Olsztyn is the capital of Warmia and Masuria, a region of forests and lakes in northern Poland that has the nickname of the land of a thousand lakes, although the real count is higher. The town lies on the river Łyna, with water on almost every side. Its medieval brick castle, built by the cathedral chapter of Warmia in the fourteenth century, looks over the old town, and the astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus lived in it for several years in the early sixteenth century as administrator of the chapter's estates. A table of the equinoxes that he drew on a cloister wall can still be seen.
The old town is compact, with brick gabled houses, a high gate and a market square that comes alive in summer with outdoor tables. The city later became a university town, and student energy fills the cafes. An unusual note is the chapel of the Jewish cemetery, designed by the architect Erich Mendelsohn, who was born in the city.
For riders, the countryside around Olsztyn is the attraction. Tree-lined avenues of old lime and maple, some planted centuries ago, arch over the tarmac, and the roads wind gently past lakes, forests and fields. The tarmac is generally good, though minor roads may have patches. The riding is more about the rhythm and the light than about tight bends. Cranes, storks and herons are common, and in early autumn the lakes can be wrapped in mist at dawn.
Further east, the Great Masurian Lakes around Mikołajki offer sailing and quiet roads, but they fill with holidaymakers in July and August. Choose May, June or September for emptier roads. Be careful at dusk, when deer cross, and keep to the speed limits, since Polish police use roadside cameras and patrol cars.
Olsztyn has plenty of stations and supermarkets. Try pierogi, smoked fish from the lakes and a plate of potato dumplings with mushroom sauce.