The nature's excellent qualities, abundance of forests, mild climate of the lowlands and stimulating air in the mountains, mineral springs and the terrains well equipped with tourist facilities make the south-west Poland with its numerous places of high sightseeing value, a very attractive tourist and health region.
In south-west Poland the following three geographical regions can be distinguished: expansive Silesian Lowlands with the river Oder valley in the north, the hilly Sudety Upland in the middle part and the Sudety Mountains in the south. The Sudety Mts form a system of ridges and isolated massifs ranging from 1,000-1,400 meters above the sea level at the length of 280 km, stretching along the Polish-Czechoslovak frontier. Similarly to other mountains in the Central Europe the Sudety Mts belong to old geological structures and the variety of forms and natural beauty spots they provide, result from the multiple processes of folding and uplifting, devastating and levelling. These picturesque formations are mainly due to wooded areas of their upper parts, deep river valleys, waterfalls, fantastic rocky shapes and also post-glacial forms such as lakes, potholes, suspended valleys to be found in the highest parts of the mountains. Dense road network, numerous tourist trails comprising ca 4,000 km added to forest paths and lanes make possible to reach any spot on foot or by car. The enthusiasts of mountain climbing, can have a rest, meal and spend the night in shelters which are about 30 there. The most favourable seasons to make excursions are: May/June and August/September. Owing to the presence of snow in the highest parts of the Sudety Mts, sledging and skiing are willingly practised from December till April. The highest part of the Sudety Mts, the Karkonosze Range stretching between the altitudes of 1,350 m and 1,450 m with the Sniezka peak reaching 1,602 m, enjoy the greatest popularity amongst the tourists. The Karkonosze Range are built of metamorphic granites and mostly covered by spruce trees. The curiosity of these mountains depends on picturesque small rocks of fantastic shapes as e.g. the Pilgrims. Tourist facilities are also provided. The Karkonosze's most beautiful parts have been turned into the Karkonosze National Park. Here the main tourist centres are Karpacz and Szklarska Poreba. In the middle part of the Sudety Mts there exists an area of an extensive relief called the Table Mountains /Gory Stolowe/ which are much different in character from other mountains. They have moulded out of sandstones after extensive weathering and the occurrence of many tectonic cracks which left fantastic forms of mushroom-like rocks, spires and labyrinths especially with the Table Mountain Park and nature reserves such as Bledne Skaly and Szczeliniec Wielki. Such health resorts as Polanica Zdroj and Kudowa Zdroj being at the same time tourist and recreation centres are situated near mineral springs which are characteristic of this region.
The tourists' attention should be focused on other peculiarities of the Sudety Mts: the relics of the former tundra landscape on the peatbogs in the Bystrzyckie Mts adjacent to Duszniki Zdroj; a famous bear's cave with fine stalactites, cave pearls, grape and cascade dripstones at Kletno near Ladek Zdroj, the "Snowy Sniezka Forest" reserve in the Bielskie Mts near Jelenia Gora. The Sudety Upland situated south and south-west of Wroclaw constitute a wavy plain above which some mainly granite and basalt hills and massifs of inselberg type such as Sleza and partly wooded Strzegomskie hills are mounting. This is an agricultural and industrial region where large mineral deposits are being excavated with the predominance of electroengineering and food industries. The settlers' life is centred in picturesque, old villages boasting of their ancient architecture to be seen at churches, mansions and castles. The Upland will be mostly inviting to those who enjoy cycling and driving tours. The Silesian Lowland stretches on both sides of a broad valley extending between Opole and Glogow towns. This typically agricultural area predominantly delivers wheat and sugar beets. Fruit growing and gardening chiefly developed in the vicinity of bigger towns are also characteristic of this region. The industry here, is connected with the exploitation and processing of copper /Lubin, Glogow and Polkowice/. The moraine Trzebnickie Mts and the Barycz valley are the most scenic spots of the area. Fine pine and mixed woods famous for their wealth of mushrooms and blackberries as well as hunting areas providing the deer, roe-deer, boars and water fowl are to be found there. Out of old historical towns special mention should be made of: Wroclaw, Opole, Brzeg, Trzebnica, Olesnica and Legnica.
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