Ziemia Chojnicka

Southern Pomeranian region of pine forests, glacial lakes, rivers, and the market town of Chojnice.

Ziemia Chojnicka — the Chojnice Region — sits in the southern corner of Pomerania, a landscape of pine forests, clean rivers, and glacial lakes that most visitors to Poland never find. That obscurity is the point. There are no crowds here, and the water is quiet.

The region divides neatly into two things: the market town of Chojnice, with its medieval Human Gate, Gothic parish church, and rebuilt market square; and the surrounding countryside, which belongs to the Bory Tucholskie — the great Tuchola Forest, one of the largest forest complexes in the Polish lowlands. Together they make a destination that rewards slow travel.

Charzykowy, a small village 7 km north of Chojnice on the shore of Lake Charzykowskie, is the sailing centre. Polish lake sailing effectively began here in 1924, when Otton Weiland launched the first organised races on the lake. The sailing tradition holds to this day, and in summer the lake fills with boats.

The main draw is outdoor: kayaking on the Brda river, cycling through the forest, or simply sitting by a lake with nothing particular to do. For a region so close to the Baltic coast, it stays remarkably off the tourist map.

Guide

Eating Out

The food in the Chojnice region is unfussy Pomeranian cooking — pork, potatoes, mushrooms gathered from the surrounding forest, and a great deal of freshwater fish. Pike, perch, and eel from the lakes appear on most menus, often smoked or fried whole. Look out for kashubian specialities like ruchanki (sweet yeast pancakes) and zupa szczawiowa (sorrel soup served with a hard-boiled egg).

A handful of pierogi and pancake bars line the streets off the market square in Chojnice. Around Lake Charzykowskie, the larger pensions run waterside restaurants that fill up at weekends in summer — book ahead if you want a table on the deck. The forest mushroom season runs from late August to October, and small roadside stalls sell baskets of chanterelles and porcini at very low prices.

Guide

Getting There

Chojnice is well connected by train and bus. Direct rail services run from Gdańsk (roughly 2 hours), Bydgoszcz (1.5 hours), and Poznań (about 3 hours). Regional buses link the town to surrounding villages including Charzykowy. If you are driving, the road network across Pomerania is straightforward and well signposted.

Guide

Things to Do

The Chojnice Region is small-scale tourism — a market town with a medieval core, a string of glacial lakes, and one of Poland's biggest forest complexes. Most visitors spend their time outdoors: walking in the Bory Tucholskie, sailing on Lake Charzykowskie, paddling the Brda, or cycling between villages on quiet roads. The town of Chojnice itself rewards an afternoon for its gate, square, and parish church.