In the Gardens of Nature

Poland’s gardens of Nature include the amber beaches of the Baltic Sea, lakes and rivers, mountains and forests. Here, you can find rest, relaxation, adventure and diverse tourist attractions.

Along the Amber Coast

Międzyzdroje, Kołobrzeg and Sopot are health resorts of international standing. They are widely known for their attractive beaches and entertainment. You can’t fail to have an interesting time there:

Morning: the fresh fragrance of the nearby pine forests. Peace and quiet broken only by the murmur of the sea and the rustle of seagulls’ wings. It feels so good to start the day with a swim in the sea.

Noon: beach time. Later, many afternoon attractions, such as a game of golf or a ride on horse back or still another sports activity. There are endless ways to relax here.

Evening: Entertainment by the best performers and DJs. Many events last till the wee hours of the morning.

Amber originates from the resin of pine trees which has become solid over thousands of years. Polished and set in silver, amber adds sparkle to even most glamorous beauty. Considered to be a source of good energy, it is often worn for health reasons.

The Mystifying Amber

Many amber–diggers try their luck on the seashore of the Gulf of Gdańsk. This Baltic gold was known and valued by ancient Romans. It still is a most desirable object appreciated for its beauty and mysterious qualities.

Masuria – the Land of a Thousand Lakes

There are too many attractions in Masuria for anyone to be able to enjoy all of them during one holiday: thousands of lakes and water routes, yacht marinas, taverns for sailors, friendly fishing villages and equestrian clubs.

Crystal-pure waters promise a pleasant swimming experience, and the wealth of fish species tempt anglers. Most lakes in this region are small and medium size, hidden deep in the forest, with high banks or waterfronts overgrown with rushes and teeming with various aquatic bird species. Some of them, like Lakes Śniardwy and Mamry, are very large. Others, like Lake Wigry, have fantastic shapes. Still others, like the small Lake Jaczno, enchant visitors with unique colour of their waters (malachite green).

Not far from the Masurian lakes is the Suwałki Region Lakeland with its smaller but equally charming lakes and picturesque water–courses. This region is ideal for those who seek peace and quiet. Here you can still find uninhabited islands, perhaps try your hand at the life experienced by Robinson Crusoe!

Man is Only a Guest Here

The Białowieża Forest – transcends the boundaries of Poland … and time.

Trees, plants and animals live here as they lived for thousands of years: amongst unspoilt, thick backwoods, unchartered marshes and pristine forest meadows.

Man is only a guest here, but the forest readily reveals its secrets, especially to those who enter on foot. You may have a chance to hear the “tooting” of the black grouse or see their magnificent plumage, watch their masterly choreographed pairing dance, a spectacle to be long remembered.

The Białowieża Forest is also a natural habitat of the bison. This “king of the forest” has the size and weight to match the name: over 1 thousand kilograms. A lot of weight to put on by eating grass only...

For those who prefer riding there are other options: biking, horse-drawn buggies or a narrowgauge railway, a particularly attraction for children.

Polish forests are accessibly to everyone. Many well–marked tourist trails lead to the most attractive sites, and numerous camping grounds can accommodate hikers who wish to put up their tent, set a bonfire and roast a piece of Polish sausage.

The Secrets of the Mountains and Time

The Karkonosze Range is a part of the Sudety Mountains and the enchanted land of Lower Silesia. From the top of Mt Śnieżka (1,602 m), overlooking the Polish side of the Sudety Mountains, enfolds a splendid view of the natural and man-made wonders of this land.

The network of signposted tourist trails (2,500 km) is well developed, still there are many secret places which will delight explorers and seekers of treasures, especially collectors of valuable minerals.

The Bear’s Cave has more than 3 km of labyrinthine corridors and chambers, marble mines as well as many places untrodden by humans.

The Karkonosze Range is 350 million years old. It is difficult to imagine long ago they came to be – it is certainly easier to wander about these mountains, trying to unravel the secrets of time…

Tatras & the Podhale Region

A panoramic view of the granite Tatras can be seen from the Podhale, Orawa and Spisz regions. You can think that the foothills are trying to climb up to the Tatras high peaks. The Podhale region is dotted with small villages. Many have wooden churches and all of them have houses built in the unique highlander’s style, typical of the local taste drawing inspiration from nature.

Everyone’s fascination is Zakopane, a town sitting on the borderline between the high mountain meadows and the rocky Tatra summits. Zakopane attracts mountain trekkers, skiers, artists and people who love good time. It’s only a stone’s throw from Zakopane to the High Tatras. And from the Tatras – as old highlanders say – nothing can be too far away!

The tradition of sheep grazing is still alive in the Kościeliska and Chochołowska Valleys. The white flocks are guarded by shepherd dogs. A junior shepherd is called juhas, a senior one – baca. Góralki (highlanders’ women) tend cows and górale (highlanders) tend sheep. Why is that? No one knows.

Remote and Friendly

The Bieszczady are among the least populated mountainous areas in Europe. People live here in but a few villages and small towns. Settlements are separated from each other by vast areas of wilderness: gently undulating mountains and high mountain meadows know as połoniny. Lake Solina brings a change in scenery – a large sailing centre, with tourist trails leading hikers through beech forests and hilltops, past lonely Eastern Orthodox wooden churches and small country cemeteries shaded by linden trees.

Today, the mountains welcome nature lovers and tourists who often ride along the Bieszczady on horseback.

Take the Biebrza home

A magic landscape is presented by the Biebrza flood waters and its multicolour marshy meadows. This land can be visited by raft, kayak or on foot. To the eyes of bird-watchers and all nature lovers, the colours of the setting sun reflected in the streams change the Biebrza marshes into an extraordinary luminous theatre. Visitors should not forget to have their cameras ready: these unforgettable sights are worth taking home!

Photo–Safaris

Enthusiasts of photography set out on a “photo safari” to the forest very early in the morning. There, properly camouflaged, they wait long hours stalking wild game. Every trick in the book is used to get a good shot!

Lake Sławskie near Zielona Góra has such crystalclear water that the whole underwater world can be seen, even if the bottom of the lake is 12 metres deep. Cormorants build nests on one of the islands. One roll of camera film will certainly not be sufficient to capture the magnificence of these beautiful and rare birds in action.