Dear Readers and fellow Travellers. Today we’re taking you to the heart of south-eastern Poland, to a city that deserves far more attention than it often receives – Rzeszów. The capital of the Podkarpackie Voivodeship is a place that is dynamically developing, whilst nurturing its rich history and traditions.

If you’re wondering what to see in Rzeszów, planning a weekend trip, looking for interesting places to visit, lovely spots offered by this wonderful Polish city, or the most fascinating tourist attractions and historic sites, you’ve come to the right place! We’ve prepared a complete guide for you, which will help you discover the most interesting places and attractions, those for children and teenagers, as well as fascinating places in the surrounding area.

The city is strategically located on a major railway line connecting Kraków with Przemyśl and is a major transport hub in the region, which is a considerable convenience for those travelling by train. My favourite writer Bill Bryson once said that there is something about travelling that constantly pushes us forward and doesn’t let us stop. And with that thought in mind, let’s set off together to discover Rzeszów! Mr Wojciech Kilar was absolutely right when he said, thank God there is Rzeszów!

Rzeszów – the heart of Podkarpacie: key attractions

Rzeszów is indeed the beating heart of Podkarpacie, a region in Poland that has a lot to offer. The dynamically developing city is a great destination for a short weekend trip or as a base for exploring the nearby Bieszczady Mountains, although for some, the lack of direct rail connections southwards might be a slight inconvenience.

We’re starting our journey with places you simply have to see when visiting Rzeszów.

A stroll around the Market Square and the underground passages

It’s worth starting your Rzeszów adventure at its picturesque Market Square. This attractive and well-maintained square took shape in the 19th century and is surrounded by townhouses from the 15th-19th centuries, housing numerous cafes and restaurants. Standing proudly in the Market Square is the Town Hall, the most important building on the square, dating from 1897 and home to the Rzeszów City Council. The Market Square is also adorned with the Kościuszko Monument and a restored 17th-century well.

An essential part of visiting Rzeszów’s Market Square is a descent into its depths. Beneath the Market Square runs the Underground Tourist Route, also known as the Rzeszów Cellars.

This nearly four-hundred-metre route, one of the longest in Poland, leads through a series of interconnected cellars, with the oldest chambers dating back to the 14th century. It allows you to learn about the fascinating history of the city and region, and did you know that these cellars served not only as storage but also as shelters from fires?

St Mary Magdalene Hill and the observation tower

For those who enjoy seeing the city from above, the ideal place will be St Mary Magdalene Hill, located on the eastern side of Rzeszów. There you’ll find the observation tower on Magdalenka Hill, which is a 15-metre elevation offering panoramic views of Rzeszów and the surrounding area.

In good weather, you can even see the distant Beskidy and Tatra Mountains from the tower, which is always a nice bonus (although you need a bit of luck with visibility). The hill also features a historic church and a newly opened recreational area with a playground, making it an attraction for the whole family.

Rzeszów’s Historic Sites: history in stone

Rzeszów is a city with a rich history, evident in its numerous historic sites. Walking through its streets, you’ll come across many traces of the past, from former aristocratic residences to memorial sites.

Lubomirski Castle: secrets of the former fortress

For over 200 years, Rzeszów belonged to the Lubomirski family, who left a strong mark on the city’s architecture. The most important historic site associated with them is Lubomirski Castle.

The current building was constructed between 1902 and 1906 on the site of an earlier 16th-century fortress, which was intended to protect against invasions, including those by the Tatars. Today, the castle is home to the Rzeszów District Court, which unfortunately means not all parts are open to the public. Nevertheless, the monumental structure itself, with its bastions and moat, is impressive and is an important point on the map of Rzeszów.

Lubomirski Summer Palace: Baroque elegance

Not far from Lubomirski Castle is the Lubomirski Summer Palace. This Baroque residence, originally the seat of the court theatre, was erected at the end of the 17th century by Hieronim Lubomirski.

It was formerly a place of relaxation for aristocrats, and today the palace houses the District Medical Chamber in Rzeszów. The palace exudes Baroque elegance and is a beautiful example of architecture from that era. It’s worth paying attention to the Art Nouveau villas along Aleja Pod Kasztanami, which runs between the Castle and the Palace.

The Museum of Bedtime Cartoons and other Rzeszów museums

Rzeszów surprises with the variety of its museums. Here you’ll find both a journey into the world of childhood and treasures of history and art, because after all, culture isn’t just about serious works.

