Mikolajki | Poland

The Land of Lakes

Mikolajki is a charming and picturesque town located in the north- eastern part of Poland. Set in the heart of the Masurian Lake District within the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, the town is the meeting point of Lake Talkti and Lake Mikolajski and today, it is known as the yachting capital of Poland.

With a tumultuous past that dates back to 1444, Mikolajki has managed to preserve its charm and is surrounded by delightful red-roofed houses, three bridges and hosts one of the largest ports in the region. Like the whole of Masuria, Mikolajki has a lake-land climate with frequent strong winds.

The town overflows with sailing enthusiasts and throughout the year hosts a variety of events and regattas including the ‘Open Sailing Championships of the Polish Journalists’, which have been held since 1994. Keep in mind that not only through the warmer months is it suitable to sail, as ‘ice sailing’ is extremely popular amid winter. For more information and the calendar of sailing events, click here.

On the other end, Mikolajki sits at the edge of the largest forest in Masuria and one of the largest in the country, Pisz Forest. Positioning the town in a great location for those who not only love to sail but enjoy exploring, hiking and cycling.

The town is compact in size so exploring by foot is ideal, that way you are not to miss the quaint boutiques that host marvelous collections of lovely trinkets and folk art. For a traditional and delicious gift from the ‘Land of Lakes’ pick up a jar of locally made miód (honey) or a bottle of nalewka. Nalewka, which translates to ‘tincture’, is a typically aged liqueur or cordial that is primarily made with fruit extracts, sugar, honey, molasses, herbs and spices then macerated in vodka.

As you delve into the flavors of the Masurian region, prepare yourself for a seafood- enriched cuisine including an overload of pierogi (dumplings) rye bread and soup. Mikolajki is renown for it’s lively sailors village atmosphere and boasts widely popular taverns including- Lady Mary and Pod Zlamanym Pagajem. Here, you can enjoy a cold beer while listening to shanties and overlooking the panoramic view of the dazzling harbor and lake.

From kayaking, sailing and fishing along the countries biggest lakes, to cycling through the areas thick forests and strolling around the picturesque harbor side town- Mikolajki is sure to deliver everything there is to enjoy about a holiday on the lake while experiencing the great outdoors.