During the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic my parents and I had decided to travel around within the Polish borders just a little bit more than usual. This was the first vacation that we planned together in years, and the destination that we chose was West Pomeranian Voivodeship (Zachodniopomorskie). The choice was not a completely random shot, because my father's family resides in this part of Poland and we used this oppotunity to come over and simply catch up.
This region is the most north-western region of the country. Heavy german influences can be easily observed in city-planning and the omnipresent germanic architecture. I don't want to generalise, but my observation was that the region's golden age has ended after being transferred to Poland, it is kinda still living off its herritage instead of moving forward. But! Not to be negative only, I personally really liked the germanic feel. It almost felt like visiting a different country that accidentally spoke the same language as I do.
KOĊOBRZEG
The first stop was KoĊobrzeg, formerly Kolberg. It is a coastal city at the shores of the Baltic sea it succesfully attracts thousands of tourists each year. As most of the West Pomeranian territory, it used to pe a part of Poland from around year 1000 until the late Middle Ages when it was merged into a German settlement. In 1815 it was a part of the Prussia to become polish again after World War II. In a nutshell. I must study it more thoroughly at some point.
But not tourists only, it has gained such popularity mostly for its numerous spas and health resorts. So, it is quite lively throughout the whole year, not only during the peak of the tourist season.
KoĊobrzeg has a few notable sights that include a picturesque pier, river waterfront and a lighthouse.
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Aditionally, I captured some illydic shots of pomeranian countryside while driving back from KoĊobrzeg.
STARGARD SZCZECIĊSKI
Stargard was not a tourist destination, really, we stayed there during the whole trip at my Grandmother's flat. It is a city I have visited a few times in my life from a very early age (that I don't even remember) so it is distintly familiar.
Stargard is a middle-sized city that lies relatively close to Szczecin. It has about 70,000 inhabitants.
Located on Ina river it is an old settlement, with a small Old-Town hidden inside the medival city walls. The Old-Town got mixed up with newer buildings from soviet and modern eras, and it's unconsistent for that matter. Nevertheless it has a few charming spots that I enjoyed wandering about. The main point is the cathedral, naturally. A large and impressive building that's overlooking the whole area. It towers over the main historic square and the city hall.
The remains of Stargard's medival city walls are an attraction too, conserved in a very good state they include a few gates with tall towers.
MIEDWIE
Just a few kilometers west of Stargard there's a great recreational spot, known as Miedwie lake. It's one of the largest lakes of the region and it's fairly popular among locals. It's actually a big one, it's area covers about 35 square kilometers.
There's a lot going on around it, there's a vast public beach, a pier, pagodas, jettys, boat rentals, a scene for small performances, private properties of hotels and restaurants, foodtrucks and all that resort stuff. It's a great place to find entertainment for everybody and it's all in beautiful natural scenery.
I reckon my favourite element of this setting was an elevated wooden path that's meandering between trees and over swamps by the lakeside. It's possible to observe nature in a very neat way and keep walking and walking and walking... a very enjoyable experience. Even though the weather was far from perfect on that day.
SZCZECIN
The capital of this region, and the seventh largest city of the country.
It has a few nice spots, even though I got an impression that its central part was a patchwork of utterly different buildings in the terms of age, aesthetics and purpose. It has a marine vibe even though it's not located by the sea, all because of Oder river with its canals and DÄ bie lake. Szczecin is one of Poland's busiest ports.
It has a few nice spots, even though I got an impression that its central part was a patchwork of utterly different buildings in the terms of age, aesthetics and purpose. It has a marine vibe even though it's not located by the sea, all because of Oder river with its canals and DÄ bie lake. Szczecin is one of Poland's busiest ports.
The waterfront (WaĊy Chrobrego) is one of the major sights spreading along the river. It's a kind-of an elevated promenade with a pleasent view with notable facilities such as the National Museum, Red City Hall, the Marine School. Deeper into the old town there's Szczecin Castle, the seat of the Dukes of the House of Griffin, the old town and the cathedral.
In the suburbs there's a nature reserve, where we found a gorgeous place called the Emerald Lake. The water indeed was green, and it's surrounded by astonishing woods.
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