Piotrków County: the Pilica, reservoirs and history
Accommodation in Piotrków County
The Pilica forms the natural backbone of Piotrków County. Along the river and at the reservoirs, water sports, nature watching and walks go hand in hand with a remarkable concentration of historic buildings. The range of experiences is also worth considering when choosing a place to stay: from the cycling route at the Sulejów Reservoir to a Cistercian monastery and equestrian activities in Bogusławice.
By the water: cycling, paddling and nature
The Sulejów Reservoir is an artificial body of water on the Pilica. Windsurfing, kayaking and sailing are all possible there. There are also numerous recreation centers, bathing areas and walking paths around the reservoir. You can enjoy the shore through water-based activities or on a walk; these options do not have to be combined into a single route.
The Zygmunt Goliat cycling route runs along the reservoir. Within the Sulejów municipality, it is about 15 kilometers long. Those interested in a longer paddling trip can explore a 45-kilometer stretch of the Pilica by kayak. These figures describe different options: a cycling route by the reservoir and a kayaking route on the river.
The Cieszanowice Reservoir also combines recreation and nature: it covers 260 hectares and is home to rare birds, including the common tern, little tern and Kentish plover. The Jodły Lubiaszów nature reserve is near Lubiaszów, in the southern part of the Wolbórz municipality. Covering 202.4 hectares, it protects a mixed forest with a high proportion of fir trees, as well as numerous protected plant species.
Monastery, palace and historic churches
The Cistercian monastery complex in Sulejów was recognized as a Monument of History of Poland by an order of the President of the Republic of Poland dated October 22, 2012. The abbey is one of Poland’s most valuable architectural monuments and is of great artistic, historical and scholarly significance. In Sulejów Podklasztorze, the historic Cistercian Route meets the historic Piast Romanesque Route.
The Bishop’s Palace in Wolbórz offers a different architectural accent: it was built from 1768 to 1773 in the late Baroque style as a summer residence for the bishops of Kuyavia. In Skotniki stands the wooden Church of the Immaculate Conception, built in 1528. The larch-wood church, with its wooden bell tower, is listed in the voivodeship register of monuments and is of regional significance.
In Witów, the remains of the former Norbertine abbey, founded in 1179, recall another era. They include a Baroque church and a historic gate tower dating from the 15th century. The buildings in Sulejów, Wolbórz, Skotniki and Witów thus represent different forms and periods of religious and secular architecture.
Art also has a place of its own: in 2000, the Autorska Galeria Sztuki „Nad Czarną i Pilicą” and an open-air museum were established in Taraska. Both belong to the artist Zdzisław Wojciech Słomka and display his work in a hundred-year-old cottage, an outbuilding and a garden.
Horse riding and regional specialties
The Stado Ogierów stud farm in Bogusławice offers riding lessons and recreational riding for all experience levels, including beginner courses and lunge lessons. Riding lessons take place daily. The tourist offer also includes carriage rides, guided tours of the stud farm and horse riding; pony rides are available for younger children. Activities and schedules may change, so check the stud farm’s latest information before your visit.
At local events and festivals in Kłudzice, visitors can try the local “partisan bread” and ice cream made to the producer’s own recipe. Both products are made at Kłudzice 45A. As availability from the producers may change, it is a good idea to check in advance whether tastings will be available at an event.
Getting around and other regional highlights
Sulejów is connected to Piotrków Trybunalski, the county seat, by bus and minibus services. Wolbórz has road-based public transport links to Piotrków Trybunalski and Tomaszów Mazowiecki. Operators and timetables may change; check current services before travelling.
The wider destination of Lodz offers additional, distinct attractions. Oporów Castle is a small late-Gothic fortified residence on an island surrounded by a moat; its museum displays stately interiors as well as paintings, sculptures and objets d’art. Łódź Heights Landscape Park protects a hilly landscape unique in central Poland, with springs, streams and remarkable wildlife. The park also has a dense network of marked walking and cycling trails.
Discover more destinations
Discover more destinations: Piotrków Trybunalski, Sulejów, Czerno, Wolbórz, Budy, Bronisławów, Bogusławice, Ręczno, Wola Krzysztoporska.
Back to the main travel overview: Lodz.
