Masurian lakes and beaches: the loveliest places to swim and relax by the water

In Masuria, Poland's lake district, there is always a lake close by. You only have to choose which one: a town beach with a lifeguard and ice cream, a big lake full of sails or a quiet bay in the forest where all you hear is birdsong. We have gathered our favourite places and a few practical tips to make every day by the water a good one.

This guide is for everyone who comes to Masuria for the water. We show you where to find town beaches with lifeguarded bathing areas, which lakes are best for peace and quiet, where to take a boat trip to feel just how big the Masurian lakes are, and how to swim safely with children. Every place here is within a day trip of the Mrągowo area.

The Masurian lakes are very different from one another. Some are the heart of a town, with a promenade, a pier and a beach full of families. Others lie on the Great Masurian Lakes Trail and live for sailing. Others still hide in the forest and can be surprisingly calm even in midsummer. Before you set off, think about what you need most:

1. 01a lifeguard, sand and a playground: choose a town beach in Mrągowo, Giżycko, Ryn or Węgorzewo
2. 02sails, wind and a wide horizon: head for Lake Niegocin and Lake Mamry or take a boat out onto Lake Śniardwy
3. 03peace and forest: look for lakes in the Pisz Forest and the Masurian Landscape Park, such as Lake Nidzkie and Lake Bełdany
4. 04birds and views: visit Lake Łuknajno, where a viewing tower takes the place of a beach

In Mrągowo the lake is part of everyday life. The promenade along Lake Czos runs past the pier, the beach and the amphitheatre, and in season the town beach is a lifeguarded bathing area with jetties. Right next to it is the Ekomarina, with a small harbour and a large playground, so children have plenty to do when they have had enough of swimming.

In summer the lake fills with kayaks, pedalos and paddleboards. A good plan for the day: the beach in the morning, ice cream and a walk along the promenade in the afternoon, then dinner in town or a concert at the amphitheatre in the evening. Mrągowo is only 9 km from Krzywe, so this is the nearest lifeguarded beach to our houses.

Giżycko is the sailing capital of Masuria, and its town beach lies right next to the harbour on Lake Niegocin. It is wide, sandy, public and free, and in season it has a lifeguarded bathing area. Next to it there are volleyball, basketball and football pitches, a skating track, a skatepark and a water sports hire point.

Lake Niegocin is up to 40 metres deep and one of the largest lakes in Masuria. From your beach towel you get a real sailing show: yachts leaving the harbour, passenger boats and white sails all the way to the horizon. After the beach, walk over to Boyen Fortress or watch the swing bridge open over the Łuczański Canal.

Ryn lies between two lakes with completely different characters. Lake Ryńskie is for sailing, with a harbour and yachts. Lake Ołów, almost right below the castle, is calmer. It covers about 61 hectares and is more than 40 metres deep, and in summer it has a town beach with a bathing area and a jetty.

A walking loop of more than four kilometres runs around Lake Ołów. It starts near the castle and the beach, then follows the shore, partly through the forest. It is the perfect place for a day when a swim, a walk and a visit to the castle come together into one easy, unhurried whole.

Lake Mamry is the second-largest lake in Poland and the northern end of the Great Masurian Lakes Trail. With its islands, bays and plenty of wind, sailors speak of it with a gleam in their eye. In Węgorzewo there is a sandy town beach on Lake Mamry with a bathing area that is lifeguarded in summer, a jetty, a volleyball court and places to eat.

Lake Kisajno lies north of Giżycko and is linked to Lake Niegocin by a canal. It is dotted with islands and is part of the Mamry lake system. It is at its loveliest from the deck: Żegluga Mazurska boats sail from Giżycko on Lake Niegocin and Lake Kisajno from May to September, and an evening cruise, as the sun sinks behind the forest, stays with you for a long time.

Lake Śniardwy covers about 113.4 km² and is the largest lake in Poland. There is a reason it is called the "Masurian Sea": the open space, the wide horizon and the far shore fading into the distance can surprise anyone who thinks of lakes as something small.

Lake Śniardwy is best seen from the water. The three-hour Król Jezior cruise leaves Mikołajki and takes passengers out onto the open lake. For a swim, choose a smaller, sheltered lake or a beach with a lifeguarded bathing area, and enjoy Śniardwy from the deck, coffee in hand and the wind in your hair. If you are planning a day in Mikołajki, see our ideas for a weekend in Mikołajki.

If you love Masuria for its quiet, head towards the Pisz Forest. Lake Nidzkie reaches deep into the woods. It is full of bays, peninsulas and small islands, and has been a nature reserve since 1972. Sail a little way from Ruciane-Nida and the buildings disappear, leaving only forest, reeds and water. The Pranie forester's lodge, home to the Konstanty Ildefons Gałczyński museum, also stands on Lake Nidzkie.

