If you are anything like me, you are already planning your summer vacation, and Rzucewo may not be on your bucket list. Because Rzucewo is not glamourous like the French Riviera, and it’s also almost impossible to pronounce if you are not used to the Polish language. It’s just a village in Puck County, Pomeranian Voivodeship, in Northern Poland, but it lays on the Baltic coast, on the Gulf of Puck, a charming rural setting, perfect for a vacation far from the madding crowds. This is one of the lovely spots that make Puck the ideal destination for your next summer vacation.
Rzucewo is a famous spot in Puck County. It is the site of an impressive XIX century palace, the Jan III Sobieski Castle, now a luxury hotel, with 6 single rooms, 16 double rooms, and 5 suites, all furnished to welcome VIPs – but old-school and old-fashioned, like a blast from the past. The peaceful castle grounds have a lovely playground with a slide for the little ones, and a giant set chess if you are in the mood to exercise your body and your brain at the same time.
Zamek Jan III Sobieski, Rzucewo
Mierzeja Helska, the Hel Peninsula with its Seal Sanctuary is another attraction of Puck County. But besides being a tourist spot, this is also an institution for research and conservation. Children will love a visit to the sanctuary. Falls here are pleasantly warm, and the landscape maintains a pristine, predominantly natural appearance, with sandy dunes covered in Honckenya and wild vegetation. The peninsula is part of the Coastal Landscape Park (Nadmòrsczi Park Krajòbrazny) together with the Gulf of Puck, the west coast, and Białogóra.
Hel Peninsula – a peaceful retreat.
In the Coastal Landscape Park, Rozewie with its landmark lighthouse is one of the most romantic spots to visit as a couple. Sunsets here have the stuff of dreams. You can spend hours of bliss picnicking and staring at the skies. The old lighthouse of Rozewie is colored in a distinctive red, and is open to the public. It is still in work, with a lantern from 1822, updated in 1978. The lighthouse is named Stefan Żeromski to honor the Polish novelist that is often referred to as the “conscience of Polish literature.” The pebbly beach in Rozewie is one of the most picturesque stretches on the Baltic coast. People of all ages walk on the beach at sundown to see the spectacular colors over the skies and the waves of the sea turning purple.
Sunset over the Baltic sea. The pebbly beach in Rozewie.
Then, the Fisherman House in Wladyslawowo with its delightful Butterfly Museum is another attraction of the Puck County that you should not miss – with over 3000 exhibits, the museum attempts to break the Guinness record for the largest collection in a small place. The Fisherman House is the main architectural landmark of Wladyslawowo, and currently the official seat of the city. The building was erected from 1953 to 1957 and served initially as a hotel. Besides the Butterfly Museum and government offices, the building also houses several other official institutions.
In Wladyslawowo you will also find busy beaches and camping grounds, the Memorial Center General Jozef Haller, the amazing Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Wladyslawowo with its unique architecture by Szczepan Baum and Andrzej Kuleszę, and the Salt Meadows reserve at the base of the Hel Peninsula.
Finally, Puck itself, the seat of the county, has a charming old town center, Attractions in Puck include the Muzeum Ziemi Puckiej im. Floriana Ceynowy history museum in a historic timber-framed building; the 13th century St Peter and Paul’s Gothic church; the marina with its photogenic wooden pier and charming restaurant “Perla Pucka;” the ruins of the medieval Teutonic Knightand castle; and sure, the beach. Kitesurfing is one of the favorite pastimes in Puck, in addition to sailing. There are also numerous hiking and cycling trails that appeal to active travelers.