The biggest surprises in Poland! 10 surprising places that, although they are small known, delighted us!

1. Land of Extinct Volcanoes - a surprising region of ancient cones

The Land of Extinct Volcanoes is an unusual region in Lower Silesia, which attracts with its lofty cones, created millions of years ago. The most outstanding of the volcanoes here is Ostrzyca Proboszczowicka called "Śląska Fujijama". What is hidden in the middle of these ancient mountains can be seen "playing" on the Wielisław Organ, but not only ancient rocks, but also ancient monuments attract to the Land. I don't know if you realize it, but here you will find the oldest brick castle in Poland, the largest medieval residential tower in our country or a church with giraffes!

Things to see in the Land of Extinct Volcanoes:

Ostrzyca Proboszczowicka or "Silesian Fujijama", the most outstanding volcano in the region and in the whole of Poland, looks spectacular, although it is only 501 m above sea level
The organs of Wielisław in Sędziszowa, the discovery that is the essence of this land, ancient rock organs from solidified magma, 250 million years old, the height of the poles is even 80 m, and they resemble a somewhat giant fan, in the past you could find agates in the area
The castle in Wlenie, the oldest brick castle in Poland, was built around 1160 by Bolesław I the Tall, the facility is open every day throughout the year
Lenno Palace, a Baroque building renovated with a cafe, you can see the interiors, the sleeping but charming Belvedere and the panorama with Śnieżka
The Duke's Tower in Siedlęcin, because it was founded by Prince Henry I of Jawor. It dates back to the 14th century and is the largest and best-preserved medieval residential tower in Poland, hiding medieval frescoes about Sir Lancelot, supposedly the only frescoes preserved on the site in the world, on the first floor you will see the oldest ceilings in Poland, over 700 years old!
Romanesque church in Świerzawa, unique from the 13th century, with equally old paintings, including storks and even giraffes
Bridge in Pilchowice - he was supposed to play in Mission Impossible. Tom Cruise and his crew wanted to record a scene here when the train plunged into an abyss and the bridge was about to be blown up. There were protests and this did not happen. The bridge was included in the list of monuments, and the scene was reportedly recorded in the UK

2. Puck Bay - the quietest corner of the Polish Baltic coast?

From the south of Poland, let's move to the northern end of our country. The Puck Bay, called the Little Sea, is a shallow bay that is part of the Baltic Sea. With the calm sound of the sea, you will stroll along almost empty beaches. With jellyfish at his feet. But calmly, our Polish ones do not burn and are not dangerous. The bigger city is climatic Puck. This is where General Haller threw the ring into the water, marrying Poland to the sea, and you can eat a delicious fish.

What is worth visiting in the Bay of Puck?

Slavic Settlement Sławutowo, a settlement with huts that remind of pre-Christian times, about 1000 years ago. The settlement is alive, and its "inhabitants" tell extremely interesting stories, including about herbalism, about militaria or what was eaten at that time. You will learn about the Slavic beginnings when Perun ruled over thunderbolts, the most important deity was the sun god, the benevolent Dadźbóg, and Marzanna melted not only for fun. And that a woman is a woman who doesn't know, and a witch is one who knows
The settlement of Seal Hunters in Rzucewo, in the cultural park, elements of an ancient settlement that existed on the Rzucewo Cypress about 5,000 years ago were reconstructed!
The Beka Reserve lies north of Rewa and protects salty meadows, i.e. the so-called brackish meadows. It is an important habitat for waterfowl, but we also met Polish horses here. A didactic path runs here and an observation tower awaits
Rzucewo Castle, today it is a neo-Gothic palace from the 19th century, but in the past there was a manor house of Wejherów and King Jan III Sobieski, the place offers elegant rooms and a restaurant, prices are affordable, and we were captivated by breakfast on the terrace overlooking the sea
The Rewski promontory, little intimate but wonderful, is a narrow, sandy spit about 1 kilometer long. A great place to walk, especially in the morning, because there are a lot of people at sunset. For years, the so-called Herring March has been organized here, when daredevils pass and flow from Kuźnica on the Hel Peninsula to the Rewski Headland

3. Płock - rest on an unusual pier, at the foot of medieval goodness

How is it possible that Płock is so unpopular with tourists, if it is such a beautiful city? It is located near Warsaw and we must admit that this city surprised us very positively. Besides, I will certainly surprise you, because it is the former capital of Poland. Today, hardly anyone remembers it, and the city has done a lot to please tourists. The most valuable monuments can be found on the Tumski Hill along with the century-old cathedral basilica and the remains of the castle, from which the state ruled in the 11th and 12th centuries.

