The neighborhood

The immediate surroundings include the villages of Ublik, Cierzpięty, Paprotki, and Przykop, with meadows, wilderness, fields, and forests surrounding Lakes Buwełno, Wojnowskie, Ublik Mały, and Ublik Wielki. The photos below were taken in this area—shots near the house and within a 10-kilometer radius. It’s worth taking a bike ride to explore the entire area

Nature

  • Nietlickie Bagno Nature Reserve (7 km) – a peat bog and Poland’s largest refuge for migratory and non-breeding cranes – approx. 4,000 individuals and other birds
  • Biosphere Reserve (26 km) – Lake Łuknajno
  • Lake Śniardwy (26 km) – viewpoints: the high bank near Kwik or near the Łuknajno Farmstead
  • The Szeroki Ostrów Peninsula on Lake Śniardwy – a high escarpment, a beautiful view of the lake at sunset
  • Walk from Ublik to Lake Ublik Wielki (4 km), where a former 19th-century palace and park complex is located (now the Park Ublik hotel). Along the way, visit our partner, Manufaktura Górecka (Ublik 11)

Villages:

  • Ublik (4 km) – a village founded in the 15th century in the area known as “Aryser Schweiz” (Oryska Switzerland). In 1800, Gotlieb Kullar, the owner of Ublik, built a palace with a park on a high hill, offering a breathtaking view of Lake Ublik. In 1915, Russian soldiers burned it down; in 1945, Soviet soldiers completed the destruction and also dismantled the railroad tracks. After extensive reconstruction, it lost its historic character—only pairs of columns, the palace outbuilding (the White Lady), and the so-called gardener’s cottage remain. Today, there is a hotel there (lunch can be ordered one day in advance).
  • Cierzpięty—founded in the 15th century (formerly Tirtel or Cierspienten)—unfortunately features a heavily dilapidated manor house from the second half of the 19th century and a World War I military cemetery

Our favorite bike routes (light traffic, gravel roads):

  • The Masurian Cycling Loop – runs right by us, around the lakes, including a beautiful route around Lake Śniardwy
  • Loop (19 km total, approx. 1 hour 30 minutes) – Ublik, Bagna Nietlickie Nature Reserve, the village of Paprotki, Stara Kuźnia Farm, Marcinowa Wola, Ublik
  • To Mikołajki (25 km one way, approx. 3 hours total) – through Wężewo, Okartowo, Chmielewo, Łuknajno Nature Reserve, observation tower overlooking Lake Śniardwy (Łuknajno Farm)
  • Ublik – Hotel Park Ublik (4 km one way) – former palace and park complex

Cities and towns worth visiting:

  • Mikołajki (25 km) – sailing and a pleasant atmosphere, marina. Accessible by bike via gravel and small paved roads through Tuchlin, Chmielewo, and the Łuknajno Lake Biosphere Reserve. Sailboats available for rent
  • Giżycko (24 km) – sailing, plus Boyen Fortress, boat cruises
  • Ryn (30 km) – Teutonic castle, marina
  • Okartowo – church from 1799

The surrounding area within a 40-kilometer radius. Our favorite spots—the villages and wilderness around Lakes Śniardwy, Tałty, Mikołajskie, and Ryńskie….