West Pomeranian is a land of wide sandy beaches and secret islands where the river Oder meets the blue sea. This region is the perfect start for a West Baltic coast road trip that takes you from the tall cliffs of Wolin to the quiet dunes of the east. You can drive across the bridge to the island of Uznam to find seaside towns with white wooden villas and long piers.
The road leads you through the Wolin National Park where high bluffs look out over the water and wild bison live in the woods. You can visit the Viking village at Recz to see how the old sea raiders lived and built their wooden ships. The landscape is full of water with the vast Szczecin Lagoon offering a quiet place for sailing and watching the sea birds.
Your trip takes you to the town of Trzęsacz where the ruins of a church sit on the very edge of a cliff that is being eaten by the sea. You can see the Crooked Forest near Gryfino where hundreds of pine trees grow in a strange hook shape for reasons no one can explain. From the lighthouse at Świnoujście to the deep blue lakes of the Drawsko region this is a land of wind and wide open spaces.
West Pomeranian highlights
- Wolin Viking Village Step into a world of wooden huts and reed roofs to see how the old sea raiders lived by the water. You can watch people make tools and food using the same ways as a thousand years ago.
- Trzęsacz Church Ruin See the last wall of a brick church that is sitting on the very edge of a high cliff over the sea. The rest of the building has been taken by the waves over many years.
- Świnoujście Lighthouse Climb the tallest brick tower on the Baltic coast to see the ships coming into the port from far away. The view covers the sandy beaches and the islands of the west.
- Crooked Forest Gryfino Walk through a group of pine trees that all have a giant hook shape at the bottom of their trunks. It is a strange and silent place that looks like a work of art by nature.
- Stawa Młyny Windmill See a white lighthouse shaped like a windmill that stands at the end of a stone path in the sea. It is a famous symbol of the coast and looks great when the sun sets.
- Drawsko Lake District Drive to these deep blue lakes to find quiet bays and green islands hidden in the forest. The water is very clear and the roads are perfect for a slow scenic drive.
- Szczecin Ducal Castle Visit the white palace of the old dukes which has a green roof and a high tower with a clock. The court inside is full of life and often has music or art shows for visitors.
- Wolin National Park Bluffs Stand on the high gray cliffs to look out at the blue water of the lagoon and the open sea. The woods on the cliffs are full of old trees and wild bison.
- Niechorze Lighthouse See a bright red tower that sits on a green hill over the sandy beach and the blue sea. The walk along the shore here is one of the best on the western coast.
- Połczyn Zdrój Spa Park Walk through a garden with old fountains and a 'valley of five lakes' that is very quiet and green. The air is fresh and it is a top spot for a rest during a long trip.
The local Four
History of West Pomeranian
West Pomeranian is a land of secret islands and white beaches where the river Oder meets the sea. For centuries, Viking raiders and Slavic pirates sailed these waters from their wooden forts on the island of Wolin as early as the 10th century. This sea faring past is the soul of a West Baltic coast road trip through the western gate of the country.
The region was the home of the Gryfici dukes, who ruled from the white Szczecin Castle for over 500 years. They controlled the trade of the Baltic and filled their cities with fine brick buildings and wide squares. You can still see the last wall of a 15th century church sitting on the cliff at Trzęsacz, as the rest was taken by the sea waves.
The woods of the region hold strange secrets like the Crooked Forest, where 400 pine trees were planted around 1930 with a strange uniform hook shape. No one knows for sure why they grow this way, but they stand as a silent mystery in the woods. From the tall 65 meter lighthouse at Świnoujście to the wild bison, this land is a story of wind and waves.