Discover Wołów: Trails, Nature and History

Wołów County combines riverside landscapes and protected nature with cycling routes and historic sites. The Oder runs through the county as a waterway; its landscapes of tourist interest also include wooded dune ridges. If you would like to combine nature, culture and places with a history of their own on your trip, you will find a range of options here—from Wołów and Brzeg Dolny to Konary and Lubiąż.

River and protected landscape

The Jodłowice Nature Reserve covers 9.36 hectares and lies in the municipalities of Brzeg Dolny and Oborniki Śląskie. It protects a mixed forest with fir trees that grow there at the edge of their range. The Jodłowice Natura 2000 site, identifier PLH020106, overlaps entirely with the nature reserve. This means that two protected-area designations cover the same land in Jodłowice; the forest and its firs are the main landscape feature.

Cycling routes and waterside spots

The yellow Wołów–Wrzosy–Moczydlnica Klasztorna–Orzeszków cycling route is about 16 kilometres long and passes through the Jezierzyca Valley Landscape Park. The “Cudne Manowce” cycling route is 38 kilometres long. Check current conditions before planning either route. The section of the blue Oder Trail in Wołów County starts in Brzeg Dolny. The county also has the signposted, long-distance Cistercian Route; check the current signage before setting out.

A circular route in Budków runs along the Oder floodplain, the Oder’s oxbow lakes and a wet meadow. Budków has a campsite, which is suitable for a break and a chance to relax in nature. The village is also on the cycling route along the Oder. The place and landscape names offer different points of reference when planning your trips: in Budków, it is the floodplain; on the yellow cycling route, it is the Jezierzyca Valley Landscape Park.

The bathing area at Zalew Słup is managed by the municipal Sports, Tourism and Recreation Centre in Wińsko. Swimming is seasonal; check current opening times before visiting. According to information from the municipality in 2024, fishing required a fishing card and a paid permit from GOSTiR. Check the current requirements in advance.

History and architecture

Wołów is home to several notable historic landmarks: the town hall dates from the second half of the 15th century, and the Piast castle is dated to 1157. The organs built by Adam Casparini in 1716 have been preserved in St. Lawrence’s Church. These three places offer different historical and cultural perspectives without reducing the area’s history to a single building.

Brzeg Dolny also brings together architectural and garden history. Its historic park complex included a bathing pavilion designed by Langhans, a tea house, a wine cellar, a wine pavilion, a mill and a forester’s house. Lubiąż is home to Europe’s largest Cistercian abbey. The village lies on the right bank of the Oder, surrounded by fields, meadows and forests.

In Konary, Franz Achard opened the world’s first sugar factory in 1801 with the support of Prussian King Frederick William III. A monument to Achard and the remains of the sugar factory can still be seen there. The smelting furnaces in Tarchalice are also among the archaeological iron-smelting sites that are one of the county’s tourist attractions. Another historic stop is the Church of the Holy Trinity in Wińsko, which dates from the 14th century.

Observation and special visits

Białków is home to the University of Wrocław Centre for Astronomical Education, located on the former estate of amateur astronomer Leo Wutschichowsky. Check current visiting arrangements before you go. In Głębowice, the church tower has been adapted for tourism and fitted with two telescopes; from there, visitors can view the surrounding Dolina Łachy Natura 2000 area. Here too, it is advisable to check visiting arrangements in advance.

Choose a hotel to suit your itinerary

When searching for a hotel in Wołów, it helps to group your planned visits by location. Wołów has the town hall, Piast castle and St. Lawrence’s Church. The historic park complex is in Brzeg Dolny; the Jodłowice Nature Reserve lies in the municipalities of Brzeg Dolny and Oborniki Śląskie. If cycling routes or the Oder floodplain are central to your plans, take their respective starting points and locations into account when choosing where to stay.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Ścinawa, Brzeg Dolny, Węgrzce, Wińsko, Siodłkowice, Wołów, Kłodzki, Lubański.

Return to the main travel overview: Lower Silesia.