HARBOUR CITIES SEA OF ATTRACTIONS In the second article dedicated to the curiosities of the most beautiful harbour cities we still stay in Poland. This time we move from Tricity to the west coast, where there is a harbour complex - one of the biggest in the Baltic Sea region. The harbours in Szczecin and Swinoujscie are situated on the shortest route connecting Scandinavia with Central and Southern Europe, as well as on the shortest sea route connecting, through the Baltic Sea, Finland and Russia, Lithuania, Latvia and Es tonia with Germany and Western Europe.
Szczecin is the capital and largest city of the Zachodniopomorskie voivodeship, located on Szczecin's Embankment, on the Odra River and Dabie Lake. The history of the city dates back to the 9th century, when Slavic dukes built here a fortress surrounded by a moat, at the foot of which a trading and fishing settlement developed. Szczecin has a very rich history, which, like Swinoujscie, was influenced by the changing rulers over the centuries - Poland, Denmark, Sweden and Prussia. Since 1945 the city has belonged to Poland, as part of the so called Recovered Territories. Due to its border location and proximity to the Baltic Sea, accessible via the navigable Odra River and Szczecin Deluge, Szczecin has become the central economic hub of the region. The city has a seaport, repair, yacht and naval shipyards. The city is a tourist center with a large number of historic buildings. It is also an academic center with a number of renowned universities, and a cultural center with numerous theaters, museums and the famous Opera House
20 | Winter 2021 | Lifestyle
The harbour in Swinoujscie is on the sea coast, while the one in Szczecin is 68 kilometers inland. The crossing of the waterway from the roadstead in Swinoujscie to Szczecin takes 4 hours. The location of the ports in Szczecin and Swinoujscie in relation to each other makes them complementary. Thanks to its location by the sea, Swinoujscie can provide highly efficient ferry connections and offer access to larger vessels - up to 13.5 metres of draft. On the other hand, the harbour in Szczecin, far from the sea and accessible to smaller
vessels - with a draught of up to 9.15 metres - gives the opportunity to reach the hinterland by the cheapest sea route, and therefore much closer to the recipients and senders of the cargo handled there. The two harbour towns are very different from each other in size, character and status. Both are beautiful in their own way and equally worth a visit. Swinoujscie and Szczecin are well connected with each other. Using public transport, you can easily get from one to the other in about two hours.