The Museum of Bedtime Cartoons: a sentimental journey back to childhood

Rzeszów is home to the only Museum of Bedtime Cartoons in Poland. It’s a magical place that evokes those cosy moments spent before 7 PM. The museum was established thanks to the idea of Wojciech Jama, who donated his rich collection of fairytale gadgets to the city, and in my opinion, it’s a fantastic initiative (seriously, who would have thought of such a place?).

It’s located in one of the townhouses by the Market Square, near Mickiewicza Street. In the museum, you can admire exhibits related to popular bedtime cartoons, both Polish ones like Plastusiowy pamiętnik, Miś Uszatek (the one who put on pyjamas!), Maurycy and Hawranek, The Adventures of Teddy Bear Colargol, as well as foreign ones like Maya the Bee (remember her from honey jars?), The Moomins (haunted by the Groke), The Smurfs or The Little Mole (always clutching his head).

Here you’ll see original puppets, including Miś Uszatek, Colargol, and Jacek and Agatka, the characters from the first Polish bedtime cartoon broadcast by TVP. There are also interesting souvenirs from those years – did you know that Jacek and Agatka ended up on soap bars, calculators were named Bolek and Lolek, and the nappy washing powder „Cypisek” won a gold medal at an exhibition in Bratislava? (which I always find amusing). The Museum of Bedtime Cartoons is a real sentimental journey back to childhood.

The District Museum: treasures of history and art

Another important point on Rzeszów’s cultural map is the District Museum, which is located in the 17th-century Piarist monastery on 3 Maja Street.

The District Museum in Rzeszów houses artefacts related to the history of the city and region. Here you can see the permanent military exhibition „Polish Soldier 1914 – 1945”, as well as the Polish Painting Gallery, featuring works by eminent artists such as Boznańska, Malczewski, Chełmoński, Siemiradzki, Mehoffer or Grottger.

My favourite paintings you can admire here are “Bójka parobków” by Teodor Stachowicz and “Jesienna melancholia” by Kazimierz Sichulski. The museum also houses the Artistic Craft Gallery and archaeological collections. Actually, looking at it from a different perspective, archaeological collections can also be fascinating, although perhaps less popular than painting.

Art in Rzeszów: murals and sculptures

Rzeszów proves that art doesn’t have to be confined to museums. The city is adorned with numerous murals and sculptures, which add character to it and often commemorate important figures or events.

Walking the Rzeszów mural trail

Street art is developing in Podkarpacie, and Rzeszów features several noteworthy murals. Initially, I planned to dedicate a separate article to them, just as I did with street art in Bielsko-Biała, Bydgoszcz, and Gdynia, but I decided to include them in this comprehensive guide so you have everything in one place. The murals are located in various parts of Rzeszów, and you sometimes need to make an effort to find them.

For instance, the mural depicting the Łoś bomber is located (theoretically) at Grunwaldzka 22 and is visible from Jana III Sobieskiego Street. An interesting painting is the one at ul. Płk. Leopolda Lisa-Kuli 13 commemorating the Rzeszów-born director Fred Zinnemann, author of the film „High Noon”. Another mural depicts a scene from this very film featuring the image of Gary Cooper and is located on Lisa Kuli Street 13; it was relocated there by artist Kamil Kuzko, who has a studio in Kraków.

The Déballage mural, depicting a scene from Józef Szajna’s theatre performance, is located at Sokoła 3 and commemorates this Rzeszów native. Other well-known murals include the one with an 18th-century panorama of the city (on the building at the intersection of Plac Farny and Sokoła streets) or „Girl in Headphones” at ul. Poniatowskiego 5. A map of murals and graffiti making it easier to explore Rzeszów along the mural trail can be found at the premises of the Rzeszów Culture Incubator.

An additional outdoor attraction in Rzeszów is a model of the solar system, where planets enclosed in glass capsules are scattered across different parts of the city, and their positions and sizes were calculated based on the date Rzeszów was granted city rights – 19th January 1354. Quite creative, isn’t it?

The city’s most interesting sculptures and monuments

Rzeszów is also a city of monuments and outdoor sculptures. Probably the most recognisable, and at the same time most controversial, icon of the city is the Monument to Revolutionary Action. Designed by the eminent sculptor Marian Konieczny (creator of, among others, the Wyspiański monument in Kraków, the Lenin monument in Nowa Huta, and the Warsaw Nike), it was unveiled in 1974.

This enormous Monument, commonly nicknamed „Rabbit’s Ears”, „Sheath”, or vulgarly „Big C..pa”, detracts from the Bernardine Gardens, but at the same time, the Rzeszów hotel overlooks it and it is an inseparable part of the landscape (regardless of what we think of it, it’s there). As a seasoned guide puts it, „The Monument to Revolutionary Action is, like it or not, the DNA of Rzeszów.”

