Discover Konin: Hiking Trails, Lakes and Culture

In Konin County, marked hiking trails, protected landscapes and distinctive cultural sites come together. To plan your trip, you can first decide on your main focus: are you interested in outdoor activities and natural areas, or are you more drawn to religious architecture, local traditions and history? The destinations below offer different starting points, from the county’s highest elevation to Licheń and the region’s waterways.

Natural Landscapes and Hiking Trails

Konin County offers seven marked hiking trails with a combined length of more than 110 kilometres. A specific destination for hikers is the Złota Góra Nature Reserve: at 191 metres above sea level, it protects the county’s highest hill. The yellow Brzeźno–Złota Góra trail and the blue Żychlin–Złota Góra–Wyszyna–Turek trail lead to the area. The observation tower on Złota Góra is located in the municipality of Krzymów, within the nature reserve.

The two landscape parks each have a distinct focus. The Nadwarciański Landscape Park covers an approximately 30-kilometre stretch of the middle Warta Valley, from the A2 motorway in the east to the mouth of the Prosna. The Powidzki Landscape Park, by contrast, protects a glacial landscape centred on a group of dozens of glacial lakes, most of them ribbon lakes. This gives you a clear choice between the Warta Valley and a glacial lake landscape.

Culture and Local History

The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Licheń is the main attraction in Licheń Stary. By number of pilgrims, it is Poland’s second-largest religious centre of worship after Jasna Góra. The basilica is also located in Licheń: built between 1994 and 2004, it is the largest church in Poland. The two superlatives refer to different measures—the sanctuary’s rank is based on the number of pilgrims, while the basilica’s is based on its size.

Another historical landmark is in Ślesin: the triumphal arch there is known to residents as “Napoleon’s Gate”. It was erected in 1811 in honour of Napoleon, who had passed through Ślesin four years earlier.

Local traditions and historical routes also shape the region. Ochweśnica culture originated in the municipality of Skulsk and included a distinctive vernacular known as “kmina ochweśnicka”. The Amber Road is one of the historical routes that pass through Konin County. The hermitage in Bieniszew is located on the summit of Sowia Góra and is surrounded by the forests near Kazimierz.

Forest Education, Diving and Waterways

In Grodziec, the Forest Education Centre offers practical forest education. Its described facilities include a room with taxidermy animals, a model of a lignite mine and a hut where a forester tells stories. If you are planning a visit, please check current access arrangements in advance.

The Diver diving centre in the Tręby Stare recreation area offers instructors for people who have never dived before. It is located in the municipality of Kleczew and within Powidzki Landscape Park. Forest education and diving therefore offer two different types of activity to choose from.

The lake system of Konin County is also part of a larger network of waterways: canals and locks connect it to the navigable Warta, and it is also part of the almost 690-kilometre-long Great Waterway of Greater Poland. If you are planning a trip on the water, check navigation conditions before you travel.

Discover more destinations: Modła Królewska, Świętne, Konin, Jabłonka, Licheń Stary, Witnica, Wiśniewa, Julia, Sługocinek, Golina, Brzeźno, Grodziec, Stare Miasto, Ślesin, Osowce, Sompolinek, Skulsk.

View the broader travel guide: Greater Poland.