As Christmas approaches, Poland’s historic towns and cities come alive, with Old Town squares transforming into lively, festive hubs that embody the spirit of the season. What do the most beautiful markets-square in south-eastern Poland look like?
But away from the A-list destinations, it is perhaps the under-visited southeastern corner of the country that presents the finest pickings of all.
Zamość
Founded in 1580 by Jan Zamoyski, a local duke of immense resources, Zamość was built from scratch to a disciplined grid-like layout that was the work of some of the top Italian architects of the time. Growing from this was a place of such beauty that it was nicknamed ‘the Padova of the North.’
Today, this Renaissance jewel retains that charm, with its colonnaded passages and cobbled streets leading out to a square hemmed in by rainbow-colored burgher houses and a 52-meter town hall tower that wouldn’t look out of place crowning a wedding cake.
But making it all the better is the lack of ‘outsiders.’ While Poles like to wax lyrical about the town’s many glories, its geographical positioning deep in the southeast keeps tourist numbers in check.
Kazimierz Dolny
For a town of 4,000, Kazimierz Dolny sometimes struggles to absorb the one million tourists that annually visit. But do not let the chance to become ‘Tourist One Million and One’ pass you by, for greatness awaits.
Fringed by the River Wisła on one side and a steep gully on the other, the irresistible little Old Town that sits in between is a place of snaking alleyways, private galleries and charming cafes.
It is the square, however, that sweeps the breath away. Overlooked by a medieval watchtower and a ruined castle, the market square’s standout features include ornate burgher houses decorated with reliefs of biblical monsters and a historic well shielded by a timber frame. Were it not for the stalls selling plastic swords and knightly helmets, one could easily imagine they’d traveled back in time.
Przemyśl
Way before Przemyśl shot to global fame as the primary reception point for Ukrainians fleeing the war, it was better-known as a sleepy eastern border town where nothing much happened. This last point, though, undersells an atmospheric city with much to recommend.
This much becomes apparent to all those that arrive via the train station—looking more like a Habsburg-era palace, no Polish train station impresses quite so much. From there, follow the dipping streets past the bizarre Museum of Bells and Pipes before reaching a square that easily stands alongside Poland’s best.
Set at a steep slope, the square boasts several highlights, including a statue of the fictional WWI character, the Good Soldier Svejk, a fountain adorned with stone bears and a rich spread of tenements encrusted with bas-reliefs.
Rzeszów
Rzeszów’s Rynek is more of a narrow oblong than a square, but its unorthodox layout just adds to its appeal—less uniform than many of Poland’s more symmetrical market squares, it feels deliciously inconsistent with its modern street furnishings, glimmering lights and its buildings of different heights.
Then, at its mouth, sits the biggest glory of all, a Neo-Gothic town hall embellished with pointy towers and Moorish windows. Fit for a Disney princess, one would never guess it has been rebuilt 13 times.
As beautiful as the square looks buried under a sea of Christmas decorations, Rzeszów’s square offers more below ground, namely a labyrinthine trail of medieval tunnels, some of which bear the fingerprints of those that carved these passages centuries ago.
Jarosław
Those that visit Jarosław are rewarded by the striking sight of a pristine town hall sitting center stage of a recently renovated town square.
Although ‘things to do’ are limited to pretty much walking the underground trails and staring numbly at medieval museum exhibits, the whole point of Jarosław lies in doing little more than ambling its streets and using your nose as your guide. By doing so, you’ll find yourself walking through cloistered archways and shaded courtyards as you pass the intricate tenements that compose the Old Town.
Krosno
Krosno's Old Town bristles with grandiose public institutions and majestic religious buildings, and these do much to justify the town’s nickname of ‘Little Krakow.’ Unlike Krakow, however, Krosno lacks the plague of tourists, and this dearth of foreign voices makes exploring its empty alleyways a dreamy experience.
Inevitably, all roads lead back to the Rynek. Framed by colonnaded tenements, standout features of the main square include an 800-kilo scale model of 17th-century Krosno and a modern museum celebrating the town’s glassmaking heritage.
Lublin
Whereas many of Poland’s tourist gems now find themselves weighed down by chain cafes and folk-themed restaurants, Lublin feels like it has remained true to its soul—traipsing down wonky back alleys and hushed courtyards, one gets the sense of an Old Town that exists not for the benefit of tourists but for the people that live there.
Authenticity aside, Lublin’s Old Town stands out for its beguiling composition of semi-secret corners, revamped tenements and elaborate churches. Entering via the Brama Krakowska, a medieval brick tower that serves as the historic center’s mouthpiece, visitors step down Grodzka, a gently sloping street that leads all the way down to the city’s most photographed feature: a castle rebuilt in the 19th century in a Neo-Gothic style.
In between these landmarks lies a square anchored by an elegant town hall under which runs a trail of 17th-century passages that contain, among other attractions, a model depicting the great fire of 1719.
Tarnów
Tarnów’s Old Town has no shortage of dipping stairwells and narrow passageways, and these lend the historic center plenty of character. But for the biggest draw of all, look to Tarnów’s Rynek, a pocket-sized square lined with arcaded townhouses.
These stare onto the Rynek’s centerpiece, a Renaissance town hall decorated with 14 grotesque stone faces and a hand-cranked clock that has purportedly only stopped twice since the 17th century.
While there, snoop inside the Regional Museum to view relics related to General Józef Bem, a 19th-century patriotic hero who fought for Polish independence—among other oddities, these include a fragment of his finger bone (once stolen in 1920 but later returned by the guilt-ridden thief).
Nowy Sącz
Nowy Sącz surprises all who visit—touting a vibrant street art scene, an ice cream trail and a Jewish heritage route, the city’s attractions are numerous, varied and sometimes a little weird. At the town’s heart, the square is among the largest in Poland and boasts an eye-catching town hall built in Neo-Baroque style.
Sandomierz
As hard as it is to believe, during the Middle Ages, Sandomierz ranked alongside Krakow and Wrocław in terms of its size and the influence it wielded. Today, this sleepy town feels like one of Poland’s best-kept secrets.
Entering the Old Town via the 14th-century Opatów Gate, explorations yield discoveries such as an underground tourist route containing mediaeval execution equipment and a pair of children's skulls. Visiting is recommended, not least seeing that the trail conveniently concludes on the town square.
Dominated by the renaissance town hall at its center, the Rynek is among the most picturesque in Poland.
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