An important place in Rzeszów is also Plac Cichociemnych. This green square, located between Aleja Józefa Piłsudskiego and Plac Cichociemnych, commemorates the Cichociemni (Silent Unseen) and the transport of prisoners from Rzeszów to Auschwitz in 1940, in the first transport from Tarnów. On the square stand stones with the names of the prisoners, as well as Józef Szajna’s sculpture „Przejście 2001”. Józef Szajna, a Rzeszów native, painter, stage designer, director, and ASP professor, was a prisoner of the German camps Auschwitz and Buchenwald. The Wanda Siemaszko Theatre in Rzeszów also houses a gallery of Józef Szajna’s works.

On the way from the Old Cemetery to the Multimedia Fountain, you’ll pass the sculpture „Urwis z procą” (‘Rascal with a Slingshot’), standing by the office building of Elektromontaż company. Its author is Krzysztof Brzuzan. On Słowackiego Street, there is an outdoor sculpture – a tribute to the legendary Polish football coach Kazimierz Górski, featuring his quote, (which is a nice touch for football fans).

Walking towards the last attraction described, it’s worth paying attention to the historic building of the Wanda Siemaszko Theatre; it’s a piece of history. The next stop on the route is the complex of the Bernardine Fathers Monastery and the Basilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Behind the monastery complex lie the gardens, a publicly accessible place for relaxation, because where better to rest after sightseeing?

On the way to the station, I also passed the frog on the well on Bernardyńska Street, as well as the circular pedestrian bridge over the busy communication artery (Aleja Józefa Piłsudskiego). This bridge, a unique engineering solution, is a great landmark.

Green Rzeszów: parks, boulevards, and nature reserves

Rzeszów isn’t just about historic sites and street art; it also has plenty of greenery. The city offers pleasant places for walks and relaxation by the water, as well as proximity to nature, which is a big plus.

The Rzeszów Boulevards: a walk along the Wisłok

One of the most pleasant places for a stroll in Rzeszów is the Rzeszów Boulevards. They stretch along the banks of the Wisłok river, from the city centre all the way to Lisia Góra.

It’s the ideal place for cycling, jogging, or simply a peaceful walk, as you can truly escape the city hustle and bustle. The boulevards extend to the Park of Culture and Recreation, where you’ll find many attractions, a playground, a fountain, a concert stage, an outdoor gym, or a dog playground. In the summer season, a popular leisure spot for Rzeszów residents is the Żwirownia swimming area, located near the Lisia Góra nature reserve, also by the Wisłok.

Parks and nature reserves in the area

Apart from the Park of Culture and Recreation (also known as Olszynki, where you’ll find a rope park and a playground – great for active people), it’s worth mentioning the Lisia Góra Nature Reserve, located a bit further from the strict centre. This reserve features the largest cluster of English oak trees in the Podkarpackie Voivodeship.

There are educational trails and places to rest, ideal for a shorter trip if you’re prepared for a journey of a dozen or so minutes. While preparing the article, I noticed that at the time of writing, construction was ongoing on another two-kilometre section of the pedestrian and cycling path along the Wisłok towards Jarowa Street. The path starts near the Narutowicz Bridge (known as the rainbow bridge) about 1.5 kilometres from Rzeszów Główny railway station and leads all the way to the aforementioned Lisia Góra nature reserve. The Narutowicz Bridge connects Naruszewicza Street on the Old Town side with Wierzbowa Street on the other side over the Wisłok river. I wonder what it looks like now after completion.

Rzeszów for Foodies: the best pubs and restaurants

Travelling is also about discovering local flavours. Rzeszów has many interesting places to offer where you can eat well and have a delicious coffee, and after all, good food is the foundation of any successful trip, isn’t it?

The best cafes and patisseries in Rzeszów

If you’re looking for a place for a good coffee, I recommend Powoli Cafe at Adama Mickiewicza 4. It’s a charming cafe with a cosy atmosphere. For ice cream, you absolutely must go to Gelateria Bianca at 3 Maja 1 (they always have delicious flavours). And when in Podkarpacie, it would be a sin not to try proziaki! The venue Proza at Jana Karola Chodkiewicza 7 is known precisely for this local delicacy.

Brilliance is the key word for these proziak sandwiches, which you simply have to try (seriously, they’re something else!).

