Ełk is the third most populous city in the Warmian-Masurian province, after Olsztyn and Elbląg. Indeed, Elk is home to just under sixty-two thousand people. It may seem like a lot, but against the backdrop of Olsztyn and Elblag, which are over a hundred thousand strong, Elk looks like a small town. At the turn of the twentieth century, the city was part of the provinces of first Bialystok and later Suwałki.
According to historians, the city's name derives from the Łyk River, over which the first buildings were erected. And it was identical to the name of the river. The current form "Elk" comes from the locative "we Łku". Thus, it came to mean that one lives "in Elk".
The beginnings of the settlement date to the end of the fourteenth century. It was built at the walls of the castle. In the middle of the fifteenth century Elk was annexed to the Prussian Union, and thirteen years later, after the Thirteen Years' War, by virtue of the Peace of Torun between the Teutonic Knights and Poland, Elk became part of the Kingdom of Poland, but remained as a fief under the Teutonic Knights.
Despite its small size, for Elk lies on only twenty-one square kilometers, there are quite a number of sights and attractions in the city. Near the train station you will find the Historical Museum, inside of which, in addition to many temporary and loan exhibitions, you can buy tickets for a ride on the Elk narrow-gauge railroad.
The city has a promenade, stretching along the coast. Following it from the bridge in a southerly direction, you will first hit the sculptures of Polish kings, then to Copernicus Park, and finally find yourself on the city beach. There is some sand there, but in our opinion it is worth going even further south, to the area of the sports and entertainment hall. There is a new city beach on the promontory, which is already reminiscent of the Baltic ones.
There is no shortage of attractions for children in the city. In addition to the narrow-gauge railroad, which we have already mentioned, you will also find a rope park, located at 10 Grunwaldzka Street, a swimming pool with a fitness center and ice rink, grass tennis courts and a whole range of children's playrooms. The city also has no shortage of free parking lots, although, as befits a tourist city, in high season quite a few of them are occupied from early in the morning. Therefore, when going on a trip to Elk, it's a good idea to show up there in the early morning hours. And it is best to visit Elk during the week. On weekends, especially in the summer months, the atmosphere can resemble that of the Polish seaside.
Elk does have its own train station, but the best way, besides by car, is to take a bus service. The bus station in Elk is right next to the glue station, so transferring, for example, from a train to a bus will not be a problem.
Elk is not a large city, but it has many attractions for adults and children. As a result, it has all the advantages of a city without having too many disadvantages. It is worth considering renting accommodation in Elk if you are going to the Masuria region. It can be a great base for exploring the surrounding attractions.
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