The Warta is the longest tributary of the Odra, the third longest (808 km) and the second longest river flowing entirely within Poland. The final section of 68.2 km (from the estuary of the Warta to the Odra in Kostrzyn to the estuary of the Noteć to the Warta in Santok) is part of the MDW E70 route and belongs to the 2nd shipping class.
The river is up to 90 meters wide, of which 50-70 meters have a depth of 1.5 meters. However, attention should be paid to the spurs on both banks, entering 20-25 meters into the river bed, although often due to damage or destruction they are invisible on the river surface.
The estuary section of the Warta flows through the youngest – created in 2001 – the Warta Estuary National Park, covering over 8 thousand hectares. 245 species of birds have been found at the marshy backwaters area, including 26 species of endangered species. You can move around the park on foot or by bike, watching the birds from many viewpoints. With a bit of luck, you can come across a white-tailed eagle, a ruff, a little egret or a whooper swan.
There are still two ferry crossings in this section of the Warta: connecting Witnica with Kłopotów (22.3 km) and in Santok (67.7 km).
The banks of the Warta – usually sandy and green – make it possible to stop, although you have to watch out for the already mentioned fuzzy spurs.
However, it is best to stop at the marinas in Kostrzyn on the Odra (Passenger Harbor on the Warta River) or in one of the marinas or quays in Gorzów Wielkopolski.
When you reach Gorzów Wielkopolski, you feel that the city is turned “face” to the river. The revitalized coastal boulevard with mooring places encourages you to stop. On the other side of the Warta – 200 m up the river – there is a marina of the Admira Sports Club. Closer to the Odra river, there is the Gorzów Marina, where 15 yachts can moor. In the vicinity of the Lubuski Bridge, there is the Gorzów Port with a shipyard, where the oldest floating icebreaker “Kuna” was renovated. At present, boaters are working on bringing the 19th-century steamer “Kormoran” back to life.
There are four bridges over the Warta, the most interesting of which is the Staromiejski bridge, established in the Middle Ages. The current structure, built in 2007 and finished with the Dominata (or: infoGLOB) observation tower, became famous thanks to the Makabryła anti-award for the worst building of 2007.
The city is situated on seven hills. It is home to the Lubuskie Museum of Jan Dekert, which has one of the branches (Granary) located on the southern bank of the Warta River, and another one (Museum of the Santok Settlement) in Santok.
