built a hundred years ago taking inspiration from the Garden City concept.

The part of Śródmieście on the western side of Gdańska Street is full of buildings and stores, while the eastern part is very green and peaceful, with great architecture. This area is often visited by young lovers, who go there for a date. Whichever part of Śródmieście you choose to live in, I can assure you, you won’t regret it.

Both Old Town and Downtown are really well connected with tram and bus lines. It’s very central, full of stores, pubs and clubs - a true city centre. You’ll have no problem finding a restaurant or a good coffee place in your local area and you can literally walk everywhere (so you'll save some money by not taking public transport). Some of the main faculties are also here, for example those for humanities and journalism, agriculture and medical sciences.

Leśne

A very attractive district located up north from the centre, and just next to both the forest, and the forest park Myślęcinek (big recreational area). It’s a calm place, filled with older buildings and surrounded by pine trees. Leśne is a great place to start a bike trip or to go for a long walk in the forest. You can also visit Załuskiego Park and the Army Infantry Museum.

This is where the Zawisza athletics and football stadium is located, a stadium which can seat 20 thousand spectators, and hosts football matches as well as numerous athletic events. This stadium hosted, among others, the IAAF World Junior Championships in Athletics, the SPAR European Cup and the European Athletics U23 Championships. For football fans: in mid-2017 the UEFA European Under-21 Championship will be hosted here.

A lot of students choose to live in Osiedle Leśne, as well as many older people. It has many stores and supermarkets, as well as an open air market which is not far from the main UKW campus on Chodkiewicza Street (2 stops on the bus, you can walk there if you want). For parties you have to go to the center. Great bus and tram connections with other parts of the city.

Szwederowo

This is more towards the southern part of the city, and it's located in the hills (we call it “górny taras”, higher ground you could say). Good location, close to the centre, a lot of shopping malls, sport centres, swimming pools, etc.

The main advantage of this location is a green park on the edge of the hills, with several viewpoints dotted around. The first viewpoint is from the water tower, from which you can get the best views of the city. The second one is from the stairs leading to Nowy Rynek, near the District Court Building (ask for Sąd Rejonowy, it’s an impressive building with a high tower, which is hard to miss). The third one is from the footbridge above Trasa Uniwersytecka street.

This part of the city was built mainly in the communist era (seventies and the eighties mostly). Expect large housing estates made up of blocks of flats. Flats here should be in a good condition and pretty cheap. There are many tram and bus connections to the centre, but Szwederowo is in walking distance from the Old Town (maximum 20 minutes) so you may not always need the public transport.

Bartodzieje

This is another district popular among students in Bydgoszcz. In the middle of Bartodzieje there is the Balaton Lake, a great place to relax, sit on a bench or have a walk/run around the water. It’s like a green oasis in the centre of the city and it’s not too far from neither the forest (north), nor the river (south). Overall it's a really nice area to live in.

Bartodzieje is dominated mostly by blocks of flats. There is an open air market in the middle with fresh food, a lot of shops and supermarkets. It’s an attractive spot because it’s exactly in the middle between the city centre and the Fordon district (the biggest district of Bydgoszcz). So no matter if you study in the centre (UKW, Collegium Medicum, parts of UTP) or in Fordon UTP campus, you have quite easy and convenient bus connections.

Fordon

This is the biggest part of the city, which used to be an independent town in the past. Now it has an old town with a small market square, two old churches, and a former synagogue (Stary Fordon) by the Vistula River, as well as a more modern zone, which was developed during the communist era (Nowy Fordon).

This part of Bydgoszcz has access to the biggest Polish river - the Vistula River. You can walk or ride a bike, using pathways which run alongside the embankment, parallel to the river. Fordon is surrounded by forests and hills, which are a popular meeting spot for students.

However there is a very sad story connected with those hills. A hidden location in the valley was used by Nazi Germans during the WWII to murder around 1200-1400 citizens of Bydgoszcz, mainly more educated Polish people: teachers, priests, office workers. Therefore, the place is now called the Valley of Death (Dolina Śmierci) and is a memorial park with a few monuments of remembrance.

Living in Fordon would probably be the best option for people who study at UTP University of Science and Technology and have classes in Fordon. By doing this, you can avoid commuting every day from the city centre, you have all of your friends close by, and there are lots of shops nearby too. A few big student halls of residence are located here in Fordon as well.

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