Jezioro means chill! The lakesides in Poland

There is one thing that is bound to struck you when you hit the road in Poland.

The forests.
I know, when you’re born here you don’t realise how unique it is to have so many green sites, with trees offering pleasant shadows.

Well not only that.

Here comes another surprise: summer in Poland can be really hot. I mean: really hot. Nobody associates this not-so-small but quite-far-from Siberia country with 30 odd degrees heat waves. Well, brace yourselves! It is more likely to happen than not! And there are different ways of running away from the boiling hot Polish summer. Of course we have a sea in the North, but even though it has some of the most picturesque beaches in this part of Europe the Baltic can be freezing cold. There are some who love to jump into the 18 degree Celsius water. And some who despise it. But first you do have to get there, and it can be a real pain to travel hundreds of kilometers on infamous Polish roads. Especially when the thermometers show HOT!

That’s why this text is about the salvation that Mother Nature send to Poles when she saw them suffering under the Mediterranean-like sun!

The lakes!

This is the time, when you should go deeper into the woods. Follow the crowds, and go to the lakeside! This is the most quintessentially summery thing to do in Poland. Ant it turns out going to the lakeside is not so obvious outside of Poland, am I correct?

Meanwhile here everybody does it! Literally everybody! Bankers, teachers, students, mothers, fathers and kids. If you run a survey trying to establish a pictogram that would be a synonym of a word chill, 95% of Poles would choose a lakeside to be one.

And it is not too hard to imagine a scenario like the one below:

There is a 30 degree heat outside and you’re in the middle of one of Polish cities. You’re too tired to think, not to mention do anything creative,  You take your phone out and type a message “jezioro* today?” and you have an instant flood of tak’s* coming. All of a sudden somebody’s got a car to take you there. It doesn’t matter if it is an old Fiat Cinquecento, you’ll all fit in. Somebody’s already bought an 8-pack of Perła and some Lech Shandys. One of your friends has had their barbecue ready for ages and she was waiting only for a sign. The only thing that’s left to do is to find the closest Żabka and buy something to drink and to grill, pack your flip-flops, anything-to-swim-in-but-speedos, sunglasses and a sun lotion. You meet, and you have no idea how you’re going to fit into the the tiny Fiat with all this food, cans, barbecue, an inflatable pink flamingo, two sun loungers and six of you!
But it doesn’t matter! The lake is only 10 minutes ride, and in any case you’ll keep your heads low.****

And of course you make it! In no time you’re somewhere behind the trees! You already have your feet ankle-deep in a perfectly chilling water, the flamingo is floating towards the heart of a little lake. There is the smell of a barbecue coming, and a lively chatter from a pier. Within minutes you’re on the other side of the rabbit hole! From an overheating, noisy, urban centre to here. The calm, green surrounding and lazy waters offering pleasant breeze. You’re just on one of the semi-wild beaches with a tiny pier handmade by some keen fishermen. And you had never expected it to be so nice.

Jezioro simply means chill.***

More information and glossary

*&*** Jezioro actually means ‘a lake’, and going to the lakeside is so popular during the summer time that it is almost instantly associated with leisure in Poland, that’s why “it means chill”.

**tak is a Polish word for ‘yes’.

****it often happens that people going to the lakeside go in an over packed car. Not judging, just mentioning. I liked it...

Going to a lakeside is really popular also in Toruń, and I must admit that I absolutely loved it and I would go either to Kamionki, Okonin, Osiek  or Zalesie any time I have a chance to do it. However, some of the best lakesides close to Toruń are found in Bory Tucholskie, where you can enjoy the nature and beautiful lakes.

The most popular region known for its lakes is Mazury in North-East of Poland. A place that enchants people to the point of calling it “one of the world’s wonders” so it is definitely worth going there. Especially when you like to be cut off from the world, rent a lodge and not to worry about anything but the next chapter of your book.

Perła - one of the most popular and beloved beers in Poland. Most of the beer in Poland is the pilsner type similar to lager.

Lech Shandy - Lech is a Poznań based brewery immensely popular in Poland, offering the Lech Shandy drink which is a mix of 50% of lager and 50% of lemonade.

Żabka - a chain of grocery and newsagent stores found across Poland, usually more expensive than local independent shops and big supermarkets.