This southeastern Polish city centers around a historic main square with a fountain, surrounded by Baroque churches and palaces. Students bring energy to its cafes and cultural events.
Rzeszów, a city of 200,000 in southeastern Poland, lies along the Wisłok River. In the Market Square, you'll find a neo-Gothic town hall built in 1591. A network of 15th-century merchant cellars runs beneath the streets. Walk down Pod Kasztanami Avenue to see Art Nouveau buildings with floral motifs and stained glass windows. The 17th-century Lubomirski Castle, now the District Court, rises above the city center.
Exploring the Underground Route
The Underground Tourist Route takes you through 25 connected cellars that merchants once used for storage. At 10 meters below street level, you'll walk through 369 meters of corridors that date back to the 15th century. The temperature stays constant at 14°C year-round, making it a cool retreat in summer and a warm shelter in winter. Through a glass panel in one of the tunnels, you can see into the basement restaurant of Hotel Ambasadorski.
Market Square and Town Hall
The trapezoid-shaped Market Square forms the center of Rzeszów's Old Town. The cream-colored Town Hall, with its clock tower and neo-Gothic stone carvings, stands in the middle of the square. You can visit its ceremonial rooms on weekdays. Around the square, you'll find cafes, restaurants, and the Ethnographic Museum, which displays regional costumes including the red-striped skirts and blue embroidered waistcoats traditional to Rzeszów women.
Art Nouveau District
Pod Kasztanami Avenue contains buildings from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Look up to see floral patterns carved into stone facades, curved window frames, and geometric designs typical of the Secession movement. Many buildings still have their original wrought-iron balconies and stained-glass windows.
Getting Around
Local buses connect all parts of the city, with tickets costing 2.30 złoty per journey. The main train station sits in the city center, with trains to Warsaw (4 hours) and Kraków (2 hours). From Rzeszów-Jasionka International Airport, 10 km north of the center, you can fly to London, Dublin, and other European cities with at least three weekly flights to each destination.
Museums and Culture
The Regional Museum displays Polish paintings from the 19th and 20th centuries, along with archaeological finds from the region. At the Museum of Bedtime Cartoons near Market Square, you can see original puppets and sets from classic Polish animations like "Teddy Colargol" and "Bear Uszatek." The Wanda Siemaszkowa Theatre, in a building from 1890, stages both classical and contemporary plays.
Weather and Best Time to Visit
Summer temperatures reach above 25°C, while winter temperatures drop below freezing. In July and August, you can attend the International Festival of Polish Folklore. The Paniaga Festival in May fills the streets with music performances and food stalls. During winter months, you can reach several ski slopes within an hour's drive from the city.
