Holiday Guide: Summer attractions in Poznań

Wartostrada

Finally, the Warta River in full bloom! The city of Poznan has been implementing the “Wartostrada” project (a tourist track on the banks of the river), whose aim is to improve the accessibility of the area adjacent to the Warta known for its stunningly beautiful landscapes. Thanks to Wartostrada, just a few-minute (eco-friendly!) ride is enough to reach the green grounds of Szelag or the outlets of the Glowna and Cybina rivers. The best way to do that is to take a city bike. Everyone can enjoy the incredibly smooth surface of the track, beautiful landscapes, and a pleasant river wind.

www.poznan.pl/mim/main/wartostrada

Bajka i Widmo

Flowing through the city, the Warta gives the people of Poznan a space to relax outside the concrete jungle. They camp, do sports or simply lay on the blankets spread along the riverbanks. If you want to experience something out of the ordinary, you should definitely check the timetable of …a water tram! Charmingly named boats – Bajka and Widmo [Fairytale and Phantom] cruise every weekend (Friday-Sunday). The whole cruise takes around 1 hour and 40 minutes.

Timetable and tickets: rzekawartapoznania.pl 

Lake Malta

In 1952, 64 hectares of land were turned into a water tank. Since then, the lake has been the city’s major swimming site and a venue for the national, European and international canoe and rowing championships. Malta also serves as a sports and recreational mecca for everyone who wants to spend their leisure actively. Below you’ll find some examples of how to do that.

The New Zoo

The New Zoo is the second largest zoological garden in Poland. A woody and hilly grounds of Biala Gora [the white mountain] are a natural habitat of the country’s fauna. The zoo is famous for the Europe’s largest collections of raptors and owls. It’s also a home to numerous endangered species such as the kowari, the cassowary, the Bawean deer, the Visayan warty pig, the Prince Alfred’s spotted deer, the Siberian tiger or the European mink. The zoo collaborates with the European Endangered Species Programme.

www.zoo.poznan.pl

Maltanka

Kolejka Parkowa Maltanka is one of Poland’s three narrow-gauge railways that has been operating in Poznan for the last 45 years. This lovely machinery travels the distance of 3850 meters and can take you to such destinations as Termy Maltańskie or the New Zoo. In order for a mini steam locomotive to be ready to go at 10 a.m., the engine has to be fueled since 2:30 a.m.! It’s interesting that a part of the rails is the oldest in Poznan and dates back to 1898, which means that it witnessed the Greater Poland uprising!

www.mpk.poznan.pl/turystyka/maltanka

Malta Ski

Summer skiing? Everything is possible in the heart of Greater Poland :) Winter craziness on a slope takes on a completely different dimension during summer: you can slide on a raft, ride a roller coaster or take a summer toboggan run. What’s more, Malta Ski has an eco-bike rental, a mini golf field and a carousel – all of it surrounded by water and woods. A real holiday frenzy!

maltaski.pl

Termy Maltańskie

The largest and most modern sports and recreational complex in Poland is located nowhere else but in Poznan! Let us simply enumerate: 18 sports and recreational swimming pools of the highest quality, the World of Saunas (offering chromotherapy, a blossom steam bath, outdoor saunas made of 200-year-old Kelo wood, a Turkish bath, a snow room, and a salt steam bath), as well as Spa 1306 with a wide range of treatments offering unique multistage ceremonies as practiced in Morocco, India or Turkey. Last but not least, the waterpark features 13 slides, a wave pool, a pool with a pirate ship and salt water pools… If you add 4 outdoor pools and a 100-meter-long terrace overlooking Lake Malta you’ll see that Termy Maltanskie have no competition!

www.termymaltanskie.com.pl

WakeBoarding

This relatively young sports discipline merges water skiing and surfing. What is it all about? A daredevil rides a wakeboard pulled by a motorboat or an electrically-driven cable. You can either take a regular ride or be tempted to do some special tricks depending on your skills and courage ;) The site is located on the bank of Lake Malta and offers two tracks. One of them is 160 meters long and recommended for beginners, while the other one is slightly longer, with numerous obstacles and a 16 meter “box” for advanced skiers. Who knows, perhaps you’re the next king of Wake?

wakeparkmalta.pl

Sunbathing in the city

Who doesn’t dream about golden sand during summer? Poznan invites its residents worn out by the summer heat to relax on city beaches in Wilda, Rataje, Szelag, and Chwaliszewo, offering free hammocks, sunbeds and beach boxes, as well as cold showers, drinks and snacks… Let’s not forget about the river for the asking.

rzekawartapoznania.pl

Ahoy, adventure!  

The liberal inland water transport law gives you a chance to ride a motorbike on your own! The only thing you need to do to become the captain is complete a short introductory course and rent a boat (50zl/h). Of course, while on board, don’t forget to shout “ahoy, landmen!” So, if you plan a voyage in search of the Black Pearl, but feel like you need some practice beforehand, call 618770585 or write an e-mail to: biuro@przystanposnania.pl

rzekawartapoznania.pl

Text: Adi Kaniewski