What is worth visiting in Płock?

Tumskie Hill and a medieval basilica. It was founded as a Romanesque in the 12th century. It proudly rises on a slope, 60 meters above the queen of Polish rivers. It is the most valuable monument of the city and one of the five oldest cathedrals in Poland. It is visited without pay, and the famous Płock Doors are a curiosity here. In the original, they are older than those of Gniezno, but now a 20th-century copy can be seen here, because the wings cast in the 12th century are located in Novgorod Wielki in Russia. It is not known when they got there or whether it was a theft or a gift. Such a tip, you enter the basilica through the side door and then you cannot see the decorations on the door from the inside, you have to open them yourself
The castle, i.e. the current Diocesan Museum, was built next to the cathedral by the Mazovian dukes in the fourteenth century, but it did not survive the test of time. Only 2 towers remained, and in the 16th century the building was rebuilt into a Benedictine abbey. Today, the Diocesan Museum is located within its walls. Among the exhibits is the Płock Bible from the 12th century, written on parchment and illustrated in the Romanesque style, or the herma of St. Sigismund, a reliquary donated to the cathedral by King Casimir the Great, with an impressive, original Piast tiara, with sapphires, rubies and pearls
Promenade and unusual pier - a very attractive footbridge by the river. Unique because it does not go perpendicularly above the water, but runs parallel along the shore. At the end of the Płock pier there is a cafe, a perfect place for tourists to chill, also in the evening
The lace church, as we called it, because it looks extremely intricate, it is the Old Catholic Church of the Mariavites and it is worth taking a look at it for a moment, it also looks nice from above
The Mazovian Museum - one of the oldest in Poland, hides several branches, and we especially recommend the Art Deco exhibition depicting the colourful 1920s. The red Jowett in the center of the 20th century. This is the time when a woman began to exercise her rights!

4. The Vistula Trail in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship

We represented the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship this year during the Vloger Championships, so we got to know them quite well and here we also discovered places and stories that amazed us, because in addition to the already very popular Toruń, this region hides many more wonderful corners!

What is worth visiting in Kujawsko-Pomorskie?

Olender Ethnographic Park in Wielka Nieszawka, tells about masters of fighting the element! It is the first reconstructed village in Poland. The Olenders were originally Mennonites from the Netherlands, who in the 16th century, persecuted for their faith, found shelter and peace in Poland. They created closed, well-organized communities. They tamed the river and the surrounding areas very well. Floods in these areas occurred up to a dozen times a year. They built flood embankments and dug drainage ditches. They planted willows, each one could pull up to 60 liters of water out of the ground a day! The huts were properly set up, there was an livestock part on the hill and at the back
Nasuta cruise, an unusual unit. Nasuta is a medieval ship that came to life after six hundred years. And this is due to the polychrome from the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. According to historians, this is the most perfect medieval depiction of a river ship in Europe. The painting became an inspiration for the reconstruction of a rowboat and sailboat, which today everyone can take on a cruise. It's a great idea to explore the city from a different perspective and a beautiful adventure, we confirm and recommend it!
Ostromecko Palaces - a green silent asylum located 5 km from Bydgoszcz. There are 2 well-maintained palaces waiting here. The newer one from the 19th century resembles romantic residences that live, because a restaurant and cafe were created in beautifully arranged rooms and rooms. It may not be the end of the world, but it is definitely a place of rest. In the old palace from the 18th century, you will see the extremely valuable pianos for which this place is famous. Interesting things here are a tree or a painting on a tree, as well as a huhuczny attic, where about 8,000 figurines and other objects with images of the symbol of wisdom look at you
Inowrocław - a city "on salt" and one of the oldest Polish health resorts. In the Brine Park, the Graduation Tower delights, looks like a fortress from above, it is one of the largest in Europe, 320 meters long and 9 meters high. And in the city itself, there are interesting temples, a Romanesque gem from the 12th century, with unusual sculptures of idols and devils, next to a powerful neo-romanesque church with a nice decor, and near the market square the Gothic parish of St. Nicholas
Grudziądz, the biggest surprise in this region, a wonderful city with a unique postcard from behind the Vistula to the historic granary. It is worth walking through the Water Gate and strolling along Spichrzowa Street to the Klimek Tower, the remnant of the former castle with a wonderful viewpoint. On the way, you can enter the Trade Museum, and even taste sweet delicacies in the wonderful Fado Cafe. It creates an amazing backyard that you don't want to leave!

