A KASHUBIAN OPEN-AIR MUSEUM AND THE HEADQUARTERS OF THE TEUTONIC KNIGHTS

The region surrounding the Tricity is among the most attractive tourist regions in Poland. To the north, on the other side of the Bay of Gdańsk, is Hel Peninsula. The peninsula features fishing villages and beautiful beaches, including Chałupy, Jastarnia and Jurata. Between the Tricity and Hel Peninsula is the picturesque town of Puck, a fishing port located on the sea. Thanks to excellent sailing conditions on the Bay of Puck, world-class sailing and windsurfing events are held here. In the nearby town of Rzucewo, on the edge of the Bay of Puck, is a hotel located in a beautiful neo-Gothic palace, surrounded by a lovely park.

Regions near the Tricity include Kashubia and Żuławy. Kashubia is a forested region of lakes and rivers with exceptional natural features and folk culture. Bytów, with its Teutonic Knights' castle, and Kościerzyna and Kartuzy are characteristic towns of the Kashubian Lakes District, which stretches southwest from Gdynia. Tourists will find numerous hotels and agrotourism farms offering cheap accommodations here. The open-air museum near Wdzydze Kiszewskie presents original countryside architecture with period fittings. A traditional fair is held here every year in July. Rural cuisine, games and music as well as local arts and crafts attract lots of guests. Żuławy, stretching southeast from Gdańsk, is an area in the Vistula delta, below sea level, which Dutch settlers originally developed. Arcade houses, windmills and little village churches as well as historical land reclamation facilities are characteristic of Żuławy.

Nearby stands Malbork, home to the famous Teutonic castle complex. The 14th-century castle was the capital of the powerful state of the monastic Teutonic Knights for 150 years – today it is a rich museum. Light and sound performances and knights' tournaments are held here all summer long. Those who enjoy historic technology and engineering will be interested in a trip along the 19th-century Elbląg Canal and its lock system.