Czarnków is a small but picturesque town located in at the edge of Noteć River Valley in the northern par of Wielkopolska. Situated between the river (perfect for kayaking or renting a boat!) and the magnificent Czarnków Switzerland makes the town a perfect spot to start any kind of trip.

Some sightseeing

The heart of the town is the market square, today with a system of modern water fountain features which are lit up in different colors after dark. The St Mary Magdalene church is a definite must-see. Its late-Gothic lineage is shown in its walls and the cross-ribbed and stellar vaulting, but the interior furnishings are Baroque. You should also notice the Renaissance tombstones of the Czarnkowski family, one of the most precious artifacts of this kind in Wielkopolska.

The hill towering the town is worth a visit. It is home to the former ski jumping hill, the northernmost object of this kind in Poland. Today, the ski jumping hill is used as a mountain biking track. Mostly important is a nice view point on the top. From there you can observe the whole Noteć Valley, the rooftops in the town and – on the horizon – the dense forest of Drawa Primeval Forest. One of the towns many calling cards is the brewery, located in a historic building from 1871, where the Noteckie beer is brewed. The place is closed for visitors, but the nearby outlet shop and pub look very appealing.

On the river Noteć

A true tourist hub is the Czarnków marina on the river Noteć, which is a part of the Great Waterway Loop of Wielkopolska. In the marina you can anchor your yacht, motorboat, barge or houseboat or land your kayak. The place offers full set of amenities, including restrooms and showers, tourist information, boat repair facilities and 24h service.

The marina operates only in the summer season, usually from May to September. Just a few meters away is a petrol station and a grocery shop. The town center lays about 10 mins. of walking. Of course you don’t need to owe a boat. There are plenty rental companies eager to provide you what you want. Also, the marina has its own flat-bottomed boat ideal for short sightseeing cruises.

Just next to the marina stretches the old steel bridge on the river Noteć. Initially it was built across Vistula, and – which is obvious – was much longer. Damaged during WWII it was divided into section, each of the moved to a new place. One of the spans got its second life in Czarnków.

Text: Jacek Cieśleiwcz
Images: Grzegorz Wójcik, Jacek Cieślewicz