5. Drawa National Park - rest in the bosom of nature

Drawieński National Park, located on the border of 3 voivodeships: Zachodniopomorskie, Wielkopolskie and Lubuskie, is the third largest national park in Poland and the second least popular. And that means only one thing: that he is truly wild. During our visit in March, we had this bird paradise to ourselves. We did not meet other tourists and shared it only with nature, experiencing unusual encounters with animals such as moose, cranes or white-tailed eagles! Nowhere have we seen so many cranes as here. And this meeting in the forest, from behind the trees, we were watched by 3 large elk. Something amazing. Admission to the park is free, only during the Drawa rafting you have to buy a ticket, you can do it online. Drava kayaking trips are possible from 1 July to 15 March due to bird broods. The car parks are mainly free of charge.

What is worth visiting in the Drawa National Park?

Trail Ostrowiec Lake: 5 km to the village of Ostrowite + 2 km to Węgornia. Attractions along the way are: Lake Ostrowiec, Lake Czarne, the former settlement of Ostrowite with its half-timbered houses, the old cemetery (tombstones like trunks symbolizing the felled tree of life) and the ruins of the church and the former eel. Until the 1970s, eel traps were set here, which flowed to the Baltic Sea for spawning. Overnight, you could catch up to 900 kg of fish. It was on this route that we met 3 moose staring at us. Of course, we stared at them too. A meeting of life!
Trail Drawnik: about 4 km, total wilderness, wonderful mossy trees like green teddy bears and in autumn the Apple Festival takes place here, old apples can be seen by the trail
The IT point in Głusk with the Water World exhibition, and then the observation tower on the banks of the Drawa River at the Kamienna hydroelectric power plant, is one of the oldest hydroelectric power plants in Poland and Europe, and it works to this day
Palace in Mierzęcin - a neo-Gothic monument from the 19th century, ideal for relaxing after natural walks. Beautifully revitalized together with well-kept farm buildings and a beautiful park, they form an elegant complex with a vineyard and a horse farm. Tasty restaurants are waiting here, but as you can guess, they are not the cheapest. On the other hand, the spectacular Japanese garden with a gazebo, bridge and gate painted in red is free of charge.

6. Gorlice Beskids with important historical events and beautiful landscapes

Gorlice Beskids is a western part of the Polish part of the Low Beskids, south of Gorlice. You will not see it on the map, but it is engraved in the consciousness of the residents. It surprised us with significant historical events and, with its huge cultural diversity, wonderful wooden architecture and beautiful landscapes!

What is worth visiting in the Gorlice Beskids?

Gorlice - City of Light, because it was here that the world's first street oil lamp shone! In this Galician town, the black gold revolution began. Because although black goo has been known for centuries, it was not until the 19th century that Ignacy Łukasiewicz, through his experience in the Gorlice town hall, often flammable, discovered perfect kerosene and disseminated it. There is also a very interesting museum about the famous Battle of Gorlice, which decided the fate of World War I, when the city was destroyed in 90%, and 200,000 soldiers died. About 80 war cemeteries were built around the city, where they were buried. One of the largest and most beautiful is Cemetery 123 with a wonderful panorama
The tower in Łysula, offers even nicer and wider landscapes, overlooking the Tatras, is free, it is easy to walk here from the free parking lot, and there is an additional viewpoint and a huge bench available on site, it is worth remembering about this place
UNESCO temples:
Binarowa - one of the most valuable wooden churches in Europe, from around 1500, is wonderful and there is no exaggeration in it, says the guide, beauty covers beauty and seriousness here, it is all-purpose painted, with various motifs and symbols, it makes a crazy impression
Shepherds - a Greek Catholic church from the 17th century, although it currently serves mainly Catholics, there are also Greek-Catholic services for several Lemko families who still live in these areas, despite the actions of the Vistula after World War II. The Lemkos are an East Slavic ethnic group, with its own culture and language, which settled here for centuries, but their villages were displaced after the war, for example, the Regiets of Wyżna, which was inhabited by over 500 people and today there are no buildings here
Biecz - a medieval gem of this region. They say you can lose your head here. Because the city captivates with its beauty, but in the past, heads actually fell here, often when the executioner got to work! On May 19, 1614, as many as 120 executions were planned here! Therefore, it is said, mistakenly, that there was a school of executioners here, but it was Biecz who was a kind of school of this profession. This is what the interesting museum The School of the Executioners is talking about, and besides, it is worth visiting another museum in the House with the Tower and other medieval objects, which are not lacking in this city. For lovers of history and monuments, it is a real paradise!

7. Kielce - this city will surely surprise you!

Kielce surprised us very positively, because for years we did not visit this city, and it did a lot for residents and tourists at that time. It offers majestic monuments and plenty of green areas. And in addition, it hides amazing geological flavors. There are as many as 5 reserves that make up the Świętokrzyski Geopark with UNESCO status.