Restaurants and eateries offering cuisine from around the world

Rzeszów offers culinary diversity. Wonderful Czech food, Czech beer, and a Czech atmosphere can be found at České Hospoda at Rynek 5. The Czech place in Rzeszów only confirmed it – wonderful, I tell you!

For something with a more elegant vibe and French culinary inspiration, I recommend the charming bistro Le Petit Reve, where you can have a delicious breakfast and a great coffee. Unfortunately, the address of this place isn’t widely available, so you’ll have to look for it yourself, which can sometimes be bothersome, but it’s worth it.

Trips from Rzeszów: what to see in the area?

Rzeszów is a great base for trips to the Bieszczady Mountains, but the surrounding area also has other attractions worth visiting, even for a day trip.

Nearest tourist attractions outside Rzeszów

Jarosław is close to Rzeszów and is a city worth visiting for many reasons; it has beautiful architecture. When in Rzeszów, it’s worth taking a trip to nearby Łańcut. It’s only 18 kilometres away, and there you’ll find a beautiful castle, famous for its well-preserved interiors and rich collection of horse-drawn carriages (quite impressive!).

Zabajka, part of Głogów Małopolski, a town just 14 kilometres from Rzeszów, is a place where you can spend time actively. A riding club, where you can improve your horse riding skills, also bears the same name.

Day trips from Rzeszów: discover Podkarpacie

Rzeszów is a great place for a day trip, for example, from Kraków. From Kraków, you can conveniently travel by train to Rzeszów in under 2 hours on an express train. Rzeszów Główny railway station is located in the city centre, which makes sightseeing easy, as everything is close at hand.

Rzeszów lies on the border between the Sandomierz Basin and the Central Beskidian Foothills. It’s about 90 kilometres from the borders with Slovakia and Ukraine, making it a potential base for further travels; however, it’s a pity there are so few rail connections towards Jasło, Krosno, or Sanok, which makes exploring the more southern part of Podkarpacie difficult without a car.

How to get around Rzeszów?

Getting around Rzeszów is relatively easy, especially in the centre where most attractions are within walking distance.

City cameras and online webcams in Rzeszów

Before arriving, it’s worth checking Rzeszów online using the available city cameras. Rzeszów cameras allow you to see the situation live in the Market Square, on main streets, roundabouts, or the pedestrian bridge. There are also cameras monitoring traffic near Jasionka airport or by Millenium Hall. These are useful tools to get an idea of the current situation in the city.

Public transport: buses

There are no trams here, which might be a surprise for some, but the city has a bus network. Rzeszów Główny railway station, from which most attractions are no more than a half-hour walk, is a great starting point.

A big plus are the 24/7 public toilets near Plac Cichociemnych and the portable toilets set up near the Multimedia Fountain and in a few spots along the path by the Wisłok. This is practical information for tourists, because who doesn’t sometimes need to use the toilet?

Getting to Rzeszów from other cities: by train or car

As we’ve already mentioned, you can conveniently get to Rzeszów from Kraków by train, as Rzeszów is located on a major railway line, ensuring good connections with other cities in Poland. From other Polish cities like Warsaw or the aforementioned Kraków, you can reach Rzeszów by train.

Travelling by car is also comfortable, as Rzeszów is well-connected to the rest of the country thanks to its network of expressways and motorways.

Where to stay in Rzeszów?

Rzeszów offers a variety of accommodation options, from luxury hotels to more intimate apartments.

Hotels and apartments in Rzeszów: something for everyone

Staying in a five-star hotel in Rzeszów costs a fraction of the price compared to other cities in Poland, which sounds quite appealing, doesn’t it? If you’re looking for a place to sleep well in Rzeszów, you have various options to choose from.

Hotel Bristol Tradition and Luxury is a 5* boutique hotel in Rzeszów, elegantly furnished and modern, located in the centre. Stary Rzeszów Apartments are just a few steps away from literally everything, making them a very convenient place to stay if you value proximity to attractions.

Accommodation outside the centre: peaceful relaxation

Generally, the accommodation base in the Podkarpackie Voivodeship leaves a lot to be desired compared to other more touristy regions, but in Rzeszów itself, you’ll find a wide selection that should cater to various needs and budgets.

Staying outside the strict centre can be a good idea for people who value peace and quiet, although it will require using public transport or a car to reach the main attractions, so that’s something to consider.

Practical information for tourists

When preparing for a visit to Rzeszów, it’s worth having a few useful tips at hand.

Maps and guides to Rzeszów

Aside from the aforementioned map of murals and graffiti available at the Rzeszów Culture Incubator, you’ll certainly find maps and guides in local bookshops or tourist information points. It’s always worth having a paper map, isn’t it?

