Attractions in the area

Mazury is inseparably associated with nature, lakes and active recreation. However, this is not everything that this picturesque region has to offer. In Mazury there are many different attractions, monuments and interesting places which you can visit in the area of our cruises.

Beautiful views, contact with nature and rich history of the Elbląg Canal. A cruise by boat on the grass is an interesting way of exploring this special place on the map of Poland. During the cruise, the passengers are accompanied by the boat captain's commentary, familiarising you with the history and principles of operation of the hydraulic structures on the Elbląg Canal – a unique system for moving boats on the “dry” ridge of the slipway. The cruise by boat on the grass is also an original way of exploring many Masurian attractions and an unforgettable adventure with a view of the picturesque nature, peace, quiet and the soothing sound of the forest.

The Elbląg Canal and a system of slipways is the main attraction in Mazury available on our route, because it is on this Canal that we travel during the entire trip. It is the longest navigable canal in Poland, connecting the system of lakes near Ostróda and Iława with Drużno lake, which is located on the outskirts of Elbląg. Its total length is 151.7 km.

In 2007, the Elbląg Canal was recognised to be one of the seven wonders of Poland in the poll organised by “Rzeczpospolita”. The cruise can start in Elbląg or at the Buczyniec slipway. It can be divided into two stages. The first one is passing through all the slipways, and the second one is a cruise along 10 km of the Elbląg Canal, Drużno Lake and Elbląg river.

Covering the section between Elbląg and the Buczyniec slipway takes approximately 4h 40 min. During the cruise, the boat comes to the land surface five times – you can admire the Masurian landscapes and boats passed on the grass then.

History lovers who visit the attractions of Warmia and Mazury will surely like the Museum of the Battle of Grunwald, located in Stębark, established on the 550th anniversary of the biggest and most famous clashes in medieval Europe.

Apart from the permanent exhibition which presents the history of the Great War with the Teutonic Knights and copies of documents, maps and banners, in the local cinema auditorium you can watch a fragment of the film Krzyżacy (Knights of the Teutonic Order) and other materials which depict the course of the battle.

Elbląg, located in the Warmia and Mazury voivodship, is one of the oldest Polish cities, and you can learn about its interesting history by visiting the local Museum of Archaeology and History. The extensive collections of household items from the nearby archaeological excavations allow to become better acquainted with the everyday life of the inhabitants and with the development of the town over the centuries. Among the interesting exhibits, pilgrims' signs, wax tablets and a collection of mediaeval musical instruments draw particular attention.

An extremely attractive and atmospheric open-air ethnographic museum in Olsztynek consists of as many as 79 objects from the lands of Warmia, Mazury, Powiśle and Little Lithuania.

Thanks to the houses, homesteads, church and industrial buildings wonderfully equipped with original appliances, tourists can see what rural life looked like in the 19th and 20th centuries.

Anybody who travels with kids knows how important it is to provide them with the right attractions which will add variety to the sightseeing. A perfect place where all the children will have a great time is the Family Amusement Park Nowa Holandia, situated near Elbląg in Nowe Pole. An unquestionable asset of this facility is the fact that apart from typically entertaining attractions such as a rope park, trampolines or a giant slide, there are also many educational facilities.

Those who like to visit historic buildings will certainly be happy to go to Ostróda to see the Teutonic castle located there, whose first no longer existing structure was built around 1300.

After a turbulent history and repeated changes of owners, it is now the most famous monument in town. The castle also houses a museum, library, cultural centre and gallery.

When staying in Mazury, it is worth taking the opportunity to visit the nearby largest mediaeval European castle preserved to this day, situated in Malbork. The majestic building listed by UNESCO enraptures with its grand scale, and the Castle Museum located here, apart from attractive visitor's paths and valuable exhibits, is also the organiser of many interesting cultural and artistic events.

The town of Frombork attracts with its magnificent monuments and the figure of Nicolaus Copernicus, who developed his famous heliocentric theory here and who is associated with the place. Located on the Cathedral Hill, the Basilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St Andrew is a gothic building known not only for its historic character, but also because of the International Organ Music Festival, which has been organised here since 1967.

The pyramid in Rapa is a mausoleum built in 1811, modelled after the pyramids of ancient Egypt. Another attraction in Mazury is also the legendary Święta Lipka.

The name referred to the tree on which a wooden sculpture of Mary mysteriously appeared – miracles supposedly took place under this tree.

One of more interesting and well-known attractions in Mazury is the Boyen Fortress, situated within the boundaries of Giżycko. Originally, the building was supposed to serve as a reinforcement of the East Prussian line of defence in the area of the Great Masurian Lakes. After the end of World War II, it was used for agricultural purposes, and at present it has been revitalised and turned into a tourist attraction. Three trails of different levels of difficulty have been prepared for tourists. You can explore the area with the help of a guide or on your own, discovering every possible nook and cranny of the fortress.

In 1941, the army of Nazi Germany settled near Kętrzyn. On the vast area, a complex called the Wolf's Lair was built, which served as Adolf Hitler's headquarters almost until the very end of World War II. The Nazi city made of concrete consisted of a hundred brick buildings and even two hundred wooden ones. At present, the Wolf's

Lair is a devastated monument available to tourists, who can visit it on their own or during a guided tour.

Ostróda, one of the biggest towns in the Warmia and Mazury voivodship, is situated in the western part of Mazury, in the Iława Lake District. Drwęckie lake, whose western part lies almost in the town centre, adds to its particular charm. There are as many as five lakes in the town itself, and there are three times as many in the immediate vicinity.

In the summer season, the town is vibrant with cultural entertainment life, numerous events and happenings take place here, e.g. extremely popular concerts on the pier over Drwęckie Lake and in the amphitheatre, among other things.

The origins of the town date back to 1237. At that time, the Teutonic Knights erected a fortified castle on the banks of the Elbląg river. A trading settlement grew around it. In 1246, it was granted Lübeck municipal rights. At that time, Elbląg was the seat of the national masters of the Teutonic Order.

Elbląg is a dynamically developing town with poviat rights, an industrial, academic and cultural centre, an attractive starting point for tourists. It is also a seaport.

Iława lies in the Iława Lake District, in the area of the Green Lungs of Poland, at the southern end of the longest lake in Poland - Jeziorak. Within the administrative boundaries of the town lies WielkaŻuława – the biggest inland island in Poland, with an area of 82.4 ha.
It is in Iława where Mazury open to tourists, showing its beauty. People coming from the west, north or south of Poland here for the first time come into contact with the charms of the land of a thousand lakes.

True tourists say that it is worth getting here at any time of the year.

The history of Kętrzyn, or otherwise Rastembork, dates back to the 14th century. However, during World War II, most of the mediaeval buildings were destroyed, and only single monuments in the oldest part of the town and buildings situated outside the former town walls testify to the rich history of Kętrzyn.

The Teutonic castle, in which a Museum operates, is certainly worth attention.