What is worth visiting in Kielce?

A beautiful bishop's palace - the best-preserved early Baroque residence in Poland, built in the 17th century by the bishop of Krakow, Jakub Zadzik. It delights from the outside and inside, even though it was not the main headquarters, and the entire decor was brought each time for the duration of his visit. When visiting the museum, pay attention to the wonderful ceilings, wooden and original frame ceilings with paintings. Interestingly, the bishop's coats of arms are here from thunder. On every ceiling and in every window, as if someone were to forget who is the builder of the palace
Tyrolka in Kadzielnia - in the heart of the city there is an impressive Geologists' Rock covered by the reserve above the excavation of the former quarry. Today it is a place of fun and recreation. Around the rock, you can go down the zipline. I really recommend it, the route is 600 meters long and consists of 3 sections. You'll float it up to 40 meters above the ground. There is also an amphitheater known for cabaret nights and a system of caves available for exploring
The Geoeducation Center in the Windmill Reserve is an amazing place, available free of charge and understandable even for children, even though the history of Devonian rocks dates back to 420 million years ago. We learned here how this region was created, why the climate was like in the Caribbean and why there are fossils everywhere, i.e. fragments of long-extinct animals. And that although sharks lived then, armored fish ruled here. In this land, they were 6 m long and devoured everything they encountered. Other valuable Kielce reserves are Ślichowice with a water heart and the famous wall of geologists, or Karczówka, a very picturesque and scenic hill full of good power
The Paradise Cave in Chęciny - a gem of the Geopark, together with the Bear in Kletno, is considered the most beautiful cave in Poland, but this one is of course much smaller. However, it does not lack charm. It is a reserve, which is why tourist traffic is limited, but it is open for most of the year. The route is 180 meters long, and walking along it you will see wonderful infiltrations. Not only those known as stalactites and stalagmites, but also a harp, cave pearls or helicts. A Neanderthal man once lived here, and the latest research wants to uncover the mystery of whether homo sapiens

8. Kayaking through the Silesian Voivodeship - a surprising sightseeing perspective

In our province, it is not easy to find intimate places, which is why we offer you an unusual form of sightseeing, which are kayaks. I don't know if you like rafting, we like it a lot. Close contact with nature, adventures and interesting meetings with people. There are many attractive kayaking routes, both for beginners and more experienced. We recommend 4 rivers on which we sailed and which we liked.

Which rivers are worth visiting in the Silesian Voivodeship?

Mała Panew - Silesian Amazon, it is called that because it meanders nicely and at times it is wild. There are a lot of trees, also on the river itself, a lot of dragonflies and a lot of birds. There was also a snark. We sailed on the Żyłka - Krupski Młyn section. It's 7.5 km, the closer to the end, the more thunder. But this is not a storm, but real explosions, because there is an explosives factory in Krupski Młyn. In this section, the ones will definitely work better, the rafting was organized by the Adventure Stream
Saw blade, wide, gentle, also ideal for families. The Pilica kayaking trail is one of the longest in the country. It meanders picturesquely and gently without major obstacles. You can start in Szczekociny by the palace, but we launched in Bonowice, on the shallow Krztyna and with it we entered Pilica. We did it with an experienced team from Jura Kajaki and it was a mega adventure, but do not do it yourself because it is quite a difficult river and you have to move kayaks
Warta on the Jura creates the Mirowski Gorge of the Warta River, we highly recommend a great section from Mirowo through Mstów to Kłobukowice. It's 14 km, we did it for 3.5 hours. On the route, there are Jurassic outcrops, meanders and oxbow lakes. There are also parking spaces. Great case, there are no transfers, and we ended up in Jura Kajaki Marina, where you can eat and relax on an intimate beach
Białka Lelowska - we sailed from the Lagoon in Lelów to Biała Wielka, about 6 km away. More often pontoons come down here, but we sailed in ones. With low water level and numerous obstacles, the only ones performed better. Few people know that Lelowska Protein is crystal clear. It is one of the few rivers in our voivodeship that has a first class of cleanliness. That's why it lives here for brook trout, rare sausage and even crayfish

9. Rudawy Janowickie - the youngest mountains in Poland?

Are Rudawy Janowickie the youngest mountains in Poland? Of course not, this is a perverse statement, because it is the Sudetenland, and it is definitely one of the oldest mountains in Poland. But this wording applies to the name of Rudawy Janowickich, because it has only existed for about 80 years. In 1947, they changed their name from the Lomnicky Mountains. This new one reflects the wealth of ores that have multiplied in these areas.

