If my last post on Krakow made you want to add Poland to your travel bucket list, let me add a few more cities throughout Southeastern Poland to your itinerary! While traveling abroad I spent most of my weekends traveling to cities throughout Southern Poland exploring many of the small towns in the region. Driving through the Polish country side it wasn’t uncommon to see quaint town squares dotted with old churches and castles. It made me feel like I was transported to another time.
I developed such a love for the beauty of this region and have pulled together a listing of my favorite cities and sites to explore. So let’s go!
Kazimierz Dolny
This is such a quiet small town, but the highlight of Kazimierz Dolny is the view from the top of the hill (known as the Hill of Three Crosses). When on top of the hill, you can see the the town square and scenic Vistula river. To me, it looked like an illustration out of Grimm’s Fairytales. The city also has a Romanesque castle and the town square has amazing well preserved architecture from the Renaissance.
Sandomierz
The city is famous for its cathedrals and old churches but what I liked most about Sandomierz was it’s town square. Surrounded by quaint shops and restaurants, the heart of the square has a distinctive Gothic town hall tower dating from the 14th century. This town is very similar to Bratislava in its look and feel and is good to spend a few hours wandering through.
Krasiczyn
Krasiczyn is known as a village so its very small, but its main draw is the stunning Krasiczyn Castle. We stayed the night there and I had a “pinch me” moment and felt like a princess in her own castle that night. The castle dates from the 16th century and even has its own moat. The castle is built in a square and has a gorgeous intricately carved courtyard. The view from its tower though is my favorite. We were there in the fall and just look at how amazing those colors looked.
Zakopane
I have saved the best for last. Zakopane is a small resort town at the foot of the majestic Tatra Mountains. The town is known for its distinct wooden chalet style architecture which gives the area a “folksy” vibe. Markets cater to tourists and sell everything from delicious sheep’s milk cheeses, scarves, wooden art, and amber jewelry. The area is known for skiing and gorgeous hiking. Before you leave, ride the Gubałówka Hill Funicular to get some of the best mountain views.
