With days getting longer and warmer we are more and more tempted to take some rest in the bosom of nature or go away and leave the city rather than learn, although there should always be time and energy for an interesting Polish course ;-)
If you ask your Polish friends or the foreigners living in Poland where to spend the weekend of part of your holidays, Warmia i Mazury (Warmia and Masuria) will definitely be among the proposed destinations.
Many cities and regions have been trying to win the title of the Summer Capital of Poland, and this competition will probably never end. However, Warmia and Masuria has always been a major tourism spot on the map of Poland.
This region is called the Land of a Thousand Lakes and takes its name after the enormous number of lakes (it boasts over 2000 of them!), which made it a perfect place to spend free time.
POLISH TOURIST PARADISE
Water sports enthusiasts definitely won’t get bored in Warmia and Masuria. They can sail across the largest lakes, go kayaking, diving, go on a short cruise by boat or take a slow paddle boat ride.
If you like cycling, this region offers a range of routes of varying levels of difficulty, from short trips to multi-day tours across the land of Warmia and Masuria.
Those who dream of doing nothing can enjoy the beaches at the warm and clean lakes.
And if someone is craving for international sports experience, they should go to Stare Jabłonki and see the beach valeyball tournament.
WARMIA AND MASURIA’S CASTLE TRAIL
Warmia and Masuria, however, is not only all water and sports, but it’s also turbulent history expressed in its architecture.
This is where the most impressive system of medieval castles in Europe is located. Their condition varies, some of them have been restored and turned into museums or hotels, and thanks to that they have been restored to their former glory, others have fallen into ruin.
They are all worh visiting, both the castles and the ruins. You can spend the night with the ghosts that haunt them (the castle in Morąg offers such an attraction, for instance), and learn about their history. It’s a good idea to learn the history of the town nearby, which may now be tiny and unimportant, but several centuries ago it was an important political, defensive and cultural centre. The castles of Olsztyn, Frombork and Lidzbark Warmiński definitely deserve a mention. Obviously, the Malbork Castle is the most famous of them, but it is located in a completely different geographical region .
At the end of the trip you should go to one of the local restaurants and try some local specialties, among which the most popular are freshwater fish.
So, should you have no idea how to spend your next weekend, go to Warmia and Masuria, it will also be a great opportunity for you to use the expressions you’ve learned in your Polish courses.
