Szczecin
A port city on the Oder in northwestern Poland, with a riverside terrace, a Renaissance castle and a center remodeled in the 1880s.
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Szczecin is the capital and largest city of the West Pomeranian Voivodeship, close to the Baltic and the German frontier. It sits on the Oder River and Dąbie Lake, and its port is Poland's third largest, handling over 32 million tons of cargo a year. In English it is also called Stettin, its German name. The city center sits roughly 65 km from the Baltic as the crow flies, not counting the Szczecin Lagoon.
Wały Chrobrego is a terrace about 500 m long above the Oder, flanked by large public buildings, fountains and statues. Nearby, the Ducal Castle of the Pomeranian dukes was rebuilt in Renaissance style and houses the Castle Museum. The Cathedral (Basilica of St James), the National Museum and the Philharmonic are main sights. The city has around 270 protected monuments on the European Route of Brick Gothic. July is the warmest month and January the coldest. Berlin is about 150 km away, around 90 minutes on the A6 and German A11, but the rail link is slow, running on two single-track, non-electrified lines.
Szczecin in five
- Arrive from Berlin by railVisit Szczecin lists Deutsche Bahn as the operator of the rail links to Berlin and Lübeck. Check the timetable on the operator's site, and carry a passport, since both countries check this border.Berlin travel guide
- Walk the 7 km City TrailThe marked City Tourist Route is a 7 km loop connecting more than 60 sites, and the Chrobry Embankment terrace is one of its landmarks.
- Go underground at UpheavalsThe Dialogue Centre Upheavals is an underground exhibition on the city's recent history. The city's free-days page lists several museums with free days, so check before buying.
- Eat a pasztecikThe fried pastry sold on Wojska Polskiego Avenue has been on the EU list of protected traditional products since 2010, according to Visit Szczecin.
- Use the Goleniów airport trainThe airport is about 40 km away. Shuttle buses and a regional train run to Szczecin Główny; the airport station is named Port Lotniczy Szczecin Goleniów.
Things to do in Szczecin
See all attractions in Szczecin
Need to know
- Airport
- Szczecin-Goleniów (SZZ), about 40 km; shuttle bus or train
- Getting there
- Deutsche Bahn trains from Berlin; PKP Intercity from Polish cities
- Getting around
- Walk the center; city trams and buses
- Best base
- Near the Castle Boroughs or the Chrobry Embankment
- Time needed
- 1 to 2 days
Weather by month
- Rainy days
- Snowy days
- Best
- Good
- Mixed
- Poor
- JanuaryRain13 rainy days2 snowy daysHigh4°Low0°Cold, grayJanuaryRain
Poor
- High
- 4°
- Low
- 0°
- Precipitation
- 58 mm
- Rainy days
- 13
- Snowy days
- 2
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold, gray
- FebruaryCloudy11 rainy days1 snowy dayHigh5°Low0°ColdFebruaryCloudy
Poor
- High
- 5°
- Low
- 0°
- Precipitation
- 49 mm
- Rainy days
- 11
- Snowy days
- 1
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold
- MarchPartly cloudy10 rainy daysHigh9°Low2°CoolMarchPartly cloudy
Mixed
- High
- 9°
- Low
- 2°
- Precipitation
- 38 mm
- Rainy days
- 10
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cool
- AprilPartly cloudy10 rainy daysHigh14°Low4°Mild, springAprilPartly cloudy
Good
- High
- 14°
- Low
- 4°
- Precipitation
- 36 mm
- Rainy days
- 10
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Mild, spring
- MayPartly cloudy10 rainy daysHigh18°Low8°Warm, greenMayPartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 18°
- Low
- 8°
- Precipitation
- 49 mm
- Rainy days
- 10
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm, green
- JunePartly cloudy11 rainy daysHigh23°Low13°Warm, long daysJunePartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 23°
- Low
- 13°
- Precipitation
- 75 mm
- Rainy days
- 11
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm, long days
- JulyRain14 rainy daysHigh24°Low14°Warm, waterJulyRain
Best
- High
- 24°
- Low
- 14°
- Precipitation
- 107 mm
- Rainy days
- 14
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm, water
- AugustPartly cloudy12 rainy daysHigh24°Low15°WarmAugustPartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 24°
- Low
- 15°
- Precipitation
- 63 mm
- Rainy days
- 12
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm
- SeptemberPartly cloudy8 rainy daysHigh21°Low12°Mild, clearSeptemberPartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 21°
- Low
- 12°
- Precipitation
- 47 mm
- Rainy days
- 8
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Mild, clear
- OctoberPartly cloudy12 rainy daysHigh14°Low8°Autumn colorOctoberPartly cloudy
Mixed
- High
- 14°
- Low
- 8°
- Precipitation
- 56 mm
- Rainy days
- 12
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Autumn color
- NovemberPartly cloudy10 rainy daysHigh8°Low3°Cold, grayNovemberPartly cloudy
Poor
- High
- 8°
- Low
- 3°
- Precipitation
- 47 mm
- Rainy days
- 10
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold, gray
- DecemberCloudy11 rainy days1 snowy dayHigh5°Low1°Cold, short daysDecemberCloudy
Poor
- High
- 5°
- Low
- 1°
- Precipitation
- 49 mm
- Rainy days
- 11
- Snowy days
- 1
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold, short days
Average daily high and low in Szczecin, 2016–2025. Rainy day: 1 mm of rain or more.
