Postilion Trail

Voivodeship

Warmińsko-Mazurskie

Kingdom

At the Vistula Lagoon

Start:

Zielonka Pasłęcka Railway Station

End:

Elbląg Railway Station

Download GPX file

The trail overlaps with a fragment of the longer “Postman’s Trail” (129 km) leading to the Iława Lakeland. The trip starts in Zielonka Pasłęcka – you can arrive there by train from Elbląg. This direction of travel is recommended, because the difference in height between the start point and the finish point exceeds 100 m. In Zielonka Pasłęcka, it is worth visiting the Baroque church built in the late 18^th century. Inside the church, there is a painting of Merciful Christ, which was brought into the village by the population resettled from Volhynia after World War II. Because of this miraculous image, a sanctuary was established there. The next place on the trail is Kwitajny. Its territory includes a large mansion with a palace, a church and historic manor buildings that once belonged to the Doenhoff family. Until 1945 it was owned by Marion von Doenhoff – a journalist and the author of the book Namen die keiner mehr nennt (“Names That Nobody Knows Anymore”). It is also worth visiting the cemetery adjacent to the mansion. An important point on the trail of the trip is Pasłęk, originally called Prussian Holland because it was founded by Dutch settlers brought here for the purpose of draining marshes and wetlands. Pasłęk obtained civic rights in 1297; it is one of the oldest towns of the region. Although Pasłęk was severely destroyed during World War II, many valuable historic sites have survived there, including the Old Town surrounded by defence walls with a Gothic gate, the 14^th-century Gothic town hall with arcades, the Church of St. Bartholomew (also built in the 14^th century) containing an organ of the Hildebrandt company from 1719, and the castle of the Teutonic Church, which is currently occupied by local cultural institutions. Through the town located on the edge of the Iława Lakeland, flows the Wąska river – a kayaking trail to Lake Drużno. The Stanisław Pankalla ecological park is also worth attention. On the next section of the trail, there is the picturesque thematic village of Aniołowo abounding in angel sculptures. During the summer period, the International Rally of Angel Lovers is held here. Before reaching Elbląg, you can also stop in Przezmark to visit the historic church erected by Prussians in the middle of the 14^th century on the basis of an agreement with the Teutonic Knights. From Przezmark, which is located on the Elbląg Plateau, the trail leads to Elbląg, which lies almost 80 m below sea level in Żuławy Wiślane.

Trail option (25 km):

You can shorten the trail by starting your trip in Pasłęk.

Surface and marking of the trail:

The trail runs on asphalt roads and fully overlaps with the yellow PTTK trail.

Attractions on the trail: