As the competition organisers, the Polish Tourism Organisation, explain, the list comprises innovative and interesting places, facilities, events or initiatives that are attractive to tourists and provide them with high-quality experiences.
This is the first nomination for the Lower Silesian Sports Centre. The facility at Polana Jakuszycka opened in September 2022. DCS primarily serves recreation and active leisure, providing an excellent base for cross-country skiers in winter and for cyclists and mountain-hiking enthusiasts during the snow-free months.
The creation of DCS brings Lower Silesia closer to hosting top-level biathlon and cross-country skiing competitions. This year, the venue hosted the European Junior Biathlon Championships, an IBU Junior Cup event, the FIS FESA Continental Cup in cross-country skiing, a cross-border Nordic combined competition held jointly with Harrachov, and the Polish biathlon and cross-country skiing championships. For nearly 50 years, Polana Jakuszycka has also hosted the Bieg Piastów, one of the largest and most prestigious mass cross-country skiing races in the world. In January, the facility will once again host a competition featuring Europe’s most talented young biathletes.
The site has rental shops, food outlets, changing rooms, a swimming pool and professional gyms. The facility offers hotel- and hostel-standard accommodation. The latter option is popular with organised sports groups—from the youngest athletes to national representatives in various disciplines, who use, among other things, specialist cross-country skiing trainers and rooms equipped with a hypoxia system that can simulate high-altitude conditions.
The Lower Silesian Sports Centre lies beside the picturesque railway line linking Szklarska Poręba with the Czech Republic, and the railway stop is located right in front of the facility entrance.
Voting on the polska.travel website will continue until 23 October. The winner will be announced in November during a gala organised by the Polish Tourism Organisation.