You always pass them when driving from the south of Poland to the seaside. Did you know that it is here that you will find some of the most beautiful and valuable places in the country. Have you ever thought that Kociewie is a region with its own cultural identity and dialect? If Kociewie has so far been only a snapshot from behind a train or car window, this proposition is for you. We invite you on a bicycle trip through Kociewie.
We chose Tczew as the beginning of the trip. The route, along a section of the Vistula Bicycle Route, is approximately 30 km long, and apart from it, there are several other bicycle routes that are part of the local network of bicycle routes called Kociewie Bicycle Routes. The total length of all routes is over 800 km.
The city is well connected, and getting to Tczew by car is only one of the options. In addition, we can use convenient railway connections from almost most Polish cities.
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EuroVelo 9 / WTR - Tczewskie Bridges, photo: Pomorskie.Travel
Before we leave the city, we can visit the branch of the National Maritime Museum dedicated to the queen of Polish rivers, the Vistula. The permanent exhibition is a journey through the common history of Vistula River and Poland. Next to the museum there is the Shipwreck Conservation Center in Tczew, the only facility in Poland where we can learn about the history of old boats and ships, how they were built and what the current work of museum conservators is.
Shipwreck Conservation Centre in Tczew, photo: press materials
We continue our bicycle journey through Kociewie and head towards the Vistula boulevard. The place is well known among local residents, and in the summer season it is filled with tourists. We line up on a designated bicycle route that is part of one of the most beautiful routes in Poland. The Vistula Bicycle Route is a unique project that allows you to travel across Poland along the longest river in the country. Although construction works are still ongoing, most of the Pomorskie sections are already ready for driving.
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Along the Vistula River by bike
We’re heading south. Behind you can see one of the symbols of Kociewie – Tczew Bridges. After construction, the facility was the longest bridge in Europe, and modernization works are currently underway. We head south towards the Knybawski Bridge, where there are, among others, a guesthouse allowing you to take a break (to get to the facility, we pass under the national road). We continue driving along part of road 22 to turn into Saint Wojciech’s road leading to the town of Gorzedziej.
We have moved slightly away from the Vistula, but we are starting to get closer to it again. Once in Gorzedziej, stop by the church, from where there is a view of the Vistula River. We move further towards the flood embankment. If you keep a list of interesting names of towns that you meet on your trails, maybe you can add Kociewie Little Suns… We are in Rybaki. For hydrotechnics enthusiasts, we recommend visiting the historic lock from 1898. The devices and motor pumps date back to the early XXth century and are still in operation.
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Pay attention to stay on the embankment shelf and not turn right onto the dirt road. Driving up the mountain we will reach the town of Miedzylez, where we turn onto road 229 leading to the 4th largest city in Kociewie, Pelplin. The spiritual capital of the region is known primarily for the impressive Gothic Cathedral Basilica towering over the city and for the first printed book on the old continent located in the diocesan museum. This is where we end our short trip around Kociewie. On the way back, we can take the train or continue riding along the Kociewie Bicycle Routes.
Opactwo Cysterskie w Pelplinie, fot. UG Pelplin
