If you are looking for an idea for a few-day trip in Poland, you appreciate nature and lakes and you would like to find a place by the lake cheaper than the Masuria region of Poland – the city of Olsztyn is your answer.

Olsztyn – the capital of the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship/Province. It is located in the historical region of Warmia, in north-eastern Poland. It is a great place to start your adventure with the Polish land of lakes – it is easy to get there by car or train, and the city has an interesting offer for families. In Olsztyn itself, as well as in the vicinity of the city, you can find hotels located directly on the lake.

What makes Olsztyn a unique place in Poland – there are 15 lakes within the city limits!

This is a place for those who appreciate the comfort and infrastructure of the city – shops, cinemas, playgrounds, and city beaches (you can, for example, stay in a hotel within the city limits that has its own beach on the lake). Lakes, parks, city forest, kayaks, bicycle routes – you can alternate visiting monuments with rest in nature.

Jump to how to get to Olsztyn by train, by car, by plane
Jump to WATER attractions in Olsztyn (beaches, aquaparks)
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How to get to Olsztyn by train, by car, by plane

The city of Olsztyn is located in north-eastern Poland, it’s the capital of the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship/Province. Olsztyn’s location on Google Maps.

How to get to Olsztyn by car

Approximate (depending on traffic) travel time from: Warsaw 2.30 hrs, Wrocław 5 hrs, Poznań 4 hrs, Kraków 5 hrs 25 mins, Gdańsk 1 hrs 40 mins, Katowice 4 hrs 50 mins, Lublin 4 hr, Toruń 2 hr 30 mins, Łódź 3 hrs 15 mins.

How to get to Olsztyn by train

The railway station in Olsztyn on Google map (Polish name: Olsztyn Główny) and the train timetable. The most popular DIRECT connections include Warsaw (the shortest travel time: 2 hr 24 mins), Wrocław (5 hrs 34 mins), Katowice (6 hrs 08 mins), Toruń (2 hrs), Kraków (6 hrs 08 mins), Gdańsk (the shortest travel time: 2 hr 30 mins), Poznań (the shortest travel time: 3 hr 32 mins), Łódź (the shortest travel time: 4 hr 08 mins).

How to get to Olsztyn by plane

There is one airport in the Warmińsko-Mazurskie Voivodship (Polish name: Port Lotniczy Olsztyn-Mazury w Szymanach, location on Google map, website in English). The airport is located in the town of Szymany, 58 km from the city of Olsztyn. Connections to this airport include: London, Dortmund, Kraków, and Wrocław.

If you are interested in the option of traveling by plane, you can also use the airport in the city of Gdańsk (Polish name: Port Lotniczy Gdańsk im. Lecha Wałęsy, location on Google map, website in English), the biggest airport in Poland in the city of Warsaw (Polish name: Lotnisko Chopina w Warszawie, location on Google map, website in English), the second Warsaw airport, located in the north of Warsaw towards Masuria (Polish name: Port Lotniczy Warszawa/Modlin, location on Google map, website in English). From there you can get to Olsztyn, e.g. by rented car or by train.

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Main WATER attractions in Olsztyn

Water sports center – Lake Ukiel (called Krzywe by the locals)

Location: Centrum Rekreacyjno-Sportowe “Ukiel” OSiR w Olsztynie, Kapitańska 23 Street, location on Google map.
Website in Polish.

The most popular place for beach recreation in Olsztyn. There is a beach there (including 2 guarded areas during the summer holidays, free admission), a sailing center, water equipment rental, beach volleyball courts, a skate park.

The most popular summer attraction (open during summer holidays) is the water playground (for children and adults, paid admission). The water playground consists of several dozen inflatable obstacles and floating devices and toys, which include: water obstacle courses, slides, swings, balance beams, trampolines, catapults, and a floating “iceberg” – a climbing wall and a slide.

Photo source: OSiR Olsztyn

Selected other beaches in Olsztyn, free entrance

Lake Skanda, guarded during the summer holidays, location on Google map.
Lake Ukiel (Krzywe), location on Google map.
Lake Kortowskie, location on Google map.
Lake Bartąg, location on Google map.
Lake Tyrsko, location on Google map.

Aquasfera – a water park in Olsztyn

Location: Aquasfera, Piłsudskiego 69b Street, location on Google map.
Website in Polish.

Attractions include an Olympic swimming pool, a warm-up pool and a swimming pool for learning to swim, a recreational pool, a wild river, three whirlpools (jacuzzi), two slides (each 120 meters long), and a paddling pool for children. On weekends, the Olympic swimming pool has a Water Playground and Aqua Track – a water obstacle course.

Photo source: OSiR Olsztyn

“Warmia Park” – a water park near the city of Olsztyn

Location: Warmia Park, Pluski, ul. Pluszna 36, 11-034 Stawiguda (location on Google map).
Warmia Park is located a 20-minute drive from Olsztyn, in a hotel in a green area, a 10-minute walk from the lake.
Attractions include a sports swimming pool (25 m) with three swimming lanes, a recreational swimming pool with hydromassages, water beds, caves for lovers, an underwater aquarium, neck massages, a wild river, 2 outdoor jacuzzis, an indoor jacuzzi, underwater aquariums with fish, mini-climbing wall.
Slides: kamikaze (yellow) – with an average slope of over 30% and a length of 34 m, extreme, over 12 years of age; onion (green) – length 19 m, extreme, over 12 years of age for those who can swim (depth over 2 m); anaconda (red) – 104 m long and approx. 11% slope, family-friendly, gentle, for everyone; mountain stream, two-stage (gray) – 40 m long, the mildest, for everyone; mini-slide in the paddling pool for children.
Website in English. Facebook page. Instagram.

Photo source: Warmia Park

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Other attractions in Olsztyn

Olsztyn’s Old Town with the Gothic castle

The Gothic castle is the oldest and most impressive monument of Olsztyn and the Old Town. There is now a museum (location on Google map, website in Polish). The most famous inhabitant of the castle was Nicolaus Copernicus, who was the administrator there. On one of the walls of the Castle, the original astronomical table of Copernicus has been preserved.

Photo source: Muzeum Warmii i Mazur

Olsztyn’s Old Town is a nice place to take a walk, eat lunch or relax in one of the cafes. You can also relax in the nearby park with a playground (Park Podzamcze, location on Google map). The Old Town is surrounded by the Łyna River, along which there are walking alleys.

Planetarium in Olsztyn (Nicolas Copernicus lived and worked in Olsztyn)

Location: Olsztyńskie Planetarium, aleja Marszałka Józefa Piłsudskiego 38 Street (location on Google map).
All movies in the planetarium are available in English. Some also in Russian, German or French. The recording is available on headphones, which must be requested at the box office before the screening.
Screenings for children aged 3+, 5+, 10+, 12+, 14+.
Website in Polish. Facebook.

Photo source: Olsztyńskie Planetarium

Indoor playing areas for children in Olsztyn

Location: Warmiolandia – Miasto Dzieci, Warszawska 117 Street (location on Google map).
Website in Polish.

Photo source: Warmiolandia

Location: Warmiolandia – Mądre Klocki, Tuwima 26 Street, Galeria Warmińska shopping center (location on Google map).
Website in Polish. Facebook page. Instagram.