You probably already know that Wielkopolska is a land of many lakes, and that lakeside adventure and chillout is what everybody should try. There are many lakes scattered all around the region, but there is one unique place – The Land of 100 Lakes. With high concentration of large and small water bodies, rivers, gentle hills and pristine forest makes it an exceptional place for tourist endeavors.

Located in the westernmost part of Wielkopolska, around the towns of Sieraków, Międzychód, Kwilcz and Chrzypsko. The place offers secluded beaches for some relax or bustling lakeside clubs for partying. Windsurfing or kayaking is the prime activity, but the awesome landscape and gentle road traffic make it great for biking. You can stay in a nice hotel with a view or just pull up your camper on one of the camping sites.

Feel the nature

Being one of the most picturesque and pristine places in Wielkopolska the Land of 100 Lakes is a #1 choice for all nature-lovers. River Warta sets an axis of the area. To the south lay most of the lakes, surrounded by hills with a patchwork of farmland, forests and meadows. To the north stretches the Noteć Forest – a dense conifer forest, over 120 km wide. It grows on old sandy dunes, formed 10 000 years ago during the last ice age.

Walking or biking gives you a good chance to see some wildlife here. It’s nothing unusual to meet a deer, a hare or even a wild boar. If you’re lucky, you could maybe spot a whit-tailed eagle hunting its game on the lakes. What you probably won’t see are wolf pack, living in the Noteć Forests. Naturally reserved towards humans, they can be sometimes heard howling in the night.

Go kayaking

Need to change the perspective? Everything looks so different, when you look from the water surface. Rent a kayak and go for a gentle trip on one of the lakes. We recommend you the following:

• Jaroszewskie Lake, with a good marina and many launching spots
• Chrzypskie Lake, popular among windsurfers, but great for a kayak too
• Śremskie Lake, with somewhat wild banks, ideal for birdwatching
• Jezioro Miejskie, for some casual kayaking with a nice view on the town of Międzychód

For those, who desire more action and longer trips we strongly recommend to go kayaking on the Warta river, which is a part of the Great Waterway Loop of Wielkopolska – Poland’s longest water trail. You may start in Sieraków and go all the way long to Międzychód or stop halfway in Chorzepowo, a small village with a little marina.

Discover culture

Nature is not everything in the Land of 100 Lakes. There are plenty of historical sites to visit. Start from the castle on Sieraków – a modest, but a very nice one. Not far aways lay the famous Sieraków Horse Stables and also a beautiful town square with some old houses.

Międzychód is a town stretched around a lake (who would guess!), with a pretty town square, an old renaissance church and picturesque narrow cobblestone alleys. Make sure you look for the symbol of the town – an old water pump, which provides fresh mineral water.

If you’d like to discover some more about how people used to live in those parts, then you ought to visit the Nature and Regional Education Center in Mniszki. The place features exhibitions of disappearing professions – starting from those really old, like cooper, saddler and wheelwright and some quite recent, like analog photographer, tailor or even a TV set service.

Food experience

There are also plenty opportunities to try some great local food. We should start form Olandia, a place which features not only a restaurant with a prime chef and a winery, but also has its own line of regional products: jams, oil, pickles and flavored tee. The place often joins ventures with another restaurant – Linie w Ogniu, run by a couple of experienced chefs but in a very casual style. The place is unique not only for the atmosphere (definitely not for a fast snack, rather for a couple of hours of culinary experience) but also for cheesemaking. Craft-made goat and sheep cheese is produced just a few meters away from the restaurant.

You might not associate Poland with winemaking – and that’s a mistake! The lands around Zielona Góra are the most famous winemaking region in Poland and… that is really close to the Land of 100 Lakes. So, there is a wine yard and a winery to visit too. Check out Winnica Enosfera in Kwilcz.

Last but not least, having so many lakes gives you a great opportunity to catch some fish, right? So, try visiting one of the local fish restaurant. Look for a sign “smażalnia” which gives you a hint that a fresh fish & chips is served there.