Sanok attractions - what to see? | PolishTrains
Travelling to the Bieszczady Mountains? It is impossible to miss Sanok. The charming town is called the mountain gate of the Subcarpathian region, but it also has a lot to offer in itself. How to spend a day in Sanok and what is worth seeing? Here are the top attractions and sightseeing ideas!
At a glance
At a glance
- Sanok sits in the San valley in the Subcarpathian voivodeship and is a natural gateway to the Bieszczady Mountains
- The Market Square in Sanok is a perfectly square 100 m x 100 m layout, dating from an 1786 Austrian reconstruction
- The open-air museum covers several dozen hectares and contains over 100 historic buildings from the 17th to 20th century
- Zdzislaw Beksinki's paintings are on permanent display in Sanok's Royal Castle
- Direct trains from Rzeszow reach Sanok in approximately 1 to 1.5 hours
- Buses to Bieszczady destinations depart from the bus station at Lipinskiego 31 Street
Sanok is a small town located in the San valley in the Subcarpathian voivodship. Its name is certainly well known to people driving towards the Bieszczady Mountains. Unfortunately, knowledge of the town often ends there, which is a pity. Sanok hides an interesting history and a number of attractions which are certainly worth getting to know. So before you drop everything and head for the Bieszczady Mountains, make sure to stop in Sanok for a day.
Sanok - attractions at your fingertips
The sightseeing of Sanok starts at the railway station, where you can comfortably get by train from e.g. Cracow, Tarnów, Rzeszów. Following Jagiellońska Street, you reach the Market Square, which according to some is the prettiest in Poland. Surprise? Well, exactly. The Market Square in Sanok has a characteristic square shape with sides of 100 m. The square was laid out by the Austrian authorities after a reconstruction in 1786. The most important building on the square is the beautifully restored Old Town Hall in classicist style. The houses from the 18th and 19th centuries surrounding the square also add to the charm. It is worth sitting here for a while to feel the atmosphere or to taste one of the delicious dishes of Podkarpacie cuisine! And there is plenty to choose from! Among the specialities of Podkarpacie arestuffed stuffed cabbage rolls, pancake dough served with sauerkraut and pierogi with mushrooms. Among the mysterious-sounding dishes are proziaki, stolniki, zalewajka or fuczki. You can decipher these names by ordering food at Karczma Jadło Karpackie, Proziakownia or Wyszynk Sanocki restaurant. Each of them is located within the Old Town, and after a train journey you will certainly work up an appetite!
The Royal Castle in Sanok
Did you know that the full name of the town is the Royal Free City of Sanok? The oldest mention dates back to 1150, when the land of Sanok still belonged to the Rus'. In 1339, Sanok was granted town rights and a year later it was incorporated into Poland. You can learn more about its interesting history at the Historical Museum located in the Royal Castle near the Market Square. The Gothic-style brick building was built during the time of the Kazimir Dynasty and then rebuilt by Bona Sforza in the 16th century in the spirit of the Renaissance, and today it is one of the city's main attractions.
On the ruins of the medieval tower, a modern observation deck has been created, offering a beautiful view of the surroundings, the Bieszczady foothills and the San meandering between the hills. Noteworthy is the restored courtyard, the castle gardens and the museum located in one of the wings. It houses a collection of archaeological excavations, military collections, paintings and the once characteristic Orthodox church art of the region. The surprise, however, is ...
Zdzisław Beksiński Gallery
The disturbing and dark artist was born over 90 years ago in Sanok. He was connected with the town until 1977, when he moved to Warsaw. After his tragic death in 2005, his only heir was the Historical Museum in Sanok, to which he donated several thousand works in his last will. The result is the largest collection of Beksinski's works in the world, which can be admired in a specially restored wing of the castle. The castle exhibition consists of the artist's works from different periods of his career. The works are complemented by numerous quotations, films and even a reconstruction of his Warsaw studio. The exhibition is designed so that you can get to know Beksinski himself and understand his thoughts, fears and inner world. A fascinating journey through the dark realms of imagination remains in the memory for a long time!
Church of the Holy Trinity
Right next to the castle, by the ruins of the city walls, is the Church of the Holy Trinity. The temple was built in 1784 as a Greek-Catholic church and is an important symbol of the former ethnic and cultural diversity of Sanok. The 18th-century Baroque altars symbolise the Orthodox churches that once stood in the town. The altar refers to an Orthodox church that used to be located in the castle square, The second altar houses the Miraculous Icon of Our Lady of Sanok from the 17th century. The interior impresses with its richness and distinctive Orthodox architecture.
Good old Swede's bench
A nice touch to the city's architecture is the bench of the good warrior Svejk in 3 Maja Street. The hero of Jaroslav Hašek's book, The Adventures of the Good Soldier Svejk, stayed in the town in 1915. According to the book, at that time he tried to get his lieutenant Duba out of the pleasure house. Today you can find him sitting with his characteristic pipe on a bench across the street. It is said that rubbing the statue's nose brings good luck in love!
Open Air Museum of Folk Architecture
More curiosities? Sanok is home to the first and largest open-air museum in Poland and one of the most beautiful ethnographic museums in all of Europe. Located at the foot of Biała Góra, the museum allows you to learn about the cultural richness of the region and the turbulent history of these lands. The tour starts at the atmospheric Galician Market Square, where the houses of old craftsmen and small shops are located. In high season, you can even buy fresh traditional bread here!
The Folk Architecture Museum covers an area of 38 hectares. The area has been divided into sectors formed by villages inhabited by particular ethnographic groups of the foothills and the Polish part of the Carpathian Mountains. There are more than 120 objects from the 17th-20th century, including cottages, homesteads, churches, a mill and even a manor house.
Sanockie Błonia and the San River
After such intensive sightseeing, it is essential to take a rest. The best way is to lie down on the San Riverwaters. The San riverfront is an ideal place for a picnic. The gently meandering river encourages you to think and swim on hot days. Not enough excitement? There are numerous canoe and pontoon rentals in Sanok, where you can rent equipment for a one- or two-day rafting trip. It depends on how much you are in a hurry to get to the Bieszczady. Popular rafting sections are Sanok - Tyrawa Solna (2-3 hours), Sanok - Ulucz (4-5 hours) or two-day Sanok - Dynów or Sanok - Ostrow. Each of the sections abounds in beautiful views and gives an opportunity to admire the foothills from the perspective of water.
Onwards to the Bieszczady!
Speaking of mountains, it's time to hit the road. From the bus station in Sanok (ul. Lipińskiego 31), you can reach the most popular Bieszczady towns. A popular tourist route is Sanok - Zahutyń - Zagórz - Lesko - Olszanica - Ustrzyki Dolne - Czarna - Lutowiska - Bieszczady National Park (BNP), which is serviced by fast buses. From Sanok, you can also get to Wołosate and Ustrzyki Górne, from where it is only a few steps to the Poloniny Mountains. The bus station itself is a 2-minute walk from the train station, making the transfer convenient even if you are not planning a longer stopover in Sanok. The large number of connections gives you the freedom to travel and modify your plans. So...have a nice wander!