A Remote Corner of Poland: Wigry National Park
Similar to Plitvice Lakes National Park in Croatia, this Polish national park is famous for its numerous lakes, all of which are different shapes, sizes, and depths.
Wigry National Park lies in northeast Poland, in Podlaskie Voivodeship.
The park was established on January 1st, 1989, covering an area of 149.56 km2. Nowadays, the park is somewhat larger, spanning 150.86 km2. It is named after Wigry Lake, the largest and one of the deepest (73 m at its greatest depth) of the park’s many lakes. Fun fact: in the 1970s and 1980s, Wigry was also the name of a popular bicycle model in Poland.
The park is the site of 42 lakes, all a bit different. There are 623 ha which consist of 120 ha of forests and untouched nature which are strictly protected. Both Wigry Lake and the main river, Czarna Hańcza, are part of a famous canoe route. Featuring 190 km of trails, Wigry National Park is also a paradise for hikers and bikers.
The park is frequently referred to as a remote corner of Poland. A so-called “zone of silence” surrounds Wigry Lake, tents and bonfires being allowed only in designated areas. The symbol of Wigry National Park is a beaver, due to the rich population of about 250 such animals that live along the riverbanks and lake shores.
The landscape is dominated by a former Camaldolese monastery, a 17th-century building located on a peninsula in the small village of Wigry. It is said that the monastery was originally located on an island, which was later connected to the shore. Today, the Camaldolese monks are gone, and the complex now hosts a hotel and restaurant.
The best way to explore Wigry National Park (especially if you on the run as we are) is by train from Płociczno-Tartak to Kusznik. The trip takes about three hours, and views of the lavish wild forests and Wigry Lake come included.
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We have also written about Prague, Viscri, Košice, the unique cave bath of Miskolctapolca, Kraków, Plitvice Lakes Natural Park, Lake Bled, Veliko Tarnovo, Novi Sad, Stari Bar, Bánffy Castle, Hunyadi Castle, Gyula, Kaunas, Gauja National Park, Kuressaare, Ruhnu, Zadar, Mostar, Tartu, Krk Island, Budva, Mileştii Mici Winery, Ljubljana, and Rupea Fortress.
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