Top 10 Riding Spots in Poland
Poland has one of Europe's oldest continuous horse-breeding traditions, and for the visiting rider it is one of the best-value destinations on the continent. The state stud at Janów Podlaski produces some of the world's finest Arabian horses, while the country's vast forests, lake districts and Carpathian valleys offer some of the quietest trail riding anywhere in the European Union. Most international riders arrive through Warsaw (Chopin Airport) or Kraków (Balice), both well connected to the rest of Europe, with onward trains and hire cars reaching the riding regions in two to six hours. The main season runs roughly May to October; July and August are warmest and busiest, while late spring and early autumn give cooler air, fewer insects and gorgeous light. All the centres below appear on the map.
1. Janów Podlaski
The Janów Podlaski state stud, founded in 1817 in eastern Podlasie near the Belarusian border, is one of the most famous Arabian breeding studs in the world. Its bloodlines have shaped Arabian horse breeding across the globe, and the annual Pride of Poland auction each August draws serious international buyers, with individual mares historically fetching seven-figure sums in euros. The stud sits in flat, open countryside about three hours by car east of Warsaw. Guided visits to the historic stables and paddocks are bookable in advance, and even non-buyers can usually attend the auction's surrounding events. For anyone who cares about Arabian horses, this is a pilgrimage.
2. Bieszczady Mountains
The Polish-Ukrainian border country in the far south-east is the country's wildest landscape — genuine bear, wolf and lynx territory, with rolling połonina meadows above the treeline and almost no light pollution. This is the home of multi-day pack rides on Hucul ponies, the hardy native mountain breed, and the state Hucul stud at Wołosate near the Ukrainian frontier is a key centre. Peaks rise to around 1,300 m (Tarnica, the highest, reaches 1,346 m). It is genuinely remote, with sparse roads and far less tourism than the western Carpathians. Best May to October; bring layers, as mountain weather turns fast.
3. Mazury Lake District
The Masurian lake region in the north-east, with more than a thousand lakes linked by canals, offers riding through a mosaic of water, meadow and forest. Several established centres lie around Mikołajki and Ryn, where you can combine half-day hacks with sailing, kayaking and lakeside guesthouses. It is Poland's most popular summer destination, so July and August fill up; June and September are calmer. Best May to October. The terrain is gentle and well suited to less experienced riders, and Olsztyn is the regional gateway, reachable by train from Warsaw in roughly three hours.
4. Białowieża Forest
Białowieża, straddling the Belarusian border, is the last large fragment of the primeval lowland forest that once covered much of Europe, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its ancient oaks, limes and hornbeams shelter Europe's largest free-living population of European bison (żubr) — several hundred animals. Riding here is limited and tightly managed because of the protected core, but hacks through the surrounding managed forest are available from local stables. You will not be able to book a guaranteed bison sighting on horseback, but the chance is real. Best May to October. The village of Białowieża, with its palace park and bison reserve, is the obvious base.
5. Tatra Foothills
The lower slopes of the High Tatras around Zakopane, Poland's premier mountain resort, offer mountain trail riding with dramatic granite peaks as a backdrop. The Tatras are Poland's only true alpine range, with the highest Polish summit, Rysy, at 2,499 m. The Hucul, the small, sure-footed mountain pony of the Carpathians, is the breed best suited to this terrain. The whole region is deeply woven into Polish national culture, from highlander (góral) music to wooden architecture. Kraków is the gateway, about two hours away by road. Best May to October; the high season also brings hikers and tourists in number.
6. Roztocze
The Roztocze upland, a gentle wooded ridge running south-east from Lublin toward Lviv (Lwów) across the modern Ukrainian border, offers quiet forest and field riding through one of Poland's loveliest and least-visited landscapes. Beech and fir forests, limestone outcrops and small traditional villages define the area, part of which is protected as a national park. Several stables operate here, and the riding is relaxed and affordable. Best April to October. Lublin is the natural base and is reachable from Warsaw by train in around two and a half hours.
7. Kashubia
The lake country of Kashubia (Kaszuby) in Pomerania, south of Gdańsk, offers gentle forest and lakeside riding through rolling moraine hills. This is the homeland of the Kashubians, a distinct ethnic group with their own language and traditions. Established riding centres cluster around Kartuzy, and the proximity to Gdańsk and the Baltic coast makes it easy to combine riding with city and seaside time. Best April to October. The Tricity area (Gdańsk, Sopot, Gdynia) is the gateway, with its own international airport.
8. Baltic Coast and Bory Tucholskie
Poland's Baltic coast offers something special: beach riding on long, wide sandy strands, best out of the peak crowds of July and August, and at its finest in spring and early autumn. Inland, the Tuchola Forest (Bory Tucholskie), one of Poland's largest pine forests and a UNESCO biosphere reserve, offers extensive trail networks through quiet conifer woodland laced with rivers and lakes. Several centres operate in and around the forest. Best April to October for the woods; for the coast, check local rules on where and when horses are permitted on the sand.
9. Białowieża to Augustów
For ambitious riders, multi-day trail routes link the northern forests, threading through the Augustów Forest and the lake-and-marsh country of Podlasie via Poland's national park systems. These are expeditions rather than day hacks, run by specialised operators only, with overnight stops in rural guesthouses. Best June to September, when the trails are dry and the days long. Expect long hours in the saddle, real wilderness and a genuine sense of crossing the quiet north-east of the country on horseback.
10. Janów Lubelski Forests and Małopolska
The forests around Janów Lubelski in the south-east offer quiet weekend riding at a lower latitude, with a slightly longer usable season than the mountains or northern lakes. Several centres operate here. Further south-west, the Małopolska (Lesser Poland) region around Kraków combines accessible riding with one of Europe's great historic cities, making it an easy add-on for travellers basing themselves in Kraków. Both areas suit riders who want a short, low-commitment trip rather than a full expedition.
The Polish Arabian
Polish-bred Arabians are among the most sought-after in the world, in demand for FEI endurance competition and the international show ring alike. Janów Podlaski, Michałów and Białka are the principal state studs, each with its own distinguished bloodlines. The Polish breeding programme predates the partitions of Poland in the late 18th century and has survived two world wars and the Soviet era, with breeders famously evacuating horses through wartime chaos to preserve the lines. That continuity is a large part of why Polish Arabians command such prestige today.
The Hucul
The Hucul is the small mountain pony of the Polish-Ukrainian Carpathians — short, stocky, sure-footed and remarkably hardy, traditionally used for all serious mountain pack work and farm labour by the Hucul highlanders who give it its name. The state stud at Wołosate in the Bieszczady is dedicated to preserving the breed, and several Bieszczady operators specialise in multi-day Hucul treks. For mountain trail riding in Poland, no breed is better suited, and meeting these tough little ponies is part of the appeal of the south-east.
Booking and language
Most Polish stables now accept booking in English, and German is widely spoken in the west of the country. Prices are substantially lower than in Western Europe, which makes Poland excellent value for a riding holiday. Multi-day forest and mountain treks fill up months ahead for the summer peak, so book early if you want July or August dates; spring and early autumn are easier to arrange and arguably more pleasant for riding.
Where will you go first?
Pull up the map, find the places from this guide and see which one fits your next free weekend.