Kalisz: City Routes, Medieval Traces and Parks

There are several ways to explore Kalisz: a route with nine stops, reconstructed medieval fortifications, sacred art and parks with a history of their own. You can organize your discoveries according to your interests—with a walk through distinctive places, a visit to the archaeological reserve or a look at the history of a single work of art. These themes can also help you decide what you want your stay to focus on when looking for hotels in Kalisz.

City routes: stops or parks

The Kaliski Szlak Wiewiórek (Kalisz Squirrel Trail) began in 2024 and currently has nine stops. It leads through distinctive places in Kalisz and invites residents and tourists to explore the city actively. The Szlakiem Kaliskich Parków (Kalisz Parks Trail) has a different focus: it leads through Rodziny Wiłkomirskich Park, Planty Miejskie, Miejski Park, Przyjaźni Park and Szczypiorno Manor Park. The main difference between the two routes is their focus: one connects stops at various distinctive locations, while the other takes in five named parks.

Miejski Park also tells part of the city’s story: it was established in 1798 on the site of former Jesuit gardens. On the route through the parks, it is one of a series of different green spaces; its historic origins give this part of the route a distinct connection to the city’s past.

Medieval traces in Zawodzie

The “Kaliski Gród Piastów” Archaeological Reserve in Zawodzie is part of the Muzeum Okręgowe Ziemi Kaliskiej (District Museum of the Kalisz Region). Its reconstructed fortifications include a gate with a palisade, palisades around a reconstructed defensive tower and a section of the former timber-and-earth fortifications. Visitors can learn about the remains of the early medieval stronghold and the furnishings of medieval houses.

In the wider destination of Kalisz, the reserve also includes seven reconstructed dwellings. They represent different roles: a saddler, a castellan, a weaver’s widow, a servant, a knight, a blacksmith and a potter. The reconstructions make the range of these portrayed living and working roles a focus of the visit. The reserve thus offers a look at both the fortifications and the furnishings of the houses.

Sacred art and city history

The Romanesque “Kalisz Paten” is displayed in the treasury of the Sanctuary of St. Joseph. Mieszko III the Old donated it to the Cistercian monastery in Ląd sometime between about 1193 and 1202. The object connects a specific place of display in Kalisz with its historical purpose for the monastery. In the wider destination of Kalisz, the National Sanctuary of St. Joseph was elevated to the status of a minor basilica by Pope Paul VI in 1978.

Green spaces in the wider destination of Kalisz

As an additional point of interest in the wider destination of Kalisz, Przyjaźni Park offers another way to experience Kalisz. It lies between Polna, Skalmierzycka and Sułkowskiego Streets and the Szlak Bursztynowy, and covers more than eleven hectares. Five ponds are connected by dams or separated by bridges; fish and wild ducks can be found in the park. The park also has two playgrounds, an amphitheatre, sports grounds, tennis courts and a street workout area. The park’s bodies of water and wildlife sit alongside several specifically named recreational and sports facilities.

Another way to explore the wider destination of Kalisz is the “Szlak Ciekawej Architektury Kalisza” (Kalisz Interesting Architecture Trail), a walking route through Kalisz about 5.5 kilometres long. Together with the city’s varied themed routes and park trails, it offers a choice of places to discover, depending on whether you are interested in architecture, history or green spaces.

Other places to help you find your bearings

Dębniałki, Żelazków, Szałe, Staw, Wolica, Borek, Nowa Plewnia, Blizanów.

For the wider travel overview: Kalisz.