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About the Forests
The Tuchola Forests (Bory Tucholskie) are one of the largest and most beautiful forest complexes in Poland, stretching across the northern part of the country, mainly in the Pomeranian and Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeships. It’s an ideal destination for those seeking peace, nature, and active recreation away from the city hustle.
We want to focus on the area within the triangle of Cekcyn, Śliwice, and Osie, with Tuchola as its economic center.
Tuchola
Once a stronghold of the Pomeranian dukes, Tuchola was an important trading settlement on the route to Gdańsk. Today, it is a county town of just under 14,000 residents, located in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship. The town’s patron is Saint Margaret, depicted in the town’s coat of arms and symbols. According to legend, Saint Margaret protected the town from disaster; today, she blesses Tuchola, commemorated by a monument on Nowodworskiego Street, and residents celebrate her feast annually.
Visitors should explore Tuchola’s historic town center, with the central market (now Plac Wolności) surrounded by a network of narrow, intersecting streets. A walk through these streets gives a true sense of the town’s atmosphere.
The Museum of the Tuchola Forests (ul. Podgórna 3) is also worth a visit, with permanent exhibits on local history, the daily life of Borowiaks in the past, and the region’s nature, as well as temporary exhibitions, such as folk art displays.
Fojutowo Aqueduct
One of the greatest attractions in the Tuchola Forests, the aqueduct is inspired by Roman architecture and is the largest structure on the Great Brda Canal. It is also the longest and most massive of its kind in Poland (75 m wide). The difference in height between the intersecting water levels is about 9 m. Built in 1848, it connects the Czerska Struga with the Brda Canal. Visitors can cross the aqueduct on a footbridge—walking “dry-footed” above the Brda is an unforgettable experience.
In Fojutowo, a 30-meter wooden observation tower offers panoramic views of the forest and the aqueduct. Entrance is free.
Tleń
Tleń is a small village, formerly a mill settlement and inn on the Wda River, now a popular summer destination in the Tuchola Forests. Its appeal comes from its location amidst vast forests full of mushrooms and berries, near a large artificial lake created by the Żura hydroelectric plant, with a well-developed tourist infrastructure and numerous trails.
Points of interest include a section of the “Napoleonic Route” from 1812. About 1.5 km from the center, there is a bathing area with a beach and pier. The village functions as a resort, offering shops, restaurants, a promenade, campsites, guesthouses, and a PTTK Water Station. Five kilometers west lies the peat bog reserve “Dead Lake” (Jezioro Martwe, 4.07 ha), home to dystrophic lake and peatland vegetation.
Raciąż Stronghold
At the western edge of the Tuchola Forests, surrounded by lakes Raciąskie, Rudnica, and Przylonek, lies the village of Raciąż. This peaceful summer destination is off the main roads. Each July, Raciąż hosts a folk art fair featuring local artists.
About 3 km from the village center, on the border of the Kuyavian-Pomeranian and Pomeranian Voivodeships, lies Lake Śpierewnik. On its southern side is an island of 138.9 ha, where fragments of an early medieval, oval stronghold from the 12th century were discovered, protected by a ring-shaped rampart. The earliest settlement traces in Raciąż date back to the Neolithic. Visiting the Raciąż stronghold is free.
Stone Circles in Odry
This nature reserve, established in 1958, features two main habitats: heathlands covering the treeless circles and a fresh pine forest with 130-year-old trees. The main attraction is the lichens on the stones forming the circles, as well as those on burial mounds. Forty lichen species and six moss species have been identified, some living for hundreds of years.
The Stone Circles in Odry can be called Poland’s own Stonehenge, the largest and oldest site of its kind in Europe after the megalithic circles in England.
Mining Village in Huta
Coal mines in northern Poland? Surprisingly, yes! The Mining Village in the Tuchola Forests is based on an incredible history unearthed literally from underground. Archaeological research shows that between 1850–1939, five underground lignite coal mines operated here. Today, visitors can explore the remains of one mine, meet the mysterious mine ghost, and search for the treasure of miner Wilhelm Krüger.
Craft workshops allow guests to try pottery and blacksmithing, and visitors can create felt decorations. Children enjoy 19th-century games and activities, making it a family-friendly historical experience.
