Masuria: MS Classic Lady

Please plan your arrival so that you are at Frederic Chopin Airport in the arrival hall Terminal 1 by 3pm or by 4pm at the Warsaw Central Station in the main hall. You will be met by the tour guide and taken to the transfer bus to Masuria. For those who arrive by car, paid parking spaces are available in Masuria (reservation required, payable on site).

After breakfast, there will be a briefing on the tour and the bikes will be handed out. In the morning, you’ll set off on an exploratory tour of Nikolaiken, a lovely little town and popular holiday resort. From the market square, you’ll have a great view of Nikolaiken’s heraldic animal, the legendary ‘Stinthengst’, which lies chained in the water beneath a bridge. In the afternoon, you’ll head to Lake Lucknain, which lies within the Masurian Biosphere Reserve. This small lake is a breeding ground for many rare waterbirds and is particularly well known for its large flocks of mute swans. You’ll be able to enjoy the view of this bird paradise set in an unspoilt natural landscape from a vantage point.

In the morning you take a short bike ride to the ferry station in Wierzba and continue on the other side by bike. You will visit a biological station in the nearby Popiellnen, which was set up for the back-breeding of the primeval Tarpan horse. The animals are released into the wild on the surrounding peninsula, so that with a bit of luck you will discover a small herd in the light forests. The journey to Kamien leads via Wejsuny [Weissuhnen], an old, East Prussian village with a pretty church in the style of the order and beautiful, old wooden houses. Past the Guzianka lock, you continue your bike tour around Lake Beldahn to Kamien, where the MS Classic Lady is already waiting for you. A boat trip to Nikolaiken rounds off the day.

The day begins with a boat trip to the Ryn. Then you cycle to the former sheep farm and on to the Wolf’s Lair (Wolfsschanze), where the remains of the former Führer's headquarters are. During a tour you may see a. the memorial stone that commemorates Count von Stauffenberg and the resistance fighters of July 20, 1944. Those who prefer not to visit the Wolf’s Lair can spend more time in Rastenburg (Kętrzyn). The Ordensburg and the fortified church of St. Georg, in which a picture from Lukas Cranach's school is housed, are worth seeing. You go through meadows, fields and lonely villages to Wilkasy, where the MS Classic Lady awaits you.

The cycle tour begins in the morning, taking you via Lötzen (Gizycko) to Lake Goldapgar. You will first take a walk around Lötzen, the water sports centre of Masuria, and see a hand-operated swing bridge. This is still in use and is a rare example of engineering heritage. The tour continues to the church, built to plans by the court architect Schinkel, where German-language services are now held once again. Near Lötzen, you will visit Boyen Castle, dating from the mid-19th century, which was built on a 100-hectare site between Lake Löwentin and Lake Mauersee. The journey continues to Lake Goldapgar, then round the lake and via Possessern to Wilkasy, before returning to the ship.

Today begins with an atmospheric boat trip along the beautiful ‘Five Lakes Route’ to Szymonka. The first stop on the cycle tour is Rhein (Ryn) with its 14th-century Ordensburg, which now houses a hotel. The castle was redesigned in the Baroque style and served as a prison for a time. In the inner courtyard, you can view a glass-covered knight’s tomb with grave goods. The tour then continues to Zondern. In a 200-year-old farmhouse, the Dickti family has set up a local history museum featuring many old household items, typical Masurian furniture, and a barn with old agricultural tools and machinery. After visiting the museum, the route leads along the Talter waterway to Nikolaiken and to the landing stage of the MS Classic Lady.

After a short boat trip, the cycling stage begins in Kamien and leads via Eckertsdorf to Kruttinnen. In Eckertsdorf (Wojnowo), set amidst a stunning natural landscape, lies the Russian Orthodox monastery of the Philippones. The so-called Old Believers settled here in 1825. Their houses and the wooden church with its golden onion dome bear witness to the Russian heritage of these religious refugees. The extensive woodland of the Johannisburger Heide is criss-crossed by a crystal-clear stream teeming with fish and crayfish. A punting trip on the Kruttinna is considered the highlight of any trip to Masuria. Let your mind wander as your boat glides almost silently through the crystal-clear, fish-rich waters. The starting point is the village of Kruttinnen, where you can also buy Masurian handicrafts, souvenirs and arts and crafts, amongst other things. A stop at a restaurant with a terrace right by the river, where freshly caught fish is served, is particularly delightful. The cycle route leads back to the Nikolaiken jetty via Galkowo, home to the Gut Ferenstein riding stables and the forester’s lodge, which now houses a nostalgic restaurant.

Your bike & boat trip in the Masuria ends with the transfer to Warsaw. Arrival at Warszawa Centralna railway station at approx. 11.45 am, arrival at Warsaw Frederic Chopin Airport at approx. 12.20 pm.

The planned route is always subject to possible changes due to nautical, meteorological or organisational reasons. If, for example, a route cannot be travelled due to low water, high water, bad weather or construction work, the captain reserves the right to change the route for your safety. This is not a legally valid reason for cancelling the trip free of charge. The same applies in the event of officially ordered lock or bridge repairs or in the event of engine or propulsion damage to the ship through no fault of the captain.