Travelling into the past

Poznań, the city of rare beauty and many historical monuments, is a convenient starting point for cycling tours in the Wielkopolska Region. Nearly every town of this region has some sort of monument of art and history to admire. After a minimum stay of one day in Poznań, the next destination is the town of Szamotuły (56km) with its medieval castle with Gothic tower. Cyclists ride through the rolling landscape along asphalt roads with little car traffic. A definite recommendation is to try the Nekla" – Ostrów Lednicki (Lubowo) trail (40km) via Czerniejewo. Ostrów Lednicki (Lubowo) is proud of its archaeological reserve which contains the seat of Poland’s first rulers. The next destination can be the town of Gniezno (41km) which is situated on three lakes – this is the cradle of the Polish state. The most impressive of the historical monuments is the magnificent cathedral with its famous bronze door dating back to the 12th century. This route can be extended to Źnin and bring you via Gąsawa to Biskupin (Gąsawa) – with a reconstructed Iron Age Village built around 700 B.C., the earliest known settlement in Poland, and Wenecja (Znin) – with its castle ruins and the Museum of Narrow–Gauge Railways. Every September a great show is organised in the Biskupin (Gąsawa) archaeological park, giving a picture of the lifestyle, culture and religion of that ancient society. The trail leading via Mogilno, Strzelno and Trzemeszno also has a number of attractions for history buffs.