Discover Podlaskie
Accommodation in Podlaskie
Podlaskie offers a wide variety of landscapes and experiences: wetlands and forests sit alongside routes for hiking and cycling, while places such as Kruszyniany offer insights into Tatar culture. When planning your trip, you can first consider whether you are mainly looking for nature, outdoor activities or cultural discoveries. You can then choose your accommodation based on the themes that matter most for your trip.
Explore national parks and trails
Białowieża National Park is in the Podlaskie Voivodeship and covers the central part of Białowieża Forest. One of the park’s main attractions is the Muzeum Przyrodniczo-Leśne. The national park therefore combines a specific natural area with a museum visit, offering two different ways to explore the subject of forests.
Other landscapes also shape the range of nature experiences available. Biebrza National Park encompasses a vast wetland area with marshes and peat bogs. Suwałki Landscape Park is Poland’s oldest landscape park. These descriptions point to different natural features: the Biebrza area focuses on wetland landscapes, while the Suwałki park is notable for its history as a protected landscape area.
Wigry National Park has a total of 190 kilometres of designated and developed land trails for walking and cycling. The number of kilometres gives you an idea of the scale of the trail network; you can choose whether to hike or cycle according to your preferred activity. Kayaks, rowing boats, sailboats and other non-motorised watercraft are permitted on the park’s designated waters. When planning, it is worth distinguishing between the land trails and the bodies of water specifically open to visitors.
Another hiking experience is the Waniewo–Śliwno footbridge in Narew National Park. It is accessible to hikers from both villages, but may be temporarily closed in adverse weather conditions. Check the park’s current conditions if the bridge is an important part of your day’s plans. On the Narew, you can cross the river in a traditional pychówka boat. This boat was formerly used for agricultural work.
Tatar culture in Kruszyniany
In Kruszyniany, Sabantuy is part of the cultural calendar, celebrated annually in August: the festival is known as the Tatar Ploughing Festival. As the exact dates are not determined by the month alone, check the event dates before your trip if you would like to attend.
Behind the mosque in Kruszyniany is a mizar, a Muslim cemetery. Visitors can walk among the graves, some of which are several hundred years old. This place combines a walk with an insight into Muslim burial culture. Include your visit as a cultural activity and remember that the cemetery is a burial ground.
Polish cuisine in a nationwide context
Polish cuisine can also be part of your trip. Pierogi are small dumplings with various fillings: savoury options include potatoes and cheese, cabbage and mushrooms, meat or vegetables; sweet versions are filled with quark or fruit. They are found throughout Poland. Bigos, sometimes translated as hunter’s stew, combines sauerkraut, various kinds of meat and many spices.
Other Polish dishes include kopytka, oblong dumplings served with meat sauces or stews, or eaten with sugar and melted butter. Potato pancakes are usually served with savoury accompaniments; in some regions, they are also eaten with sweet cream and sugar. Among desserts, cheesecake, poppy seed cake and apple pie are leading Polish varieties. Poppy seed cake is especially often eaten at Christmas and Easter. These nationwide traditions offer culinary inspiration without assuming a visit to a particular restaurant in Podlaskie.
Which experiences will help you decide?
When choosing accommodation in Podlaskie, it may help to first sort out the excursions and experiences you want: hiking and cycling trails, non-motorised watercraft, wetlands or culture in Kruszyniany appeal to different interests. When planning individual visits, the main things to consider are the bridge’s weather-dependent accessibility and the dates of Sabantuy.
Explore other subregions
Discover more destinations: Bielski, ÅomżyÅ„ski, Moniecki, Augustowski, Hajnowski, BiaÅ‚ostocki, Grajewski, Suwalski, KolneÅ„ski, Sejny, Siemiatycze, Sokółka, Wysokie Mazowieckie, Zambrów.
