In each magazine we try to present unique places and facilities in Varmia and Masuria. Although, they are different they have one thing in common , each of them has its own history and unique atmosphere. However, we have presented a lot of different places we still have a lot of ideas and each time we must do a careful selection. This time we are presenting some more original places where relaxation in winter as well as in summer is a unique and unforgettable experience.
Like family holidays at your grandparents’ in Ostrów Kierwiński
Ostrów Kierwiński Agriculture is friendliness, a family atmosphere ,a taste of home cooking, reminiscence of holidays at your grandparents’ in the countryside‘. The owners-Beata and Waldek left the city for good and settled down near Lidzbark Warminski several years ago. They created an all year round agro-library with 4 thousand books in a place with a history of 400 years located on a former island. Waldek is a poet and Beata is a mistress of home-made cuisine based on her own and her grandmother’s recipes with the aroma of mushrooms, fruit, fish, meat, smoked meat, cake and authentic leavened bread. Relaxation on deckchairs, on the grass or at the fireplace, with a cat on your lap – these are some the attractions that are missed and missing in the hustle and bustle of big city life . Ostrów Kierwiński is a place with artistic soul- it is willingly visited by writers, actors and musicians. It is an oasis of pure idleness and an ideal starting point for sightseeing the neighborhood-on foot, by canoe or by car. There is a playground, a childrens’ playhouse with a slide, a swing, a sandpit, a summer playground, a pool and an open-air museum of old agricultural machines. You can stroke goats, donkeys, ponies, dogs, cats, rabbits and hens. You can see wild boars, deer, storks and cranes. Wherever you look you see beauty- an elderflower avenue, bushes, a rockery, charming nooks and crannies and the sound of birds singing.
Patryki Mill-relaxation in a slow mode
Bożena and Andrzej had always known that they want to move out from Warsaw. When they found an advert in the newspaper they decided immediately and that’s the way the biggest adventure in their life started. At the same time, the biggest challenge was the adaptation of an old mill standing partly in water for residential purposes. Nowadays Patryki Mill is a renovated and a complex facility that did not lose the charm of the old water mill. The mill mechanism, which is believed to date back to 1880, is well preserved and a huge water mill wheel with 5 a metre diameter which is unique in the world. There are five double rooms with a bathroom, a view on the river and full of books. There is a sauna from where you can jump into next to the river but, there is no TV and your phones work really very slow. Patryki Mill is a great place to relax in a slow- unhurried spirit, admiring nature, total tranquility and lazy walks. It has also very good food since Patryki Mill cuisine means enjoying and celebrating dishes during which conversation is flowing slowly and the senses are used to enjoy the taste. You can have a baked yam soup, fennel cream with slices of smoked salmon, broccoli and courgette cream with an egg benedict, lentil pate with tomato salsa and yellow and green courgette roulade with gorgonzola cheese and buckwheat groat, courgetteroulade with gorgonzola cheese and dried tomatoes, loin with salsa of baked pepper and courgette with zatar, baked aubergine with tomato sauce with feta and rice with cranberries…Everything is prepared by Andrzej-a miller. It is he who rules in the kitchen. He is a fan of creating new dishes and tastes, continuous experimenting that is contagious. He thinks that you should not stick to hard rules because cooking must be a pleasure.
Relaxation in luxury with history in the background in Hotel St. Bruno
In Giżycko there is luxurious Hotel St. Bruno **** that used to be a XIV century gothic castle built by the Teutonic Knights. The original basic part of the castle preserved until today and the sides which have been reconstructed in good taste. The rooms in the castle part make a striking impression. In some of them you can see the original brick walls, gothic arched windows and carved shags in the walls. The rooms are untypically high so you can find entresols with iron spiral staircases in some of them. There are spacious, comfortable beds, stylish furniture, luxurious bathrooms and air-conditioning in the rooms located in two wings of the building – Łuczany and Stary Dwór. There is a restaurant La Bibliotheque divided into two parts a fireplace room and an orangery. Its decoration combines elegance with the style of the 20s. The head-chef is a master serving dishes made from local products with local taste. In the hotel there is also a professional Medi Spa. It is a place where guests can regenerate the body and stimulate the senses. It offers a wide range of treatments that are tailor-made to suit the customers’ preferences. Wellness in Hotel St. Bruno is a 17 metre swimming pool with hydro massage, a waterfall, power showers and an intimate sauna where relaxation takes on a healthy nature. There is a special pool for children including a round section offering warm water massages.
In harmony with time and nature in Galiny
Galiny Palace and Grange is a beautifully restored estate situated on the border of Varmia and Masuria. It consists of a XVI century Renaissance palace surrounded by a 5 hectare park crossed by the meandering river Pisa and a XIX century grange constructed from characteristic red bricks. There is a hotel and an inn. Each of the 37 rooms and apartments is different. The unique atmosphere of the historic buildings is emphasised by inividually designed interiors. Galiny Inn meals are prepared from local, ecologic products and combine regional traditions with theb unique taste of genuinely natural ingredients. Delicious cuisine is a great advantage of Galiny and has been awarded ‘a cap’ in the Yellow Guide Gault&Millau Poland. Fruit, vegetables, herbs from Galiny crops, locally made cheese, sausages and homemade preserves are used in preparing dishes. Every month guests can try new, seasonal dishes from available and fresh products. Olga Lompa-a chef in Galiny was awarded in the prestigious title ‘ Female Chef of the North Poland Region’.
The specific character of Galiny Palace and the Grange offers the opportunity of spending every day in a different way. The great infrastructure of Galiny Stud ( various places to ride, an indoor ,heated riding center and beautiful horse riding paths) allow one to go horse riding every season of the year. Apart from horse riding which is a hallmark of Galiny there are also tennis courts, bikes and canoes. There are picturesque ponds full of fish for angling enthusiasts . From a viewing point overlooking fields near the ponds, you can observe deer, wild boar, hares, foxes and many species of birds including shy woodpeckers and cranes. It is a real paradise for those who like taking wildlife photos. In winter you can try cross-country skiing in the snow or on a specially formed track, sledging with children and ice-skate in the surroundings. There is the Miniature Animal Farm, where under the supervision of an instructor, they can safely meet up with animals and learn all about them. The owners and all employees of Galiny Palace and the Grange together and with pleasure follow the mission of the facility in accordance with the title ‘In harmony with time and nature’. As a curiosity ,it is worth knowing that the film ‘Kamerdyner’ by Filip Bajon was shot in Galiny.
