Climbing centers in Poland: Warsaw, Kraków, Wrocław, Poznań, Gdańsk, Katowice, Łódź
Indoor climbing is a great workout and exhilarating activity for people of varied genders, heights, weights, and physical abilities. Climbing gyms are available all year round, giving you access even during those cold winter months in Poland. Here’s what you need to know about indoor climbing in Poland.
Two types of indoor climbing: short walls – boulders and tall walls with ropes
Walking into a climbing center, you will notice short walls (called boulders) and taller walls with ropes hanging from the top. The floor will be covered with a foam mat, and underneath the shorter walls – boulders, there will be big foam gymnastic mats scattered around.
The challenge is to follow the marked routes, typically distinguished with colored holds. Routes have different levels of difficulty.
Boulders (see the photos below) are artificial rock walls that you can climb without a harness or ropes. You do not need any special gear (advanced climbers will use special climbing shoes and chalk). Bouldering is quite a popular climbing discipline as it is more social compared to rope climbing on taller walls which is more of a one or two-person activity.
Top roping and lead climbing both involve climbing on taller walls while attached to a rope for safety (see the photos below). To rope climb, you will need a partner to belay you. You will learn how to belay during your orientation, along with a few commands to use with your partner. There are usually also options for climbing on auto belay (without a belay partner).
The equipment
Take a change of comfortable workout clothes, sports shoes, and water. There are rentals of climbing shoes and climbing equipment on site (you don’t need to rent or buy special climbing shoes at first). If you plan on getting on a wall with a rope, you will need to rent a harness.
Benefits of climbing
Climbing builds strength, flexibility, and endurance – it’s a full-body exercise, additionally, when you encounter a tricky grip, you’ll find yourself holding on longer and tighter than you might think you are capable of. It’s good for the heart, improving cardio. Climbing builds confidence – it makes you resistant to failure (you get stuck or fall so many times!), it requires dozens of little patient slow steps to achieve anything, and finally, after you manage to complete a climb, you feel like you are on top of the world!
It’s also good for your brain and mental health – climbing builds self-awareness and focus, it requires you to be in the moment, and it helps you with reducing your stress level.
Climbing for kids
Climbing is a great sport also for kids. Most facilities in Poland have areas dedicated to children, after-school programs, summer and winter camps, and birthday parties. Kids can start climbing at a very young age, the gyms usually allow children from the age of 5/6. But some facilities in Poland offer classes for children aged 3+. A nice option for family integration and actively spending time together is climbing classes dedicated to families or an exclusive class with an instructor for your family only. Of course, you can also sign up your children for weekly group classes according to age.
How to start? Our recommendation
Most climbing centers in Poland offer an introduction for first-time climbers. There is no doubt that this is a nice option. However, to fully feel what climbing is all about and to feel safe, we recommend booking an individual orientation lesson with an instructor (especially if you are with children). You will have more time to ask questions, dispel doubts, and calmly understand what boulders, walls, ropes, and harnesses are all about:)
climbing wall – ścianka wspinaczkowa
boulder – bulder or boulder;)
harness – uprząż
rope – lina
grip / hold – chwyt
belaying – asekuracja
chalk – kreda or magnezja
helmet – kask
Here is our quick guide to selected indoor rock climbing gyms in the biggest cities in Poland
WARSAW: Camp4
- Location: Camp4, ul. Krasnowolska 50, entrance from Poloneza Street (Ursynów), 02-849 Warszawa. Location on Google Maps.
- Camps4 attractions can be used by children from 5 years of age.
- The Camp4 climbing school offers courses and weekly group classes for children and adults, as well as climbing classes dedicated to families (2-4 families). It is also possible to book individual classes with an instructor. You can also use the climbing walls and boulders by yourself.
- Attractions for children: summer and winter camps, birthday parties for kids aged 7-10, 11-13, 14-17, and a rope park called “Ferrata”.
- Additional attractions include badminton and volleyball classes for children and adults (they have three indoor sports fields). Camp4 has also an outdoor boulder.
