Konin County, like other units of Konin sub-region (legally identified with territory of former Konin Voivodship), is characterized by relatively large area of so-called high-value natural territories and areas including elements of ecological structures.

Such features of Konin county as: geographical location, clear natural environment, route of lakes along with forests complexes, historic objects and protected areas make this region to be favorable for tourist services development.

Main advantage of Konin county is its central location, which create convenient conditions in regard of communication access. This is very important characteristic feature for tourist sector. Easy access is conductive for tourist boom expanding in this region and brings a lot of advantages.

In principle, every commune of Konin county has its own cultural property. For sure, the most significance have those of unique regional, nation-wide or even world-wide character. Such virtues make religious-pilgrimage tourism development possible in Konin county.

Licheń Stary – village located 10 km to the north from Konin city - has particular significance in this regard. This place became the target point for the pilgrims from the whole Poland.

• Sanctuary of Licheń Virgin Mary – second after Częstochowa polish pilgrimage center,
• Golgota, from 1974 – artificially raised 25 meters high stone hill – labyrinth of tunnels, craves, wayside shrines, bas-reliefs,
• Church as a vote of Polish nation called basilica, being in construction since 1995, composed of: temple, tower and belfry.

Bieniszew, located in Kazimierz Biskupi commune, is next place with similar religious significance. It is an in-forest settlement, situated about 8 km to the north-west from Konin, where the Benedictines’ hermitage is situated. At the hill, among forests there located late-baroque Birth Church NMP from 1747-1781 and Kameduli Fathers Monastery (one of two in Poland).

Numerous historic objects are also just in Kazimierz Biskupi place – communal village located 12 km to the north-west from Konin city. Need to be mentioned:

• Former Bernadine monastery from 16^th century,
• Jan Chrzciciel’s and five martyrs’ Church,
• Bernadine monastery – northern side – added on to the monastery in the years 1514 -1520,
• The Way of the Cross Cloisters,
• Belfry from 1760-61,
• St. Marcin's Church from 12^th century.

The most important historical monuments of other communes of Konin county are the following:

• Neo-classicistic palace from the second half of 19^th century along with scenery park in Lubstów place (Sompolno commune),
• palace from the second half of 17^th century with annex built up at the beginning of 19^th century along with historical park established in 17^th century. There is a hornbeam alley being historical monument of nature in Grodziec place,
• classicistic Calvinist's Church established in the years 1821-22 in Stare Miasto commune,
• county manor - palace complex in Golina from 19^th century,
• palace-park complex from 19^th century in Lisewo (Skulsk commune), which includes palace from the second half of 19^th century and scenery park from the second half of 19^th century,
• „Świętne” archeological heritage park in Mrówki place (Wilczyn commune),
• Ślesin urban project along with Napoleon Gateway (Triumphal Arch with Napoleonic eagle on the peak, which was raised by Ślesin residents in 1812).

Beside the cultural monuments local traditions and customs originated on the territories of present Konin county are also worth of special attention. Here, it should be mentioned the so-called “ochweśnicka” culture, which was originated on the territories of present Skulsk commune. “Ochweśnicy” were the people trading in religious paintings (these paintings survived until now). They used their own jargon, which was called “ochweśnicka kmina”. The jargon included above 700 words and was formed of phrases borrowed from polish thief’s jargon, russian poor jargons, as well as expressions of german, russian, greek and latin origin. “Ochweśnicki” jargon was also used by salesmen from Ślesin. “Ochweśnicka” culture makes up an element of little-known cultural legacy of Konin county.

Scenery-nature virtues, like culture virtues, fulfill cognitive function. There numbered among them geological objects (for example: strip mines, caves), characteristic forms of relief, scenery, viewpoints, water reservoirs, national parks, natural reserves, scenery parks, living and non-living nature monuments, parks, gardens, timber forests groups, boulders etc.

Within the nature-scenery virtues of Konin county there also should be mentioned protected areas:

• Nadwarciański Scenery Park
• "Złota Góra" Forest Reserve
• "Bieniszew" Forest Reserve
• "Sokółki" Forest Reserve
• "Pustelnik" Forest Reserve
• "Mielno" Floral Reserve
• "Nadgoplański Park Tysiąclecia" Reserve.

Beside the nature reserves, there are also other very attractive scenery objects in Konin county. The most interesting are: slag heaps in Kazimierz Biskupi commune, territories of western and northern-western part of Wilczyn commune, territories situated down the Warta – Gopło canal in Wierzbinek commune.

Monuments of nature have a great importance for the nature environment of Konin county.

In the context of recreation and rest virtues of this region, the following need to be mentioned:

• Surface waters, such as: rivers, lakes, artificial water reservoirs;
• transport base – objects of transport and communication;
• hotel base – holiday centers, summer-resort houses, camping sites and chalets, board houses;
• accompanying base – bathing beaches, piers, marina, parking places, water equipment rental and sport-recreation devices: sports field and grounds, stadiums, swimming pools, body building gyms, bicycle paths.

The most attractive regions in regard of rest and recreation are situated on the territory of Ślesin county. Here involved, first of all, gutter lakes route with the forest complexes and relatively well developed hotel infrastructure.

