Olsztyn: Lakes, Trails and Warmia Culture

Lakes, rivers and trails give Olsztyn a distinctive character that you can explore on the water, on foot and by bike. There are also places with a rich cultural history and an open-air museum with more than 14,000 exhibits. So, when planning your trip, it is worth first choosing the experiences that interest you most: a kayaking route, a longer hiking trail, nature or culture. This may influence which part of Olsztyn County you consider as a base for your holiday apartment.

Lakes and nature reserves

Olsztyn County has 155 lakes, each covering more than one hectare. Lake Łyńskie in the municipality of Stawiguda is particularly large: it covers 1,042.3 hectares and reaches a maximum depth of 54 metres. The Łyna River runs for 175 kilometres through the county. If you want to make water the focus of your trip, these specific names and areas give you a starting point for planning.

Nature reserves also shape the region. Las Warmiński im. prof. Benona Polakowskiego is located in the municipalities of Purda and Stawiguda; Kamienna Góra is in the municipality of Jonkowo. In Olsztyn County, the “Ostoja bobrów na rzece Pasłęce” nature reserve is listed in, among other places, Gietrzwałd and Olsztynek. These different locations can help you take nature destinations into account when choosing a suitable base.

Kayaking, hiking and cycling trails

The county offers 23 tourist trails. Kayaking trips can be arranged on the Łyna River. One specifically described route on Lake Wadąg and the Wadąg River is 14 kilometres long: it runs from Słupy via Lake Wadąg and the Wadąg River to the Łyna power station. When planning, you can distinguish between a trip on the water and other ways of exploring, and take the stated route length into account.

The “Do źródeł Łyny” hiking trail is 49.9 kilometres long. It runs from Olsztyn via Wysoka Brama, Obrońców Tobruku, Jaroty, Bartążek, Kielary, the Łyna River, Ruś, the Półwysep Lalka peninsula, Kurki PKS and Brzeźno Łyńskie, then via Łyna to Dobrzyń. The many named stops make the route easy to follow; its total length is an important consideration if you are planning to include this trail in your trip.

The 40.7-kilometre “Gościniec Niborski” cycling trail runs from Olsztyn (Stary Dwór) via Bartąg and Lake Łańskie to Kurki and Napiwoda. The hiking and cycling trails differ both in length and in the places and landscapes they pass through. When choosing a holiday apartment, you can therefore first consider which trails interest you and where they go, rather than planning your trip around the region as a single base.

Culture and regional history

In Olsztynek, the Muzeum Budownictwa Ludowego – Park Etnograficzny has more than 14,000 exhibits, particularly on the architecture of Warmia and Masuria. Its focus offers an insight into the region’s building traditions. In Barczewo, the former synagogue was built in 1896 on the site of a wooden prayer house; today it houses the Powiatowe Atelier Kultury SYNAGOGA. These two places offer different cultural points of interest for a trip that takes in regional architecture and history as well as the landscape.

Olsztyn County is also the lead partner in the “Szlak Świętej Warmii” tourist pilgrimage route project. This connection to pilgrimage route planning adds a cultural dimension to the many trails, without making it equivalent to the hiking or cycling routes described above.

Places to explore further

Places you may want to explore when looking for a suitable area include Majdy, Jaroty, Purda, Stawiguda, Olsztyn, Barczewo, Biskupiec and Dywity. You can also find pages for Olsztynek, Zgnilocha, Waplewo, Ruś, Mierki, Łomy, Adamowo and Kręsk. Other options include Dobre Miasto, Gmina Gietrzwałd, Biedowo, Łajsy, Wilimy, Jeziorany, Kajny and Cerkiewnik. Also explore Butryny, Gutkowo, Ramsowo, Maróz, Nowa Kaletka, Lipowo Kurkowskie, Biesówko and Unieszewo. Additional pages are available for Skolity, Guzowy Piec, Plutki, Przykop, Rybaki, Purda, Rasząg and Wojtkowizna.

For the broader travel overview: Warmia-Masuria.