Along the Vistula River by bike

The project of the Vistula River Bike Route plans to build the bicycle path along the queen of Polish rivers, some parts of it will ago along the dyke lines. Along with beautiful, nature and great landscapes this is also a trip to the past. Along the way we can admire the old wooden, farming houses, for example the arcaded houses, wooden huts, windmills or old wooden or brick churches You can find in many Low Lands villages, which history goes back to middle age times.

The pearls of gothic architecture

On the way there are a lot of pearls of brick, medieval architecture. Some of those buildings are already famous places to visit for example: Cistercian Abbey in Pelplin, the Teutonic castle in Malbork, Gniew or Sztum or monumental cathedral – castle complex in Kwidzyn. Their offer is not only the sightseeing but a wide variety of programmes, like staying over the night, spectacles, re-enactments or festivals.

Despite the fact that the route does not officially exist, the way along the Wistula River You can practise using ton much crowded, small local roads, dykes and already existing bicycle paths.

The first part, from Gdansk to Tczew leads through Gdansk Low Lands. The Eastern parts of Gdansk, Cedry Wielkie and Suchy Dąb – those are very flat areas formerly a delta of the Vistula River, meliorated first by the Teutons and later by the Mennonites. So, we travel along the  numbers of former canals and the Dead Vistula River and the Vistula crosscut – currently the main Vistula estruary and the local roads with the willows on their sides.

How it used to work in past times?

On the way, we admire the examples of the hydrotechnical devices of former generations of people who lived here, arcaded houses and lovely, small medieval churches.

The left part of the river from Tczew to Opalenie is located in Kociewie, the land with very diverse tradition and history. On the way, we see historical metal, grating bridge, we admire the river panorama from the river boulevard , we visit Tczew, to see the church in Gorzędziej and the unforgettable view river from there.

With a visit at the House Commander…

Stopping in Gniew is a must  – a visit in a former Teutonic castle and unique old town. Few kilometres South we reach a new constructed bridge which takes us to the other side of the river to Kwidzyn. Afterwards, We go North again and get to the land called Powiśle. Here, for the cyclists are some attractions waiting, too, for example the cathedral-castle complex in Kwidzyn, wide panorama of the high Vistula shore, the hydrotechnical complex in Biała Góra (White Mountain) and many small villages and churches on the way.

Reaching the lowland river areas around Malbork and Nowy Dwór Gdański, we are back to the river delta. It is worth visiting at least one of preserved Mennonites cemeteries here or stopping at the arcaded house or a windmill. One of the attractions are bridges, locks and marines along the way. Before returning by a ferry to the left bank of the river we can visit the sandy beaches of Vistula Split which go all the way up the Kaliningrad Oblast.