What is worth visiting in Rudawy Janowickie?

Sokoliki and Krzyżna Góra - 2 peaks in the Sokolie Mountains, a small range forming part of the Rudawy Janowickie. Numerous rocks delight here, which can be admired on the trail every now and then. We started our hike with a green trail in a paid car park at the Karpnicka Pass. On the way, you will pass the Swiss Hostel, interesting Hussite Rocks and the ruins of the Sokolec Castle on the black trail. We climb the rocky "stairs" with a railing to the top of Krzyżej Góra. It's not very easy, but the views from here are certainly impressive. Then we followed the red trail to Sokoliki (643 m above sea level). The peak consists of two rocks: Sokolik Duży and Sokolik Mały. Once, both peaks were connected by a metal bridge. The culminating rock of Sokolik Duży is climbed under a metal ladder, but it is currently closed due to planned renovation
Skalnik - the highest peak of the Ore Mountains belonging to the Crown of Polish Mountains. It is reported that it is 945 m above sea level and is considered the highest, but according to the latest measurements, it is the second, south-western peak of this peak, i.e. the Ostra Mała observation point, turns out to be the highest point of the entire Janowice Ore Mountains! This is a similar situation as in the Świętokrzyskie Mountains, where Agata turned out to be higher than Lysica. The scale is located a few hundred meters away, but there is still a stamp here and officially this peak belongs to the Crown
Colorful Lakes - we heard so much good about this place that our expectations were really high. The whole is very charming, but we were slightly disappointed, the lakes have dried up to some extent and are reportedly smaller than before. It reminds me more of our Silesian Bible and the colorful lakes of Pasieka than the much more spectacular Lubusz Babin in Łęknica. The origins of lakes are similar everywhere in these places, in ore-rich areas there were mines that left such an impressive mark. The richness of iron, copper or pyrite ores can be seen not only in the color of the lakes, but also on the rocks. Delightful! There are 4 lakes: Yellow, Purple, Blue and Green. They are shimmering with colors, although not necessarily as clearly as the name says
Bolków Castle and Bolko Park - the gothic stronghold remembers the medieval times and although today it is a ruin, it will really start. You can enter many nooks and crannies here, but the characteristic 25-meter-high bow tower is especially popular. Unique in Poland, because in fact its shape resembles a beak and it is the only such object in Poland! Such a design provided good protection of the castle against cannon fire. In addition to the tower, you will enter the House of Women, walk around the castle walls, listen to the story of the blacksmith, drink coffee and buy it to discover the oldest preserved window in Poland!
Park at Bolek - under the castle an interesting novelty, a great place to walk for families and more. The paid park brings stories to the distant history of the city and to Bolek II called Mały, although the park is decorated with his figure measuring as much as 14 meters!
Świny Castle - stunning, is considered the oldest private castle in Poland. Just a few kilometers from the castle in Bolków, it rises as powerful ruins. They look at each other. The wooden and ground defensive stronghold stood in this place already in the 10th century. The stone stronghold itself was built in the fourteenth century, thanks to the knightly family of the Pigs, who ruled this place for centuries. There was the so-called keep, a massive residential tower, surrounded by a perimeter wall. Today, the castle is available for sightseeing for a fee, and next to it it is worth walking along the path to the lookout point with interesting figures hidden in the forest

10. Masuria Garbate - viaducts and lakes

Masuria Garbate is perfect for a quiet holiday. There are the highest railway bridges in the country. In Gołdap, you breathe the cleanest air in Poland, walking by the great brine graduation towers or by a vast lake. And the beautiful landscape and views of the rolling hills of this part of Masuria can be found on Piękna Góra, where you can drink coffee in a cafe that rotates. Would you have thought there were such trivia here?

What is worth seeing in the Garbaty Masuria?

Bridges in Stańczyki - are the highest railway bridges in the country, reach 36 meters and proudly strain, imitating Roman aqueducts
Observation tower for lakes Dobellus Big and Small - one tower allows you to admire two lakes at once. Not only their name is unusual, the Dobellus Mały lake exploded during a storm in 1926.
Pyramid in Rap - a unique curiosity, eventually people were buried here, but before that it was probably created as a refrigerator!
Graduation towers and a lake in Gołdap - beautiful and well-maintained graduation towers invite you for walks, also on the observation deck, and next to it there is the Water Pump Room, on the lake you can go on a cruise, we sailed here by catamaran
Piękna Góra with a revolving cafe and a beautiful landscape of undulating hills

And what attractions and places surprised you the most in Poland? Share your experiences with us in the comments!

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