Founded most probably in the 11th century borough is now a bit underestimated city full of architectural contrasts. In its landscape blocks of flats are dominating, that are in odds with beautiful surroundings of Rynek (the Main Square). What’s worth seeing in Rzeszow?
We recommend to start sightseeing from the old part of the city, which is Rynek, in which central sport there is located an outstanding and monumental town hall in neo-gothic and neo-renaissance style. It is there, where the best restaurants and cafes are located and also cultural events take place. It is worth also to take a walk through cosy streets departing from Rynek, like Kopernika, Słowackiego, Kościuszki or 3 Maja, which is the city’s main boardwalk. „Paniaga”, as locals call it, is a modern heart of the city with numerous historical buildings, shops, restaurants with beer gardens. Especially eye-catching are the Church of St. Cross with its snow-white façade and churches of St. Wojciech and St. Stanisław. What’s interesting, citizens of Rzeszow love so much this oldest and the most representative street of the city, that each year in May they threw a feast in its name.
If you have in you an urge to discover, then definitely go for sightseeing of Podziemna Trasa Turystyczna (The Underground Touristic Route) opened in 2001. The entrance is near Town Hall from the side of Słowackiego St. (Rynek 26). After getting through it, you will find 400 metres of renovated, underground corridors, through which you will reach 40 rooms that used to serve as basements for goods. During one-hour trip you can also see numerous exhibits, that were discovered during archeologically works and listen to interesting stories of the guide on the turbulent history of Rzeszów. The route is open to visitors the whole year around, entrance is every full hour and ticket costs 6,5 zlotys per person.
In the cuisine of Sub-Carpathian region – the one, in which Rzeszów is located – the most famous are “proziaki”, baked flat-pies from flour, sour milk, soda and salt. They are served in inns, on markets or during traditional harvest festival. We recommend also trying a dish named “hałuszki”. These are delicious small noodles made from potatoes with egg, cooked on boiling water, served with milk, butter or onion. Popular are also “kołduny”, oval dumplings from potatoes with filling made of cooked potatoes, cheese with onions baked on fat. Rzeszów is a perfect place for tasting the most famous polish dishes – pierogi (dumplings), gołąbki (meat-stuffed cabbage) and żur (sour rye soup) – which, according to locals, are best served exactly there. Where to eat? In restaurants: Konfitura at 8 Słowackiego St., Wesele by 23 Rynek St. and Karczma Wacławówka at 7 Strażacka St.
