Duszniki Zdrój in winter

How to get to Duszniki from Wroclaw? We went there by car, although we also considered traveling by train. However, we had very limited time, and the train from Wroclaw to Duszniki takes almost two hours. With a full day to travel, however, we would definitely opt for the train, especially in such weather! On that day the wind was blowing really hard and it was snowing heavily, which made our return journey quite difficult.... But about that in a moment. You'll get to Duszniki from Wroclaw via national road 8, and it's a pretty often used road, both by cars and trucks. So you usually drive slowly, especially since the route passes through several smaller towns and many villages. The route will be widened with an additional lane, but this is still a matter of a few years away. Our goal that day was a little sport and a little relaxation. We decided to cross-country ski at Jamrozowa Polana and then relax at Dzikie Spa. There is also the Museum of Paper in Duszniki-Zdrój, which attracts many tourists and school trips every season. We, however, in this article want to focus mainly on the winter attractions of this city and region!

We arrived at Jamrozowa Polana at 3:30 p.m. Road conditions were really difficult. Within a few hours, several tens of centimeters of fresh snow had fallen. From Road 8 we turned, following navigation, into Olimpijska Street and after a few hundred meters we reached the Central Sports Center. Here the wind was blowing even harder, and apparently this deterred many people, because no one was visible on the trail at this point! Only after a while did we see 2 people and this gave us a boost. We left the car in the parking lot and went to see if the rental shop was still open. At the entrance there was Ms. Sylwia, who pointed out where in the building the rental shop was located. It was not easy to spot it, as the door only showed only number 1.... However, it turned out that inside there was life and even dozens of sets of skis, boots and poles! After a while, the two of us went back there to rent equipment and set off quickly on the piste, because our schedule was really tight! For a set of classic style skis for an adult, we paid PLN 50 per person. You can also rent separately the skis themselves, boots or poles at a cost of PLN 30 each. The fee per person to enter the trail is 25 PLN and an additional 10 PLN per car. Compared to Jakuszyce, where the trails are for free, this is quite an expense. The cross-country skiing trails at Jamrozowa Polana are mainly two loops of about 1300m and 2250m. When enough snow falls, additional trails with a total length of about 20 kilometers are also groomed. These trails also join the network of ski trails on the Czech side. We chose the shorter loop and it was actually a lot of fun for us. Quite a steep hill, a gentle climb, but mostly a fairly flat trail and a long descent at the end. For those just starting their cross-country adventure, I would recommend Jakuszyce, where you can ride on completely flat terrain. It's worth going to Jamrozowa Polana after a few rides to enjoy the gently varied terrain. We started skiing when it was still daylight, and then we also stayed for the night ride with lights. I really recommend skiing after nightfall because it is very atmospheric. The facility is also equipped with a Biathlon shooting range, as it is the Polish Biathlon Center. It would have been nice to try to do some shooting but unfortunately it is currently not possible. We finished skiing after an hour, and for us it was the perfect dose of sport, although you can ski much longer on the local trails. Before you go cross-country skiing at Jamrozowa Polana, remember to contact the rental company first to find out if the trail and rental shop are open!

After an hour's ride, we returned the skis and said goodbye to Ms. Sylwia. It turned out that the Wild Spa is run by her husband's cousin! In the meantime, it snowed even more and we decided to leave the car in the parking lot by the main road and along Wiejska Street we began to climb to the very top. Again, the navigation did not let us down and we managed to reach the completely snow-covered path to the indicated address. There was a house there, and a dozen meters away we saw the gate to the Wild Spa. At the entrance we were welcomed by Marek, who together with his wife runs the place. He showed us the “house of love”, where pareos and bathrobes were waiting for us. The house of love turned out to be a very atmospheric cottage with a comfortable couch, fireplace, lemonade and decorations. We quickly changed our clothes and walked over to the sauna, where Marek was already waiting for us. First he asked us about our sauna experience and, as ours was small, gave us some basic information (including why you can't enter the sauna in a bathing suit!). Marek was pouring water with various oils on the stones every few minutes and fanning the warm air in our direction. We felt really great, and the best was yet to come. As there was really a lot of snow outside the window, we were given a choice of two options to cool down. Since there was a lot of snow, we were given a choice of two options to cool down. One was to make an angel in the snow (naked), and the other was to plunge into the ice water (also naked, of course). I chose the angel option, while Marysia got into the icy water and ran to the house of love with a scream! There we regulated our body temperature and after some time returned to the sauna. Marek was waiting for us with swithes and performed the ceremony accompanied by atmospheric music. It was an extraordinary experience and we felt really comfortable there. After 15 minutes it was time to cool down and this time we both took a dip in the icy water. When we returned to the house of love, we felt like we were after a good dose of alcohol or drugs! Marek left us alone for another hour and it was time to relax in the lodge and take a bath in the jazuzzi hidden behind a wall of stones. The whole experience was truly amazing and will surely remain in our memory for a long time. We rented the entire Wild Spa just for the two of us and paid a total of 1030 zł for 2 hours. The price included exclusive rental, an hour in the sauna, a hot tub (Jacuzzi) and bathrobes, pareo and towels. However, you can use only some of the attractions or take your own towel and bathrobe and then the price will be lower. The Wild Spa also holds various group sessions: Men's Sauna, Women's Sauna and more. This is definitely the place to go for a romantic getaway, but also for a bachelor party, bachelorette party or a team-building event. What's more, from summer 2025 there will also be on-site childcare, so we want to visit the Wild Spa again in August with the whole family with friends!

Also worth seeing in Duszniki-Zdrój is the Museum of Papermaking, the only one of its kind in Poland. Paper began to be made in Duszniki as early as the 16th century, and the paper mill building, which is still standing today, dates back to 1605. This is the biggest historical and technical attraction in the region. In the 17th century, the Duszniki paper mill was highly esteemed throughout Lower Silesia, supplying paper to Wroclaw offices, for example. In the next century, the paper mill was expanded and modern equipment for the time was installed. To this day, the paper mill still produces handmade paper, watermarked paper and art papers. Duszniki also has a Spa Park and a sanatorium, where various treatments are performed. What else is worth seeing and what attractions await tourists in the winter around Duszniki? Downhill skiing enthusiasts are sure to appreciate the trails in Zieleniec, and hiking enthusiasts can go to Orlica, considered the highest peak in the Polish part of the Orlickie Mountains and part of the Crown of the Polish Mountains. While being in the area, it is also worth going to the Table Mountains!