Bieszczady. Tarnica, Połoniny, Solińskie Lake and other attractions of the Bieszczady Mountains
The Bieszczady Mountains are probably the most beautiful mountains in Poland, of course, characterized by a completely different climate than the highest Tatras. Often, the Bieszczady Mountains are considered to be the most wild and secluded, although the Low Beskids tend to win in this category, because the beauty of the Bieszczady Mountains has already brought them quite significant fame among tourists. Trails stretching for kilometers, wonderful landscapes of the meadows, the best views in the colorful autumn and the possibility of meeting bears act as a magnet for wanderers. Be sure to visit the magical Bieszczady!
Peaks in the Bieszczady Mountains
The highest peak in the Bieszczady Mountains is Tarnica (1346 m above sea level). Other high, well-known and popular peaks are Halicz (1333 m above sea level), Wielka Rawka (1304 m above sea level) or the extremely popular Caryńska (1297 m above sea level) and Wetlińska (1255 m above sea level). They are located within the borders of the Bieszczady National Park, where you can only hike along marked hiking trails. This is where, among others, the red-marked Main Beskid Trail leads.
These peaks are eagerly visited by tourists, thanks to the magnificent views. There are really fantastic panoramas from Tarnica or the meadows, although the view from Tarnica has been completely obscured by fog, but the Bieszczady Mountains, covered with fog and immersed in clouds, have an equally amazing character and magical power of attraction.
Attractions in the Bieszczady Mountains
The Bieszczady Mountains constitute the easternmost part of the Polish Carpathians. These are not stunningly high mountains, but that is not the most important thing here. Charming old churches, sloping crosses, unspoiled nature, a rich animal world and mountain ranges stretching for kilometers of beautiful trails. One of the most picturesque and amazing places in the Bieszczady Mountains, mainly in winter, is Chatka Puchatka, a hostel in the Połonina Wetlińska, which looks fabulous in winter. And on these paths you will not meet villages, cities, tourists in many places do not rush here in crowds, as in other parts of the Carpathians. This can be appreciated by hikers who love peace and true beauty of the mountains. This is especially true of the side, slightly lower parts of the mountains in the western part, where tourism has almost not yet entered, but the forests and their rightful four-legged residents are doing very well. Here and there you will also find Hutsul horses in stud farms and on mountain paths.
Tarnica - the highest peak of the Bieszczady Mountains
The easiest and fastest way to get to Tarnica, the highest peak of the Bieszczady Mountains, is from Wołosate, where a paid car park awaits. You have to follow the blue trail, and from the pass near Tarnica to the very top along the yellow trail. The views can be enchanting, but we saw mainly fog. The trail is quite steep and a bit cumbersome due to the large number of stairs. But it's also scenic! Entering Tarnica, in the lower parts we enter the Bieszczady National Park, so you have to buy a ticket on the way. There are a lot of tourists here, and this is because the peak belongs to theCrown of the Polish Mountains.
See also our trekking to Snowdon - the highest peak in Wales
Szczerbanówka Tower in the Bieszczady Mountains
The Szczerbanówka observation tower stands on the Przysłup pass, in the Western Bieszczady Mountains, in the village of Żubracze, about 10 km from Cisna. The wooden structure is 9 m high and offers 3 viewing platforms. We were incredibly lucky that when passing by Szczerbanówka, the weather and thus the Bieszczady Mountains showed their most beautiful face. We couldn't take our eyes off thesewonderful autumn landscapes! The tower is free and very easily accessible, because it stands by the main road, and next to it there is free parking.
Lake Solina
In the town of Solina, the largest water dam in Poland was located, which, after damming the waters of the San River, gave in the 1960s The beginning of the artificial reservoir. Lake Solina, called the Bieszczady Sea, has become one of the greatest attractions of the Bieszczady Mountains, very popular with tourists. With a walkable dam crown, beaches, equipment rentals, spectacular banks and a gondola that lets you admire it all from above.