Tourism at the village areas (agri-tourism) create unique and dissimilar form of free time spending. Its essence is in close contact with nature, meeting with basic works at the farm, contact with domestic animal, possibility of passive as well as active rest in the open. Within the Konin county the tourist service sector is poorly spread and developed. Here it should be mentioned that considerable area of Konin county creates excellent conditions for its independent development, as well as for complementary supplement for active-way tourism.

Exceptional virtues of Konin county make the basis for establishing of such forms of tourism as:

• water tourism (canoeing, sailing, rowing, windsurfing, water skis),
• hike and bicycle tourism,
• fishing.

Water tourism has mainly expanded in the north part of Konin county on the basis of relatively great number of lakes. There concentrated a lot of hotels, rest and recreations centers, camping sites and chalets equipped with proper devices.

Especially attractive conditions for the water development are at the complex of lakes routes, which connects Warta river with Gopło lake. At the route of 32 km length there located 4 mucus. It could be crossed in both directions. The route consists of three sections:
Section I – artificial canal with length of 8,5 km from Warta river to Pątnowskie lake along with two mucus – „Morzysław” and „Pątnów”;
Section II – natural route of lakes of 15,7 km length (lakes: Pątnowskie, Wąsowsko – Mikorzyńskie, Ślesińskie). It forms the so-called peak (highest above the sea level) place of Ślesiński Canal.
Section III – artificial canal with length of 7,8 km from Czarne lake to Gopło lake along with two mucus „Gawrony” and „Koszewo”.

Two concrete mucus in Morzysław and Pątnów serve for keeping of water level in the lakes and between the lakes and Warta river. The mucus cover a 170 cm deference of water levels. The most favorable launching places are: bridge in Morzysław and bridge in Ślesin.

This route agrees with the Youth Kayak Route Konin – Kruszwica. It is fit for sailing, as well as kayak tourism. Hotel and accompanying base, located at the lake side, is conductive for traversing of the route. While using this hotel base, one can tour sight-seeing and tourist attractions, appearing along the route in the places Gosławice, Licheń and Ślesin.

Hike and bicycle tourism are the most popular forms of tourism available almost for everybody. On the territory of Konin county there were appointed a lot of hike routes as well as bicycle. They are located in the most attractive scenery and cultural places.

Polish Tourist-Scenery Association, Branch in Konin, has appointed the following routes on the territory of Konin county:

• Red route - Sompolno – Ignacewo – Ślesin, 16,1 km long. Leads with forests complexes between Sompolno and Ślesin places.
• Green route - Kawnice – Bieniszew – Gosławice – Licheń – Konin, 37,4 km long, leads with “kazimierskie” forests complexes and down the lakes Głodowskie, Pątnowskie and Licheńskie. It joins three places connected with Virgin Mary cult: Kawnice, Bieniszew and the most visited Licheń.
• Black route - Kazimierz Biskupi – Bieniszew, 6,7 km long. This route was named after Ignacy Wrocławski, outstanding activist of Konin PTTK department. It leads with “kazimierskie” forests complexes. Route leads with isthmus between the lakes Kownackie and Suszewskie up to „Świętne” place, 0,8 km long
• Yellow route - Brzeźno – Złota Góra, 3,7 km long leads to the highest hill in Konin region - Złota Góra (191 m above the sea level).
• Blue route - Wilczyn – Mrówki – Przyjezierze, 15,0 km long, leads with picturesque territories down the lakes: Wilczyńskie, Kownackie and Suszewskie to the north-west region’s outskirts.
• Route of five brothers-martyrs - Kazimierz Biskupi – Bieniszew, connected with Five Brothers-Martyrs cult. There are valuable monuments of culture and art, such as:
  • St. Marcin's Church with portal dated back to the turn of 12^th and 13^th century,
  • Wooden St. Izaak's Church from 15^th century,
  • After-Bernadine monastery at the Klasztorna street, which construction was started in 1513,
  • Kameduli monastery in Bieniszew.
• Romanesque Route - Kazimierz Biskupi – Licheń – Stare Miasto – Konin – Kościelec (near Koło). It is a continuation of the route, which thanks to Lovers of Middle Ages Culture Association from Łódź, leads with the objects of Łódź region: Tum, Inowłódź, Żarnów, Sulejów, Strońsko, Krzyworzeka and Ruda Wieluńska. The Konin branch of the association was founded on the initiative of Agency of Region Promotion. The route includes such monuments of Romanesque culture as:
  • St. Marcin's Church in Kazimierz Biskupi from 12^th and 13^th century,
  • Penance cross in Licheń Stary (initially was situated in Rudzica village, currently one can see it inside the wayside shrine located in the center of Licheń,
  • Side chapel in constructed in 1907 St. Piotr and Paweł's Church in Stare Miasto,
  • Milestone in Konin originated in 1151 year (this is the only monument of such kind in Poland),
  • St. Andrzej's Parish Church in Kościelec, which oldest part was probably constructed in the half of 12^th century.

