Giżycko lies on a narrow strip of land between two big lakes, Niegocin and Kisajno, in the middle of the Masurian Lake District, and the setting is the whole story. The region, Mazury, has some two thousand lakes, linked by canals and rivers, scattered among forests and fields in the north-east of Poland, and Giżycko is its sailing capital, with a harbor full of yachts, a pier and a lakeside promenade where families eat ice cream in summer.
The town's German name was Lötzen, and for centuries this was part of East Prussia. The Prussians built a star-shaped fortress here in the mid-nineteenth century, the Boyen Fortress, named for a Prussian general, with thick brick walls and bastions that now form a park. After 1945 the area became Polish, and the town was renamed after Gustaw Gizewiusz, a Lutheran pastor who championed Masurian culture. A rotating bridge over the canal, still turned by hand, is a curious attraction. The Wolf's Lair, Hitler's wartime headquarters, lies in the forest near Kętrzyn, about forty kilometers away, where the 1944 bomb plot against him took place.
For riding, the lakes area is flat to gently rolling, with straight roads through forests of pine and birch, tree-lined avenues of old oaks and lindens, and glimpses of water between the trees. National roads 59 and 63 run through the area, with moderate traffic, and the side roads are quieter. It is a peaceful, restful kind of riding, and the storks that nest on poles and chimneys in the villages add to the charm. Tractors and horse carts are common, and in Poland you must use dipped headlights at all times.
Giżycko has fuel, supermarkets, restaurants and many guesthouses, and it is a good base for exploring. The local cuisine features freshwater fish, smoked eel, pierogi and mushroom dishes. The best months are June to September, with warm days and long light, though July and August bring crowds. Spring and autumn are quieter, and winter freezes the lakes, with ice sailing on the Masurian waters. Deer and wild boar cross the roads at dusk, so slow down in forested stretches.