Right now in Szczecin
Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.
6
- Feels like
- 3°
- Humidity
- 76%
- Wind
- 4 km/h
- Chance of rain
- 3%
Szczecin
09:47 PM
Monday, November 2
- Today10°5°3%Monday: Rain. High 10°, Low 5°. Chance of rain 3%.
- Tue10°5°23%Tuesday: Rain. High 10°, Low 5°. Chance of rain 23%.
- Wed10°5°0%Wednesday: Cloudy. High 10°, Low 5°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Thu9°3°0%Thursday: Fog. High 9°, Low 3°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Fri9°4°0%Friday: Cloudy. High 9°, Low 4°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Sat8°1°0%Saturday: Partly cloudy. High 8°, Low 1°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Sun4°0°7%Sunday: Cloudy. High 4°, Low 0°. Chance of rain 7%.
Updated 07:06 PM local time · Powered by WeatherAPI.com · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com
Money
Mid-market rate1 USD = 3.951 PLN
Rates from Nov 2, 2026 · Rates By Exchange Rate API
Day trips by train
- Berlinby rail; check Deutsche BahnSzczecin's rail link to Germany, covered in the Berlin guide.Read the guide
- Lower Odra and Lake Dąbieby boat or bikeVisit Szczecin's guide to the city's water attractions on the Lower Odra and Lake Dąbie.
- Poznańby rail; check timetablesAnother market square city in western Poland.Read the guide
Before you go to Szczecin
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Rules for Szczecin, checked
- Poland (to 30 Mar 2027) and Germany (to 15 Mar 2027) both run temporary checks on their shared land border; carry a passport on the train from Berlin.Checked Oct 4, 2026 · Source
Plan around Szczecin
The rail partner for a Germany and Poland loop
Read the guidePoznańAnother western Polish city on the rail network
Read the guideGdańskBaltic Hanseatic port to the east
Read the guideVisa checkerEntry rules for your passport before you fly
Read the guideSchengen 90/180 ruleCounting days on a Berlin and Szczecin trip
Read the guideAll of PolandCities, trains, entry rules and money
Read the guideSzczecin FAQ
Is Szczecin worth visiting?
Yes, for a river port with a ducal castle, a long embankment terrace, an underground exhibition and a 7 km city trail. It suits a weekend, especially paired with Berlin.
How do you get from Berlin to Szczecin?
By rail: Visit Szczecin lists Deutsche Bahn services between the two cities. Check the operator's timetable for the day, because services and times vary.
How many days do you need in Szczecin?
One day covers the castle, the embankment and the old town; two days add the Dialogue Centre Upheavals, the National Museum and a walk through the parks. The city portal frames a weekend as enough for a first look.
What is a pasztecik?
A fried filled pastry sold from a small bar on Wojska Polskiego Avenue. According to Visit Szczecin, it has been listed among protected traditional products under EU law since 2010.
Is Szczecin on the Baltic beaches?
Szczecin is a river port on the Oder, not a beach town. For Baltic sand and a pier, see Sopot, in the east of the coast.