Five reasons to visit the Podkarpackie Region

The Podkarpackie is a unique place in Europe, where real gems of wooden architecture are concentrated in a relatively small area. The nine routes, with a total length of 1202 km, lead to Roman and Greek Catholic churches, old manor houses, hunting lodges, townhouses and spa villas. Six of those landmarks are listed as the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. When you tour the Podkarpackie region, you cannot forget to visit the fascinating open-air museums. With exhibits and displays covering large areas, they take you for a real journey in time. You can take a leisurely walk to admire the quaint little cottages, shrines and churches, feeling the scent of wood and the flavour of the past in the air... The outdoor museums in Sanok and Kolbuszowa attract many visitors each year. The former is recognised among the most beautiful attractions of this kind in Europe.

Nearly 250 delicacies from our region have already been included on the List of Traditional Food Products of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. This is a record number! Excellent cheese, honey, cured meats and baked goods are produced in the Podkarpackie. Wine production is also rapidly growing. The gentle hills and sunny slopes are perfect for vine cultivation. It is no surprise that there are almost 200 vineyards in the region. They make red, rosé and white wines with interesting and unusual flavours and aromas. During a visit to the region, you should try the traditional dishes: proziaki bread, fuczki pancakes and hreczanyki cutlets as well as pickled cornelian cherry, known as the Podkarpackie olive. Those travelling along the Podkarpackie Flavours culinary trail can visit traditional inns and taverns offering simple but delicious Bojko and Lemko style dishes, as well as fine restaurants with gourmet cuisine. For some travellers, local dishes are much more than just a tasty snack adding flavour to the trip, they in fact are the purpose of the journey.

The Bieszczady, shrouded in legends, have been attracting tourists from all over Poland for years. The unpolluted air and environment, and the unique climate create perfect conditions for your time off from your daily duties. The breathtaking views are like a magnet and they make you want to see more and more. Wandering along the meadows on the summits, climbing Mount Tarnica or looking at the world from the point of view of Mount Wielka Rawka, you can let go and forget about your everyday problems. What is more, the Bieszczady region is like a large museum of the old cultural borderland, with the old churches and tserkvas, roadside shrines and relics of villages which once existed here. Venturing deep into the natural beech forest, you may encounter a wisent, a lynx or even a bear. Those looking for a quiet place can choose the captivating setting of the Low Beskids and Eastern Roztocze highland. In the Podkarpackie region you can still come across wild, inaccessible and impenetrable places, reminiscent of true primeval forests.

This is an excellent place for equestrian tourism. There are wide open spaces, vast forests, varied terrain and a dense network of riding centres and trails. You can go for a ride on horseback for just a few hours or for several days. You can reach places that are difficult to access by quad bike or off-road vehicle, or even on foot. Those with no previous training can learn basic riding skills or take a trip in a horse-drawn cart.

Equestrian centres and beautiful scenery can also be found near Rzeszów. Those into equestrian tourism mainly use Małopolski horses as these are sturdy, well-mannered animals, able to move in any terrain. In the Low Beskids and Bieszczady Mountains, there are also breeding centres for Hucul horses - a primitive, wild breed, used in hippotherapy, and by children learning to ride on horseback.

The best known is the Green Velo Eastern Cycling Route. Running through the whole of eastern Poland, in the Podkarpackie region it is over 450 km long and starts in the Roztocze highland. First you get to the town of Narol, known for the palace of the Łoś family, and then you pass through the spa town Horyniec-Zdrój, to finally reach the greatest attractions of the area, the amazing wooden Greek-Catholic churches in Radruż and Chotyniec, both listed as UNESCO Heritage Sites. Going south the route passes by the Bolestraszyce Arboretum, and then enters the one-thousand-year-old Przemyśl, a lovely town with several churches, Town Square, unique museums, and the castle. It is here that the Green Velo route crosses paths with the bike trail leading to the Forts of Przemyśl. Going west, you  reach Rzeszów, with some notable landmarks, such as the Town Square, the impressive Town Hall, and the Underground Tourist Route. Then, going eastward, you get to Łańcut, famous for the beautiful castle surrounded with a magnificent park. Later on you arrive in Leżajsk, where you must visit the Bernardine Basilica famous for the pipe organ. Riding northward you reach two towns upon the River San - Rudnik nad Sanem known for the wickerwork traditions, and Ulanów famous for the barging traditions. Along the entire route the cyclists can take breaks in special roofed areas, and stop at farms, guesthouses, inns and restaurants certified to provide services  along the trail.