Tourist information: useful contacts

Tourist information in Rzeszów will be the best source for current information on attraction opening hours, ticket prices, and potential events in the city. Typically, such points are located in the city centre, often around the Market Square or the station, so they’re easy to find.

Rzeszów – a city worth discovering

We hope this complete guide to Rzeszów’s attractions will inspire you to visit this wonderful Polish city. Rzeszów is the capital of Podkarpacie, located on the border between the Sandomierz Basin and the Central Beskidian Foothills, is dynamically developing and truly has a lot to offer tourists.

From the fascinating Underground Tourist Route, through historic sites like Lubomirski Castle and Summer Palace, to the Museum of Bedtime Cartoons, the modern Multimedia Fountain, and the green boulevards along the Wisłok, it’s a city that combines history with modernity and offers attractions for everyone – from activities for children to interesting places for teenagers and adults.

Whether you’re planning a weekend in Rzeszów or a longer visit, you’ll certainly find something for yourself here. It’s worth following Rzeszów’s profiles on Facebook or Instagram to stay up to date with events and admire the city’s most beautiful spots.

Jews constituted forty per cent of Rzeszów’s population before World War II, and traces of their presence can still be found in the form of the Old Town Synagogue (from the turn of the 17th and 18th centuries, housing the State Archives and located on Adama Mickiewicza Street) and the New Town Synagogue (housing the Bureau of Artistic Exhibitions), which is an important element of the city’s history.

Plac Ofiar Getta (Ghetto Victims Square), located between Aleja Józefa Piłsudskiego and Plac Cichociemnych, was the gathering point for the Jewish population before deportation to the Bełżec concentration camp. On Plac Ofiar Getta is the Monument of Gratitude to the Soviet Army and a stone with a plaque commemorating the Jewish cemetery that was formerly in this area, destroyed during the occupation by the Nazi occupier.

It’s also worth seeing the mural dedicated to Irena Sendlerowa, unveiled on a block of flats at Kopernika Street 18A. The Old Cemetery in Rzeszów, founded in 1792, is older than Rakowicki Cemetery in Kraków, contains tombstones from the time of the November Uprising and stretches from Targowa Street to the bank of the Wisłok river.

During the PRL era, the communist authorities attempted to get rid of the Old Cemetery in Rzeszów, but thankfully, they weren’t successful (phew). Jerzy Hoffman filmed Stefcia Rudecka’s funeral scene for the film „Trędowata” (‘The Leper’) on the Old Cemetery in Rzeszów, which adds a cinematic flair to it.

The circular pedestrian bridge over Aleja Józefa Piłsudskiego is a unique engineering solution and is worth seeing, especially in the evening. The Multimedia Fountain, launched in 2013, is an entertainment feature for children (and others), located in the city centre with a large multimedia fountain, a circular fountain, and five smaller flower-shaped fountains, operating from May to October. The Lubomirski Summer Palace rises above the Multimedia Fountain and is located between the Lubomirski Palace, an ugly block of flats (well, that’s life), and Fryderyka Szopena Street.

Part of the District Medical Chamber building was being renovated, so photos could only be taken from the Aleja Lubomirskich side, which can be a downside when travelling if you want to photograph something perfectly. The townhouse at the intersection of Aleja Lubomirskich with Zamkowa and 3 Maja streets also looks very nice.

3 Maja Street in Rzeszów (formerly known as Paniaga) starts near the Lubomirski Summer Palace and ends by the Church of Saints Stanislaus and Wojciech. It’s Rzeszów’s main promenade, a former trade route and the city’s pulsing heart. On 3 Maja Street, you’ll find the beautiful building of PKO Bank Polski bank, the Church of the Holy Cross, the District Museum, and an outdoor sculpture of the musician Tadeusz Nalepa (a great idea!).

Plac Farny is located just off 3 Maja Street. The Church of Saints Wojciech and Stanislaus, also known as Rzeszów’s Fara church, has a richly decorated interior with 18th-century frescoes (it’s worth taking a look inside!). The Monument to Revolutionary Action was unveiled in 1974, is 40 metres high, and is a symbol of Rzeszów, a relic of People’s Poland and the times of communism, although opinions about it are divided (and very much so).

The Basilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary adjoins the Bernardine Monastery, has Renaissance and Baroque features, rich decorations, and 18th-century frescoes, and the Bernardine Gardens, a publicly accessible place for relaxation, stretch around the church and monastery.

We invite you to discover all these wonderful places for yourselves!