THE MOST DESIRABLE "SLOW" DESTINATIONS IN LOWER SILESIA

This scene is easy to imagine. You tell your girlfriend/boyfriend that you are going camping. Your partner - a moderate fan of sleeping under an unstable roof - packs thermal underwear, tights up to the armpits, canned food, mosquito spray and with devoted love, follows you into nature. Your significant other is a bit tense because they remember the times of backaches after a night on the ground, but the important thing is that they follow along. Suddenly, your slightly frightened partner sees glamping. That is, a hybrid of sleeping in a tent and a fancy hotel. A glamping tent has a bed, real bedding, sometimes a fireplace. Sometimes there is a skylight with a view of the stars, and sometimes a bathtub. And what's important: you don't have to wander into the bushes to relieve yourself, although as nature lovers we think this is an adventure too. So if you fancy an unusual accommodation experience, you should definitely check out the Lower Silesian glamping sites. Three things matter: closeness to nature, openness to new experiences and a sense of adventure. You can choose a glamorous tent, or a more adventurous version, where (for example) you have to climb up, but the views are worth the effort. If you are sensitive to sounds: remember that the tent has thin walls, so you can hear everything. 

If you are just beginning your adventure with Polish agrotourism, we recommend starting here in Lower Silesia. First, get rid of any connotations connected with the word agritourism. There will be no salmon-coloured wallpaper, no random furniture, no carpeted floors and walls that remember the plague of mosquitoes a decade ago. Today's slow agritourism has little in common with a farmer's room. Today these are super-conscious places created by people with passion and ideas. Not only by local villagers but also by city dwellers who decided to drop everything and make their dream of hosting people far away from the smog, traffic jams and deadlines come true. But, lest you think that life in the countryside is all idyllic, it is also really hard work for people who save old barns or open eco-farms with a real brigade of animals to look after. And note - there is no customer service here. There is no daily cleaning and towel washing. There is no parking attendant or valet. There is the host, sometimes his animals, there are all the village insects and pets. Static photos from interior design magazines do not show that when it rains, it can be muddy, there are flies, and the neighbour's dog likes to bark, and no one will ask him to keep quiet because of the tourists. Experiential tourism, which agritourism offers, is not for everyone, and that is ok too. It is important to make your choice consciously. But if you like eggs from happy hens, if you want to show your children how milk is produced, if you want to taste food without additives, or if you want to sit at a common table with your hosts and guests, you will be satisfied.

Lower Silesia is home to our favourite guesthouses. It is also a real treasury of extraordinary people - hosts who infect you with their vision of the world and life in the spirit of slow. Runaways from the city, ready to make their dreams come true brick by brick. This is where the legendary Zloty Jar, with its extraordinary hosts Gosia and Maciek, grew up. It is here, in the Jizera Mountains, that you'll find the guesthouse Kwieci (our teenagers respectfully say "we remember" when they recall waffles for breakfast). It is here, in Dom na Końcu Świata, that rabbits are rescued, and in Leśne Apartamenty Strażnica, kids can roll around in the mud as much as they like and get to know nature as they used to, up close. At Centrum Łąkowa, we met people who were crazy about being active (and equally crazy guests). The hosts know every stone here and will tell you which way to go on the trail, where to shred your cross-country skis and will enthusiastically respond to any dog guests. At Taras Tarczyn, you'll be greeted by a host from the Netherlands and a beautifully renovated barn with great views and designer interiors. If you are travelling with curious kids - be sure to visit Villa Greta in the Land of Dormant Volcanoes. Their kitchen has a Gault Millau stamp, and kids run all over Dobkowo to fill out their explorer passports with stamps. Or do you need a break without the stamping of little feet? Head for Rajskie Jabłka - a "red as brick" barn in the middle of the fields with a view of the forest. In this spa for the body and soul, you'll be treated to delicious cuisine (gastrotourists come here!), and you can book a massage! Drop by Domnumer 10 by Dziki Wąwóz in the Karkonosze Mountains to hear what it's like to buy an old cottage in the dark and combine the old with the new. Maybe this story will inspire you to change your life?

Something for the lovers of "give me peace and quiet", introverts and those who count the years since the invention of the food ordering app (because, after all, you don't have to talk to anyone). Well, admit that you have moments like this. We're not judging; we just know that peace and quiet can sometimes be the cure for all evil. We like to say our Slowhop getaways are in the "backwoods". Our recipe for a good day off? No GSM, in the evening, you can hear the fire in the fireplace, and the only neighbours are the forest animals that come to visit. Do you prefer something less extreme? Rest assured, for those who simply want to get away from people (not necessarily from the internet); we will also find something. We invite you to the charming backwoods of Lower Silesia, to the cottages, which you can own exclusively for a while.

This will not be a story about a princess trapped in a high tower, nor about a princess who got sores from sleeping on a pea. It will be a story about the castles and palaces of Lower Silesia, saved from oblivion as a result of a murderous struggle of history enthusiasts. How much bloodshed it took is known only to those who undertook this fight. What about a trip along the Lower Silesian section of the European Castles and Palaces Route? There are several places where you can not only feel the spirit of the old times but also swat a mosquito in real chambers, make your way through terraced gardens, taste palace cuisine and then have a glass of wine by the fireplace. Autumn is coming, why not jump on the opportunity to visit palaces? Make a note of these addresses: 1. Pałac Gorzanów - a miracle of Silesian architecture: a 16th-century palace brought back to life by a group of enthusiasts. So far, you can only sleep in a few renovated flats, but you can visit 187 other chambers. A treat for history lovers and adventurers, but don't expect palace luxury. It's more like a hostel and a crazy adventure. 2. Pałac Kamieniec - a palace that is an architectural pearl of the Kłodzko Valley. Inside, luxurious interiors, unforced elegance, and many beautiful, refined details. Delicious breakfast and be sure to try the chef's creations - guests praise it.

Are there any hedonists here? Who needs a Russian hot tub, a bath in hay or (try to top that) a massage on a pier in the company of curious donkeys? And this is just the beginning! One warning. Don't expect a classic spa, disposable slippers, your grandma's cap and paper undies. We are not interested in the ordinary; we go into the natural topics for tired corporate employees, working mums or those who simply like to be pampered. For bodily pleasures, go to these addresses: 1. Folwark Wrzosówka - a manor farm with a house in the Jizera Mountains, overlooking the panorama of the Karkonosze Mountains. Countryside animals, beautiful interiors and a massage in nature. It is necessary to let us know in advance. Important: There is a telescope on-site for observing the dark Jizera sky. 2. Villa Elise Park Pension - a factory owner's villa from the turn of the 19th and 20th century, located at the foot of Sowia Kopa in the Kłodzko Valley. Masterful cuisine, delicious wine, huge, palatial rooms and delightful hosts. Ask about massages in advance.