Lake Bełdany is a long lake surrounded by the forests of the Masurian Landscape Park. The waterway from Ruciane-Nida towards Mikołajki runs through it, and a 39-kilometre cycling loop goes around the lake through Wejsuny, Wierzba and Iznota. A good place for a kayak, a bike ride and an evening by the water.

Closer to our houses, near Piecki, lies Lake Wągiel: a large, calm lake that is good for swimming, kayaking and resting away from the busiest harbours. There is none of the bustle of Mikołajki or Giżycko here, and that is exactly why so many people love it.

Not every lake is there to jump into. Lake Łuknajno near Mikołajki is a UNESCO biosphere reserve and one of the most important places in Poland to watch mute swans. You come here not for the beach but with a pair of binoculars. The viewing tower looks out over a wide belt of reeds and open water, and in spring the lake is full of birdsong. It makes a great stop on the way to Mikołajki or Lake Śniardwy.

For children, the best beach is one with a lifeguard, sand and something to do once they are tired of swimming. These places work well with little ones:

1. 01Mrągowo: the lifeguarded beach on Lake Czos with jetties and a large playground at the Ekomarina
2. 02Giżycko: a wide beach by the harbour, sports pitches, a skatepark and a skating track
3. 03Ryn: the bathing area with a jetty on Lake Ołów and a walk up to the castle
4. 04Węgorzewo: a sandy beach on Lake Mamry with a jetty and a volleyball court
5. 05Mikołajki: from July to September, outdoor pools with heated water and a water playground, good when the lake is still chilly

What to take for a day by the lake:

1. 01sun cream, a hat and something for shade, because the sun is stronger by the water than it feels
2. 02drinking water and snacks, as not every beach has a café
3. 03water shoes, useful on a stony or muddy lake bed
4. 04a warm jumper for the evening, because it cools down quickly by the lake after sunset
5. 05a buoyancy aid for kayaking and paddleboarding, especially for children
6. 06insect repellent if you are staying until dusk
7. 07a bag for rubbish, so you leave the shore as clean as you found it

The Masurian lakes are beautiful, but water always deserves respect. A few rules worth keeping in mind:

1. 01at a bathing area, look at the flag: white means swimming is allowed, red means no swimming, and no flag means no lifeguards on duty
2. 02swim within the marked area and listen to the lifeguards
3. 03keep children within sight of an adult by the water, in the shallows and on the jetty too
4. 04do not jump into water when you do not know how deep it is
5. 05do not go into the water after drinking alcohol, after dark or during a storm
6. 06early in summer the water can still be cold, so go in slowly and stay close to the shore

During hot spells, blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) can bloom in some lakes. The water turns greenish and cloudy, and swimming is not advised because it can irritate the skin and eyes. Before heading to the beach, check the Serwis Kąpieliskowy, the bathing water service run by Poland's Chief Sanitary Inspectorate. Its map shows which bathing areas are open and the latest assessment of the water quality.

Remember, too, that the beach at a holiday house or resort is usually not a lifeguarded bathing area. There is no lifeguard, so keeping safe is up to you.

The swimming season lasts only a few weeks, but the lakes are beautiful at any time of year:

What if the lake were just a few steps from your terrace? Lake Krzywe, where our houses stand, covers about 144 ha and is up to 22.5 m deep. It is a quiet zone, so instead of motor boats you hear birds and the splash of a paddle. The shore is about 10 metres from the terrace, and the beach with a jetty about 20 metres from the houses.

Coffee on the jetty in the morning, a kayak or a trip to one of the beaches in this guide during the day, a campfire by the water in the evening. The lifeguarded beach on Lake Czos in Mrągowo is 9 km away, and Mikołajki about 30 minutes. The beach by our houses is not a lifeguarded bathing area, so children must always be supervised by an adult by the water.

Our two houses, Modern and Loft, each have 130 m², four bedrooms and three bathrooms. Each sleeps up to 10 guests, and together they take up to 20. Prices start from PLN 999 a night for the whole house. You book directly with us, in the online calendar or by phone on +48 505 586 950.

The Masurian lakes have many faces. On the beaches of Mrągowo and Giżycko there is bustle, ice cream and a lifeguard. On Lake Śniardwy and Lake Mamry, wind and sails. In the forests around Lake Nidzkie and Lake Bełdany, a quiet that is hard to find anywhere else. The best plan is to try a little of everything, then come back in the evening to wherever the water is closest.

In Masuria you never have to look for a lake. You only have to choose which one is yours today.