- Website in Polish, Facebook, Instagram.
- Our tips in English on things to do in the city of Warsaw: Winter in Warsaw, Autumn in Warsaw, Summer in Warsaw.
- Our post featuring the biggest indoor climbing gyms in Warsaw.
Photo source: Camp4
KRAKÓW: Forteca
- They have three locations in Kraków. Centrum Wspinaczkowe Forteca:
- ul. Ludowa 6 – Podgórze. Location on Google Maps.
- ul. Racławicka 60 – Krowodrza. Location on Google Maps.
- ul. Rydlówka 32 – Podgórze. Location on Google Maps.
- Classes for children from 3,5 years of age.
- The Forteca climbing school offers weekly classes with an instructor for children and adults, and classes for people with disabilities. It is also possible to book individual classes with an instructor. You can also use the climbing walls and boulders by yourself.
- Attractions for children: summer and winter camps, birthday parties for kids, workshops for kindergartens and schools.
- Website in Polish, Facebook, Instagram.
- Our tips in English on things to do in the city of Kraków.
Photo source: Forteca
WROCŁAW: Zerwa
- Location: Zerwa, ul. Szczecińska 17D, 54-517 Wrocław. Location on Google Maps.
- Classes for children from preschool age.
- The Zerwa climbing school offers weekly classes with an instructor for children and adults. It is also possible to book individual classes with an instructor. You can also use the climbing walls and boulders by yourself.
- Attractions for children: summer and winter camps, birthday parties for kids, workshops for kindergartens and schools.
- Website in Polish, website in English, Facebook, Instagram.
- Our tips in English on things to do in the city of Wrocław.
Photo source: Zerwa
POZNAŃ: BlokLine
- Location: BlokLine, Kinepolis, ul. Bolesława Krzywoustego 72, 61-144 Poznań. Location on Google Maps.
- The BlokLine climbing school offers weekly classes with an instructor for children and adults. It is also possible to book individual classes with an instructor. You can also use the climbing walls and boulders by yourself. A wide range of courses for beginners.
- Attractions for children: summer and winter camps, birthday parties for kids.
- Website in Polish, Facebook, Instagram.
- Our tips in English on things to do in the city of Poznań.
Photo source: BlokLine
GDAŃSK: Mono
- Location: Mono, Al. Grunwaldzkiej 411, Gdańsk, Alchemia/Platinum building. Location on Google Maps.
- Mono attractions can be used by children from 6 years of age.
- The Mono climbing school offers courses and weekly group classes for children and adults, as well as climbing group classes dedicated to families. It is also possible to book individual classes with an instructor. You can also use the climbing walls and boulders by yourself.
- Attractions for children: summer and winter camps.
- Website in Polish, website in English, Facebook, Instagram.
- Our tips in English on things to do in the city of Gdańsk.
Photo source: Mono
ŁÓDŹ: Fabryka Wspinania
- Location: Fabryka Wspinania, Zatoka Sportu, Aleja Politechniki 10, 93-590 Łódź. Location on Google Maps.
- The Fabryka Wspinania climbing school offers weekly climbing group classes with an instructor for children and adults. It is also possible to book individual classes with an instructor. You can also use the climbing walls and boulders by yourself.
- Attractions for children: summer and winter camps, birthday parties for kids, workshops for schools, and summer camps outside Łódź.
- Website in Polish, Facebook, Instagram.
- Our tips in English on things to do in the city of Łódź.
Photo source: Fabryka Wspinania
KATOWICE/SOSNOWIEC: Poziom 450
- Location: Poziom 450, ul. Narutowicza 51, 41-200 Sosnowiec. Location on Google Maps.
- The Poziom 450 climbing school offers weekly climbing group classes with an instructor for children and adults. It is also possible to book individual classes with an instructor. You can also use the climbing walls and boulders by yourself.
- Attractions for children: summer and winter camps, birthday parties for kids, workshops for schools.
- Website in Polish, Facebook, Instagram.
Photo source: Poziom 450
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