Koszalin lies in north-western Poland where the Dzierzecinka River flows into Lake Jamno. The town is located about 10 km south of the Baltic Sea coast, on the main road between Gdansk and Szczecin. Other nearby towns include Kamien Pomorski, Mielno and Kolobrzeg. Koszalin is surrounded by beautiful forests and reserves, including the bird reserves in Parnowo (5 km to the west) and at Lubiatowskie Lake (5 km to the south). The highest point in Koszalin is Chelmska Hill, topped with a tower for you to climb and look out over the local scenery below.

The part beside the sea is interesting as it features many dunes, cliffs, spits and wide sandy beaches. This picturesque landscape creates a truly astonishing range of scenery, including the many little lakes and river valleys that divide the region.

The history of Koszalin (Köslin in German, Kòszalëno in Kashubian, and Scurgum in Latin) is closely connected with that of the Western Pomeranian region, where different cultures have undergone a process of assimilation since the 12th century. Until that time, Koszalin, and particularly the Chelmska Hill, was a centre of a pagan cult and only a Slavic settlement. The region of Koszalin belonged to Poland at the time of Duke Mieszko I, but the first written reference to a specific settlement come... ( бoльше >>)