The Warta flows through Szamotuły County for 45 kilometres. Together with lakes, designated trails and historic buildings, it offers a varied range of things to discover in Szamotuły: whether you are interested in culture, nature or active exploration, your visit need not revolve around just one theme.
Discover museums and architecture
The Museum of the Górka Castle in Szamotuły brings together regional history and ethnography in its permanent exhibitions. The museum also houses the largest collection of icons in western Poland. The Halszka Tower offers a different perspective on the town’s history: this late Gothic tower is the best-preserved part of Szamotuły Castle. The two sites have distinct focuses—exhibitions and icons at the museum, and a striking part of the historic castle at the tower.
Sacred buildings include the Basilica Minor and Collegiate Church of Our Lady of Consolation and Saint Stanislaus, Bishop. It is considered the oldest monument in Szamotuły and an important example of sacred architecture in Greater Poland. In Duszniki, you can see a different combination of architecture and interior furnishings: the Gothic Church of Saint Martin has a Rococo interior, including a high altar, two side altars and a pulpit from the second half of the 18th century. Gothic church architecture and later Rococo furnishings thus stand side by side as examples of different stylistic periods.
Other historic highlights include the 19th-century Neorenaissance palace in Kaźmierz-Nowa Wieś and Felicjan Niegolewski’s manor house in Bytyń. The manor house dates from the 18th century and is surrounded by an 11.1-hectare landscaped park. In Ostroróg, the historic town layout developed between the 14th and 19th centuries. Its rectangular market square and the statue of Saint John of Nepomuk at its centre give the layout a clear spatial structure. Pniewy, in turn, is home to the Congregation of the Ursulines of the Agonizing Heart of Jesus and is the burial place of Saint Ursula Ledóchowska.
Hiking, cycling and waterways
For a short hike, Szlakiem Kani Rudej is a specific option: the trail is 2.2 kilometres long and takes about 45 minutes to walk. It lies in the Pniewy municipality and runs along the edge of the “Las grądowy nad Mogilnicą” nature reserve. For longer distances, there is the E-11 long-distance trail, which passes through Szamotuły, Szczuczyn, Grabówiec, Kobylniki, Słopanowo, Obrzycko and Klempicz in Szamotuły County. The short trail’s stated length and walking time are distinct from the route information for the long-distance trail; check the latest route details before setting out.
Cyclists can also plan a longer route: the 200-kilometre Transwielkopolska Cycling Route passes through Pamiątkowo, Szamotuły, Kobylniki and Obrzycko. At 309 hectares, Lake Bytyńskie is the largest lake in Szamotuły County. The Duszniczki forest reserve offers a further contrast in nature, protecting more than a dozen Polish larches that are over 100 years old.
Two designated kayaking routes are listed: the Warta Kayaking Route heads towards the Oder and is designated for the entire stretch of the river; the Wełna Kayaking Route leads to the Warta. Water conditions and accessibility can change, so it is worth checking the latest conditions before planning a paddling trip. Traffic is also a useful consideration for general journey planning: Szamotuły County is an important transport hub, with a north–south railway connection and east–west road corridors. Check current connections when planning your journey.
Discover more destinations: Nojewo, Wronki, Szamotuły, Zajączkowo, Sokolniki Wielkie, Obrzycko, Chojno-Młyn, Grzebienisko, Chojno-Wieś, Podrzewie, Niewierz.
For the broader travel overview: Greater Poland.
