Mazovia & Podlasie

The rolling landscape of Mazovia (Mazowsze in Polish) has had an eventful history. Once a duchy, this central region is dotted with castles, cathedrals and palaces, the biggest of which reside in the riverside towns of Płock and Pułtusk. Łódź, the provincial capital, is Poland's third-largest metropolis and the region's cultural and nightlife centre. The ups and downs of the city's industrial past are reflected in its mix of gritty and restored architecture and the ever-growing list of attractions that play off its complex history.

To the east, Podlasie is rural and remote. Aside from a few urban centres, this province abutting the Lithuanian and Belarusian borders is a verdant expanse of farmland, forest and lakes. Its four national parks are splendid: Narew and Biebrza for their marshlands; Wigry for its lakes; and Białowieża for its primeval forest and wild European bison, the kings of Polish fauna.

Explore Mazovia & Podlasie

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Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Mazovia & Podlasie.

  • Museum

    Treblinka Memorial

    In a remote clearing, hidden in a Mazovian pine forest, stands a granite monolith; around it is a small field of 17,000 jagged, upright stones, many…

  • Museum

    Tykocin Museum

    Tykocin's former synagogue, erected in 1642, is considered to be the best-preserved Jewish house of worship in Poland and is an extraordinary window into…

  • Forest

    Strict Nature Preserve

    This is the oldest section of the Białowieża National Park and covers an area of around 47.5 sq km, bordered to the north and west by the marshy Hwożna…

  • Historic Building

    Branicki Palace

    This grand former residence of Jan Klemens Branicki is surrounded by Park Pałacowy. Though he lost to his brother-in-law Stanisław August Poniatowski in…

  • Cemetery

    Jewish Cemetery

    Łódź's Jewish cemetery was founded in 1892 and today is a haunting destination. The largest Jewish graveyard in Europe, it contains around 68,000…

  • Mosque

    Kruszyniany Mosque

    This beautiful green mosque was built by the Muslim Tatars who settled here at the end of the 17th century. It's a rustic wooden construction, in many…

  • Church

    Cathedral

    This 12th-century cathedral is topped with a 16th-century Renaissance dome. Its interior has a number of tombstones and altarpieces, and polychromatic art…

  • Museum

    City Museum of Łódź

    Adjacent to the Manufaktura mall, this museum is housed in the impressive palace of 19th-century textile baron Izrael Kalmanowicz Poznański. The opulent…

  • National Park

    Białowieźa National Park

    Once a centre for hunting and timber-felling, Białowieża (Byah-wo-vyeh-zhah) is now Poland's oldest national park. Its significance is underlined by…

  • Natural Feature

    Osowiec-Twierdza Boardwalk

    Part of the 9km of walking paths near the visitor centre, this 1km-long boardwalk has sweeping views of the sea of reeds across the marshes and the…

  • Museum

    Mazovian Museum

    Two excellent collections in one large museum: on one side there's a stunning array of art nouveau furniture, decorative items, paintings and glassware…

  • Museum

    Centre for Science & Technology

    Part of the EC1 complex that forms the heart of Łódź's city centre redevelopment plan, this former coal-fired power station (dating from the early 1900s)…

  • Public Art

    Narodziny Dnia

    A courtyard brilliantly covered in the fantastical imaginings of Polish artist Wojciech Siudmak – imps, harlequins and brightly coloured birds.

  • Public Art

    Weasels

    A crowd-pleasing gaggle of weasels cavort on the side of a building in this moral by ROA.

  • National Park

    Biebrza National Park

    Central Europe's largest area of natural bog or wetlands is protected by Biebrza (byehb-zhah) National Park. It's Poland's largest park, stretching more…

  • Nature Reserve

    Suwałki Landscape Park

    The Suwałki Landscape Park is a cluster of pristine lakes and rugged hills that's worth a detour. Covering some 63 sq km, the park encompasses land that…

  • Park

    Arkadia Park

    With its overgrown ruins, peeling pavilions, temples and follies, the landscaped garden at Arkadia Park is a romantic pagan enclave in a sea of…

  • Museum

    Nieborów Museum

    The stunning, late-17th-century Nieborów Palace is a classic example of baroque architecture. It was designed by Tylman van Gameren for Cardinal…

  • Museum

    Chopin's Birthplace

    The tiny village of Żelazowa Wola (zheh-lah-zo-vah vo-lah), 53km west of Warsaw, is the birthplace of Frédéric Chopin, and the house where he was born on…

  • Park

    Palace Park

    Palace Park was laid out in the 19th century around a splendid residence built for the Russian tsar, on the site of an ancient royal hunting lodge once…

Top experiences

Whether it’s a guided tour of a historic landmark, private tasting of local delicacies, or an off-road adventure — explore the best experiences in Mazovia & Podlasie.

  • Activities