Choszczeński: Discover cycling routes, culture and lakes

Choszczno combines cultural and historical discoveries with various ways to explore the surrounding area on foot or by bike. A promenade runs along the shore of Lake Klukom; several cycling routes differ considerably in length and course. You can plan your trip according to whether you want to focus mainly on the town, a cycling route, or nature and walking destinations.

Church art and traces of the town’s history

The Roman Catholic Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Choszczno was built by the Knights Hospitaller in the 14th century. Inside are a ceramic relief of the Tree of Jesse depicting the genealogy of Christ and a 15th-century epitaph for the mayor Mikołaj Rebentisch. The church thus brings together evidence from different forms and periods: the relief depicts Christ’s ancestry, while the epitaph commemorates a specific person from the town’s history.

Historic buildings also shape the appearance of Choszczno beyond the church. The defensive walls date from the 14th and 15th centuries. At the corner of Piastowska and Wolności Streets, a Gothic tower of the barbican outwork of the Stone Gate complex has been preserved. The water tower was built in 1903; the railway station building opened in 1848. If you are interested in the town’s development, you can also visit the Muzeum Ziemi Choszczeńskiej. It preserves several hundred movable artefacts spanning the period from the Stone Age to the present day. A visit to the museum must be confirmed in advance.

Cycling routes for different kinds of rides

A 20 km section of the Trasa Pojezierzy Zachodnich runs through the Choszczno municipality from its southern to its northern boundary. This section is part of a 420 km route that runs from the border with the Federal Republic of Germany to Biały Bór. The figures therefore distinguish the section through the municipality from the length of the entire route.

Another option is the signposted Green Route from Choszczno to Recz. It is 16.7 km long. “Rowerem po Ziemi Choszczeńskiej” is considered the most important tourist cycling route in the Choszczno municipality and covers 83 km. The three distance figures describe different routes and sections; they help you distinguish a shorter connection between two places from a longer ride through the municipality.

The lake, walking paths and excursions in the wider travel area

Lake Klukom is in the centre of Choszczno and is surrounded by a promenade. The recreational area by the lake includes fishing spots. For a different walk, Moniuszki Park retains the original layout of its paths. Miejska Góra is a walking area with running trails. The Modry Las golf complex also includes the 9-hole Orli Las course. These options give you different reasons to combine your stay with a lake, exercise, walking paths or golf.

In the wider travel area, Choszczno County has numerous lakes and rivers, many of which are managed fishing waters. Drawieński National Park is a protected part of the ancient Drawsko Forest. Signposted hiking trails in the Drawno municipality, in the national park and in its surroundings total 77 km. In addition to cycling routes, there are therefore also hiking trails to choose from in the wider area.

Relics of a medieval Cistercian monastery complex have been preserved in Bierzwnik. The recurring event “3 Dni na Cysterskim Szlaku” is also held there. During the event, members of the association for the protection of Cistercian heritage guided tourists around the monastery and to archaeological sites in Bierzwnik. When choosing your holiday apartment, you can consider whether Choszczno, with its historic buildings and Lake Klukom, or the cycling and hiking destinations in the wider travel area should be the focus of your trip.

For further orientation, you can also visit the location pages for Bonin, Kiełpino, Drawno, Łasko, Skrzaty, Dominikowo, Gostyczyn and Bierzwnik. Choszczno is a practical starting point for exploring the town’s history and lakeside destinations.

For the broader travel overview: West Pomerania.