Poznan, Poland

Sightseeing in Poznań can be done in a variety of ways. Lovers of old monuments can choose a tour of historic places-from the Gothic cathedral in Ostrów Tumski, through the Old Market, with its Renaissance burgher houses and the Town Hall, to the Baroque Fara church.

A trip to the Poznań International Fair can be complemented with a stroll down the streets of turn-of-the-century art-deco tenement houses.

The visitor can choose a tour of museums, and there are 20 of them in the city ranging from art, applied arts, ethnography, musical instruments to war memorabilia and literature museums.

Nature lovers will enjoy the prospect of visiting two zoological gardens, a botanical garden and arboretum, a palm house (palmiarnia), and numerous parks and nature reserves.

If the visitor wants to spend their leisure time pursuing sports activities, he or she will not be short of places to go. On Malta, there is always something interesting to do, regardless of the season of the year. In summer, swimming might be enticing, and a skiing slope is open all year round (skis and ski-shoes can be rented on site), as is a toboggan run. The area around the lake is an attractive place to go for a walk, a bike ride, or do some roller skating/roller blading.

For those who like longer hikes on foot, there are five well marked tourist routes weaving through charming green areas on the city outskirts. The most interesting one goes through Morasko and the Meteorite reserve. The longest one, 13.5 km, starts in Golęcin, passes along the Rusałka Lake, through Strzeszyn, along the Kierskie Lake and ends at Krzyżowniki. As many as four lakes are located within the city borders: natural ones Kierskie and Strzeszyńskie, and the artificial Rusałka and Malta. All of them are used for recreational purposes, although sailing is best done on Kierskie, and canoeing and rowing on Malta, which is the site of world, European, national, and regional level championships in those two disciplines.

The green areas of Poznań can also be admired from horseback. Horse-riding enthusiasts can find appropriate mounts at the Wola Horseback Riding Centre (Centrum Wyszkolenia Jeździeckiego).

1.28.15.WP26