Beside the hike and bicycle routes, teaching and ecological paths crossing the protected areas, also play an important role in local tourism development.

Natural resources of northern part of Konin county along with numerous water reservoirs surrounded by forests complexes are conductive for fishing being a peculiar form of tourism.

The most favorable conditions for fishing appear at the lakes:

• Mikorzyńsko – Wąsoskie - available for fishing; the lake of freshwater fishes type. There also appear: carp, perch, roach, tench and eel. The main attraction of this lake is nearness of holiday resorts, which keep the renting of water-sport equipment.
• Ślesińskie - the lake of freshwater fishes type, available for fishing. There appear: bream, carp, perch, zander, tench, scardinius and chub.
• Licheńskie - the lake of freshwater fishes type used for grass carp raising,and silver carp.
• Gosławskie - available for fish industry running and fishing.In Gosławice there situated Gosławice Fishing Farm, which keeps reproduction of warm-like herbivorous fishes – white grass carp and gaudy silver carp and „Acipol” Fishing Farm.

Konin county is also equipped with other resources, which after the proper re-profiling or adapting could become the virtues attracting a wide range of tourists. Here should be mentioned the strip mining areas in the counties Kazimierz Biskupi, Kleczew, Sompolno and Ślesin as well as geo-thermal waters in Ślesin county.

Works at brown coal mining has changed and are steel changing scenery of the most charming northern part of the county. There were established new forms of grounds – headings after the used coal deposits and slag heaps. Strip mining areas are the following:

• Strip mine to the west from Kozarzewek village – the territory was prepared for filling with water and lake creating (as actually follows), as well as recreation-holiday buildings along with enclave for the birds.
• Nieświastów strip mine – hills overgrown with trees and bushes, from where one can see the nearby surroundings. On the hills there are flat terrains, which can be used for tourist aims, for example, for creating of hike, bicycle and horse-riding paths.
• Kleczew strip mine – for two years this area has been re-cultivating (filling with water). In the future, it have to fulfill the recreation-holiday function. Commune’s local government worked out the area management plan for this territory.

Geo-thermal waters are unused until now recourses (and not finally studied) for the needs of tourism industry of the county and Ślesin commune. Their chemical composition (for example, increased content of iodine and bromine) with positive influence on the human body persuade to use them for the balneological aims. In case of Ślesin commune, there achieved a proper level of recreation-tourist backup for further development of the water recourses.

Mentioned above tourist virtues of Konin county create excellent conditions for development and establishing of new tourist products:

1. active-way tourism, and within it:
   • hike tourism (including already 7 routes with total length of almost 193 km),
   • bicycle tourism (being in development, recently there appointed only 1 bicycle route with 11 km length),
   • water tourism, first of all including Warta river and route of lakes along with canals system to the north from Konin city; this is practically well-developed tourist product, which still needs further intensive outlays;
2. Pilgrimage tourism (concerns Licheń Stary place and projected pilgrimage route as well as Five Brothers Martyr cult in Kazimierz Biskupi), it is a product practically ready for use;
3. Holiday and weekend tourism (it has a chance to expand within the resorts situated on the territory of Konin county, at the agri-tourist farms, horse riding centers, etc.)
4. Business tourism (conventions, training courses, conferences); product already offered by some hotels and conference-recreation centers;
5. Agri-tourism (until now there were registered 5 tourist farms), far-reaching product, which demands a special program of development.
6. Specialist tourism (including hunt, fishing, sailing, canoeing, windsurfing) it is closely connected with holiday, weekend, business tourism and agri-tourism.

Beside the scenery-natural-culture virtues of this region, tourist infrastructure plays important role in whole tourist industry.

Tourist accommodation base of Konin county is mainly consists of hotels, conference and holiday centers, summer-resort houses, chalets, camping sites, wayside inns, private lodgings and agri-tourist farms.

The most developed tourist infrastructure occurs on the territory of Ślesin county, in the vicinity of lakes route and Licheń Stary. There are a lot of hotels, conference and holiday centers, guest-houses and private lodgings, in total 2 thousand places.

From the other side, some communes as for example: Rychwał, Wierzbinek, Golina, Kazimierz Biskupi, Grodziec do not have any accommodation means at all.

In 2003 number of objects of collective lodging in Konin county was 35 in total.

The hotel and accommodation objects had in whole 3.957 places, therein 2.287 that yearlong.

Accompanying base makes up the supplement for tourist infrastructure fulfilling the same important functions as accommodation and catering base. For the tourist, who takes up a trip, on the first place there is the choice of transport means, which enables easy access to the target place (communication base), on the next place is the choice of lodging place (hotel base), and then - proper sustenance (catering base). Only in this meaning the function of accompanying base should be regarded.

On the territory of Konin county, all the recreation objects and hotels concentrate their attention on the development of sport-recreation equipment base. The most concentration of accompanying base occurs in northern part of Konin county, where the most number of holiday centers, hotels, chalets and camping sites is situated. These objects have their own guarded bathing beaches with piers, water equipment rental and sport-recreation devices (sports field and grounds, golf places, tennis courts, swimming-pools, body building gyms etc).