Podlasie Region – richness and variety
On the trail of cultures and religions of the borderland
Itinerary
You will start your visit to the Podlasie Region by arriving in the capital of this voivodeship – Białystok, which will be a starting point for discovering the melting pot of local cultures.
Day 1
Get familiar with Białystok
The first day will be spent on becoming familiar with the city of Białystok. During the tour you will visit the Renaissance Branicki Palace, known as the ‘Polish Versailles’, the Catholic and the Orthodox cathedral. You will discover the Belarusian cuisine delicacy, which is also a popular everyday dish in Podlasie. The potato pie delights with the aroma of toasted crust, onion and bacon. It has a crispy top and a soft inside. Usually it is served with cabbage salad, low-salt cucumbers, cream or sour milk.
An additional attraction is also planned for dinner – tasting regional alcoholic beverages.
Day 2
The Polish Orient
Muslims have lived in the region since the 17th century, when the Tatars were granted land by the Polish King Jan III Sobieski. Among them was the village of Kruszyniany located on the eastern outskirts of the Podlasie Region. You will visit a wooden mosque from the end of the 18th century and the mizar, a Muslim cemetery with original 18th-century tombstones. For lunch, you will try the traditional Tatar ‘pierekaczewnik’, which owes its name to the way it is prepared – ‘pierekatywat’ in Russian means to ‘roll out’. The pastry is made of a few slices of thinly rolled dough filled with meat or sweet stuffing. You will hear about the modern life of the Tatars while visiting the mosque in Bohoniki.
Day 3
On the trail of the Orthodox Church
Colourful Orthodox temples and villages, as well as the beautiful art of the Eastern Rite – all this you can admire while following the Orthodox trail. First, you will see the orthodox church and the Museum of Icons in Supraśl. The tour will be accompanied by a unique atmosphere, omnipresent music and monophonic chants. In the afternoon you will reach the Holy Mountain of Grabarka. Thousands of crosses brought here by the faithful create an unforgettable view and a mystical atmosphere. On the way back, you will travel through a fairy-tale world – the Land of Open Shutters. You will see unique wooden architecture, unusual carved decorations and colourful – always open – shutters.
Day 4
A minority that no longer exists
Today, you will set off towards Tykocin, where you will visit the Great Synagogue. Jews lived in Podlasie from the 16th century to 1941, when the minority was murdered by the German occupiers. The fact that the synagogue in Tykocin survived World War II should be seen as a miracle. The almost complete annihilation of the Jewish community was inextricably linked with the destruction of the material and cultural heritage of many generations.
For lunch, you will try specialties of Jewish cuisine. The time has come to say goodbye to the Podlasie Region, which is colourful and diverse at any time of the year. Maybe you will come back here someday. Four national parks, forests, lakes, hills and backwaters of rivers are waiting to be discovered.
