Navigating the Lakes of Poland
The country of Poland has almost 10,000 lakes located all throughout the country. Most of the lakes are in the Pomeranian Lake district and the Lakelands of Masurian. There are also a high number of mountain lakes in the Tatra Mountains.
Lake Sniardwy
Lake Sniardwy is the largest lake in Poland, and is one of the Great Masurian Lakes. It is the center part of the Masurian Landscape Protective Area. Sniardwy is not the best lake for swimming, since it is very shallow and rocky. People go there to conduct biological studies, to observe animals, as well as for yachting. It has a surface area of 110 square kilometers (68 square miles).
Lake Mamry
Lake Mamry is the second largest Polish lake, also a Great Masurian lake. Its surface area is 104 square kilometers (65 square miles), and it is actually six connected lakes. Lake Mamry is a popular tourist spot, and also has 33 islands in its waters.
Lebsko Lake
Lebsko Lake is a coastal lake in the Pomeranian district, in Slowinski National Park. It is the largest Pomeranian lake, with a surface area of 71 square kilometers (41 square miles). The Leba River flows through Lebsko Lake, and then empties out into the Baltic Sea in Leba, a small northern town.
Drawsko Lake
Drawsko Lake is located in the western Pomeranian district, in the Drawski Lakeland. Its depth is about 80 meters (262.4 feet), so it is the second deepest Polish lake. Its surface area measures at 1,956 hectares (4833 acres).
Lake Hancza
Lake Hancza is located in the Wigry Lake District in the Suwalkie Region, and is the deepest lake in Poland, at 108 meters (354 feet). It is about 3 square kilometers (1.86 square miles) in surface area.
Morskie Oko
Morskie Oko is located deep within the Tatra Mountains, an Eastern European mountain range. It is the largest lake in the range, at about .3 square kilometers, as well as the fourth deepest, at 50 meters (164 feet). It is a very beautiful lake surrounded by mountains, one of them being Rysy, which is the highest Polish Tatra Peak (standing at 2,499 meters). Morskie Oko used to be called “Fish Lake” (“Rybie Jezioro” in Polish) because it had a natural stock of fish, especially trout. It is a large tourist destination, but visitors are forbidden from swimming in the lake or feeding the trout.