From the misty Beskid Żywiecki to the craggy granite peaks of the Tatras, Poland’s mountains are as diverse as they are dramatic. In this project, we’ll take you on a rafting adventure through the Pieniny and up to the snow-clad slopes of Gorce. Any mountain-loving soul will love it!

That's the nickname of the Masurian Lake District. In total, Poland has over 10,000 lakes, particularly concentrated here. Discover the "dry lakes" or dive in Wigry Lake the Podlaskie Voivodeship.

Covering about 1% of the country, Poland’s national parks protect a wide range of ecosystems. Explore Wigry National Park, renowned for its pristine lakes and the historic Wigry Camaldolese Monastery or hike in the Stołowe Mountains National Park, famous for its unique table-like rock formations.

Along 500km of southern Baltic coast, Poland boasts golden beaches, charming towns like Gdańsk and  natural wonders like the moving sand dunes. One of its most famous spots is the Hel Peninsula - a windswept strip of land so stunning t's often jokingly called “Heaven spelled like Hell".

Grab your binoculars! The country serves as a crucial stopover for migratory birds along the East Atlantic Flyway, making it a significant destination for birdwatchers. Get to know the Polish Society for the Protection of Birds  or watch the birds breading in the Barycz Valley.

Dare to go underground? The Tatra Mountains alone house over 1,000 caves. In the Sudetes, the longest cave systen is the Bear Cave in Kletno. It's said to be one of the richest caves in terms of dripfrom. A truly mesmerising view.

The Wieliczka Salt Mine boasts a route that takes you 135 meters (443 ft) underground, complete with chapels, sculptures, and a salt lake. Take a moment to discover these beautiful, historic salt cellars from Wieliczka.

Stepping into the cities, you can discover some gems of urban heritage, including the historic center of Kraków, Old Town in Zamość, Medieval Town in Toruń, Wieliczka Salt Mine, Cenntenial Hall in Wrocław, or the Evangelical Church of Peace in Jawor.

Many of them true historical landmarks! ​Did you know that Lower Silesia, in south-western Poland, is one of the most castle-dense regions in Europe? Discover Karpniki Castle, now converted to a hotel, built atop an extinct volcano, Grodziec Castle, or this neo-Gothic pearl of Lower Silesia.

You must have seen it somewhere! Renowned for its distinctive hand-painted designs, Polish pottery often features blue and white patterns. Dating back to the 14th century, Bolesławiec pottery is considered a symbol of Polish craftsmanship, admired for its durability and aesthetic appeal.

The city of Toruń is famous not only for being Copernicus’ birthplace but also for its delicious pierniki (gingerbread) and marzipan, with recipes dating back to the Middle Ages. Fancy a bite?

​Poland ranks among the world’s top consumers of potatoes, with around 100 kg per capita per year. Potatoes are a staple in Polish cuisine, featured in a variety of hearty dishes, including pierogi (dumplings), placki ziemniaczane (potato pancakes), or kopytka (potato dumplings).

Due to its extraordinary natural and landscape values, it is one of the most valuable water reservoirs in the world.

For centuries, Wigry has attracted people. In the Middle Ages, the tribe of Yotvingians settled here, and in the 17th century, the Camaldolese monks arrived on an island on the lake and built a monastery which is still an important feature of the Wigry landscape.

Lake Wigry, like most lakes in the Suwałki Region, was formed at the end of the last ice age. As a result of the pressure of the huge masses of the glacier, as well as the erosive action of meltwater, basins were formed, which then filled with water from the melting ice.

In 2015, a group of scientists from Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń examined the area southeast of lake Wigry. Their particular attention was drawn to megadunes, or "terrain ripples" up to eight meters big, created by the flow of gigantic amounts of water.

Further research led to the conclusion that they were created as a result of a megaflood, about 15-16 thousand years ago. Its source was the accumulation of water flowing out of the melting ice sheet, and then its sudden release under enormous pressure. 

This flood carried with it 2 million cubic meters of water per second. This is 10 times more than the average flow of the Amazon River. 
These values ​​place the Suwałki megaflood in the fifth place among the largest floods in the history of the Earth!

The subspecies of whitefish that used to occur in lake Wigry was unusual – it had a specific morphology and reached impressive sizes; the weight of the caught fish often exceeded 6 kg. 

This is how Alfred Lityński, the head of the hydrobiological station in Wigry, described it in 1923: "It can be distinguished as a new, fourth form of the Holstein species, whose scientific name would be: Coregonus holsatus f. vigrensis."

Today, the protection of the whitefish and the vendace consists in supplying the lakes with fry raised in the Park's fish hatchery. After fertilization, the eggs are placed in special hatching devices, which significantly increases their survival rate. 

Lake Wigry is known for an extraordinary richness of bird species. More than 30 species can be seen over the open waters of the lake. 

The most numerous are: mute swans, cormorants, white and grey herons, and various species of ducks. The reed beds along the lake shore provide a safe nesting site for bitterns, coots, reed warblers, sedge warblers, water rails and water moorhens.

Several pairs of white-tailed eagles nest in the forests surrounding Wigry, and they can be observed over the lake hunting for fish and water birds.

At the beginning of the 20th century, Alfred Lityński, an outstanding scientist, hydrobiologist and limnologist, arrived at Lake Wigry. He founded the first Polish Hydrobiological Station here, which became a renowned research center and a school educating scientists.

Currently, the historic building of the hydrobiological station houses the Wigry Museum run by the Wigry National Park. 

One of the Museum's biggest attractions is the Leptodora - a boat with a glass bottom, which is used for education about the extraordinary natural values ​​of lake Wigry.

Lake Wigry is one of the most attractive tourist destinations in Poland. The National Park staff are trying to combine the idea of ​​nature conservation with making the lake accessible to tourists and anglers.