Tourist attractions

The area of Poland covers 312,700 square kilometres and is inhabited by 38 million people. Polish is the official language of the country.

 

National emblem and colours

Poland`s national emblem is a white eagle with a gold crown on a red background. The national flag consists of two equal horizontal bands of white and red.

 

Capital, cities and administrative division.

The capital of Poland is Warsaw, with a population of 1,700,000 inhabitants. Poland`s biggest cities are: Cracov, Katowice, Wrocław, Poznań, Łódź and Gdańsk. The country is divided into 16 provinces.

 

Terrain

Poland`s geological landscape is quite varied. The north and central regions are lowland areas, whereas the south is dominated by highlands and mountains. Long sandy beaches stretch along the Baltic coast. The areas of Pomerania, Western Pomerania, as well as Varmia and Masuria are marked with picturesque hills, knolls and forests abundant in lakes, rivers and canals.

Old forests, rich vegetation and varied wildlife are definitely the landmarks of the whole area of the country. With a view to preserving the natural beauty of the Polish landscape, several national parks have been founded throughout the country.

 

Varmia and Masuria

The province of Varmia and Masuria is the fourth largest province in the country and lies in the north-east part of Poland. It has an area of 24,000 square kilometres and a population of 1,428,000 people.
The capital and the largest town of the province is Olsztyn.

Other big towns include Elbląg, Ełk, Ostróda, Iława, Giżycko and Kętrzyn. The crest of the province is a red shield consisting of three segments which refer to the history of Varmia and Masuria. The segments contain respectively: the White Eagle from the times of the Battle of Tannenberg with the Teutonic Knights (1410), the silver Lamb of God, and the Black Eagle, the crest of the Duchy of Prussia.

 

The touch of Masuria

Varmia and Masuria are a region full of unique charm and magic, but above all, overwhelmingly beautiful nature. It is marked with plains, high hills, fields full of boulders, sparkling lakes, numerous river, streams and canals, which form a gigantic water network. The region is also abundant in postglacier knolls, mysterious coppices and immense forests, where people live several kilometres apart from each other. The unique flora and fauna are not the only qualities which attract tourists.

This land`s long and stormy history is testified by the number and character of cultural monuments - from burial mounds dating back to 2,500 years ago, old Prussian settlements, mysterious sacrifice altars, and so-called stone idols from pagan times; followed by numerous historic monuments from the Middle Ages, the Renaissance and the Baroque; up to the technical achievements of the 19 th century.

What deserves special interest is definitely the Elbląg Canal, the only navigable canal in the world with such advanced technical solutions.

In the Romincka Forests so-called “emperor`s stones” attract attention, whereas the greatest attraction of the Borecka Forests are herds of wild European bisons. What is also worth seeing is a complex of bridges in Stańczyki, a pyramid in Rapa, numerous religious sites and sanctuaries, fortifications from the First and the Second World War in Giżycko, Gierłoż, Mamerki, as well as scenic parks and nature reserves.

The unique sites and rich history of this region promises a visit full of surprises. It`s worth visiting local towns and villages, as well as participating in cultural events in order to experience and understand the magic of Varmia and Masuria.

Good infrastructure permits a wide choice of accommodation. It is possible to rent a summer house or a room in a farm house, as well as go camping, stay at a guest house or a luxurious hotel.

There is more, however. Discover Masuria in winter and go in for blood-curdling attractions. The frozen lakes provide the opportunity to go skating, ice-boating, ice windsurfing, race sledging, swim in the Krutynia river, and even go scuba diving under the ice. In woods covered with snow it is possible to follow animal tracks, and even come face to face with a wolf or a bobcat.