Neutomischl: Basketry Culture, City History and Trails

Neutomischl is a destination for travellers looking to combine basketry culture, city history and outdoor activities. In Nowy Tomyśl, a specialist museum, a historic city trail and a zoo each tell a different story about the area. There are also walking and cycling routes that are ideal for exploring at your own pace.

Willow Weaving as a Unique Cultural Experience

The Muzeum Wikliniarstwa i Chmielarstwa in Nowy Tomyśl is the only museum of its kind in Poland. Its name points to willow weaving and hop growing. Anyone interested in craftsmanship and regional culture will find an unusual focus for their stay here. The Wiklinowa Muszla Koncertowa on Norwida Street adds to the cultural scene: the venue is made of woven willow and is intended for cultural events.

An annual competition is also part of the museum’s cultural calendar: the Ogólnopolski Konkurs Plecionkarski takes place in the second half of August as part of the Jarmarku Chmielo-Wikliniarskiego. If you would like to plan your trip around this event, keep this period in mind when making your plans. The Gminny Ośrodek Informacji also operates the mobile ethnographic museum Muzeum na Gościńcu. It publishes promotional material for the Nowy Tomyśl municipality and Nowy Tomyśl County.

Zoo and City History

The Nowy Tomyśl Zoological Garden has been open since 1974 and now covers more than 5 hectares. At the entrance, there is a children’s playground and a mini-zoo with small farm animals for younger visitors. This makes it possible to choose a visit that includes animals and a play area; the information about the playground refers to the zoo entrance.

For a look at the city’s history, consider the Nowotomyski Szlak Turystyczno-Historyczny. It runs through the city and includes stops that tell the story of the area, such as the town hall, churches and a former mill. Grubsko offers another historical perspective: its wooden buildings and natural surroundings reflect conditions as they were more than 300 years ago. The two experiences have different emphases—the city trail focuses on selected stops, while Grubsko highlights the interplay between wooden buildings and their surroundings.

Walking and Cycling

The yellow walking trail starts in Nowy Tomyśl and continues through Paproć, Chojniki and Szarki. If you are planning a walk, you can use this sequence of places to help choose your route. For cyclists, the Szlak Wikliny is a different proposition: this cycling loop is about 113 kilometres long and passes through the municipalities of Miedzichowo and Nowy Tomyśl. Its approximate length makes it a tour for which you should plan a full day or make your own travel arrangements; this does not imply a shorter route or a specific cycling time.

As cyclists enter Nowy Tomyśl, the Szlak Wikliny directs them to the Muzeum Wikliniarstwa i Chmielarstwa and the Zoological Garden. The Nowy Tomyśl municipality has the nearby A2 motorway and a developed railway infrastructure. This connectivity may be a factor when choosing a destination.

When looking for a holiday apartment, you might consider whether to focus on culture and city history or on walking and cycling tours. The attractions mentioned differ in character and reach: the museum, zoo and city trail are in Nowy Tomyśl, while the Szlak Wikliny passes through two municipalities and the yellow walking trail includes other places. This makes it possible to choose accommodation based on the experiences that matter to you on your trip.

Other places in this section: Nowy Tomyśl, Zbąszyń, Łęczyce, Opalenica, Pawłówek, Wąsowo, Silna Nowa, Dakowy Mokre, Wojnowice and Glinno.

For the broader travel overview: Greater Poland.