Churches in the Bieszczady Mountains
Did you know that you can also find UNESCO-listed attractions in the area? These are the age-old temples collected in the Wooden Architecture Trail.
Former Lemko churches near Komańcza:
- Church in Turzańsk - the beautiful church is considered the most beautiful in the Podkarpacie region, it is available for visiting by prior arrangement, it is on the UNESCO List
- Orthodox Church in Szczawno
- Orthodox Church in Rzepedze
- The Orthodox Church in Komańcza - the one that captivated me the most, although we were unable to enter it, the view from the outside already touches my heart. Interestingly, these nineteenth-century churches were saved from destruction and oblivion by a Catholic priest, exposing himself to the authorities of the communist state at that time
Former Boyko Orthodox churches
- Orthodox Church in Smolnik - a valuable trace of the Boyks, who once prevailed in the Bieszczady Mountains, but today they are no longer here. This church has been included on the UNESCO List
- Orthodox Church in Chmiel - tiny and climatic. Currently, it is a Roman Catholic church, but it was formerly a Greek Catholic church. She starred in the film Mr. Volodyovsky. It was almost destroyed there, because it was supposed to be burned, but it was saved after the protests
- Orthodox Church in Rivne - comes from the middle of the 18th century
When visiting the Bieszczady Mountains, it is worth having a beautiful guide "Podkarpackie. See you there”by Karolina Miller and Piotr Andruszko from the rudeiczarne.pl blog
Deskale Andrejkowa
Beautiful paintings have been appearing in Bieszczady villages, on old wooden barns and cottages for several years. Hence, instead of murals, they are often called planks. They are created by the local artist Arkadiusz Andrejkow as part of the beautiful Silent Memorial project, in which he is inspired by old photographs of local residents.
Bieszczady Forest Railway
The Bieszczady Forest Railway is a narrow-gauge railway in the Bieszczady Mountains with a track width of 750 mm. It is the highest located narrow-gauge line in Poland and is a favorite family attraction in this region. It was established at the end of the 19th century as the Nowy Łupków – Cisna public railway.
Our video
We invite you to see our film from this beautiful region.
Where to eat in the Bieszczady Mountains?
In Solina, near the dam, you will find plenty of restaurants, cafes and gastronomic points. We visited Santa Barbara - a restaurant in the form of a ship, where you can eat well with a nice view of the lake. In the heart of the Bieszczady Mountains, restaurants are less and less to the south and east, the more difficult it is, but you will not be hungry here. In Cisna, we recommend Siekierezada, although more for the climate than delicious food, because it has gotten a little worse in recent years. However, we liked the robbers' pancakes and tartlets. It is a cult place of gatherings of Bieszczady hoods, but the fame of this place meant that there are a lot of people willing, hence they moved to a quieter pub. Not far from Cisna, in Przysłup, it is worth visiting Oberża Biesisk o, where we ate very well. In the warm, familiar interiors, we tasted pork chops, robbers' pies and buns. The latter is a regional dish, we saw the Lemko and Boyko versions, but generally they are pancake pies and sauerkraut. Coming down from Tarnica in the parking lot in Wołosat, we visited a pizzeria, where we ate a hot potato soup with sausage. Tired and cold, we appreciated its simple taste.
Accommodation in the Bieszczady Mountains
While visiting the Bieszczady Mountains, we slept in Oberża Biesisko w Przysłupie. It offers guest rooms and a cottage in the garden, where we spent long, pleasant autumn evenings. A tasty breakfast awaits you in the morning, and there is also a mini spa with an outdoor hot tub and sauna, as well as a jacuzzi under the roof. There is also free parking for guests.
Here you will find a wide selection of accommodations. By booking your stay on Booking.com through our link, you support the development of our blog — and we thank you in advance! It helps us reach many interesting places that we later love to show you and share our experiences and information with you.
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