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Wakacje w Białymstoku  to chętnie odwiedzane miasto na Podlasiu, które niezwykle popularne jest wśród osób ceniących spokój i ciszę. Bez problemu można znaleźć ciche, a jednocześnie klimatyczne miejsca. Oczywiście osoby aktywne fizycznie także znajdą tu coś dla siebie, warto więc poznać atrakcje i zabytki tego interesującego miasta. Położenie Białystok położony jest północno-wschodniej Polsce . Jest to miasto zlokalizowane w zachodniej części Wysoczyzny Białostockiej, zaś na specjalną uwagę zasługuje różnorodna rzeźba terenu -  można tutaj spotkać zarówno tereny faliste, jak i falisto-pagórkowate. Warto wspomnieć także o surowym klimacie, który sprawia, że zimy są mroźne, a lata upalne i suche. Atrakcje turystyczne Poniżej przedstawiono atrakcje Białegostoku, które warto jest uwzględnić podczas planowania urlopu. Jest to tylko niewielka część miejsc i obiektów godnych zainteresowania. Pałac Branickich To prawdziwa gratka dla miłośników zabytkowych budowli. Obiekt robi wrażenie już na pierwszy rzut oka. Powstał on najprawdopodobniej w XVI wieku. Został zniszczony w 1944 roku, jednak udało się go odbudować z troską o szczegóły. Pałac utrzymany jest w stylu późnobarokowym. Nie bez powodu jest on nazywany polskim wersalem. W przeszłości mieściła się tutaj Akademia Medyczna, a obecnie Uniwersytet Medyczny w Białymstoku.  Akcent ZOO Białystok na wczasy z dziećmi to świetne rozwiązanie dla tych, którzy lubią ciekawie spędzać czas. Dużym zainteresowaniem wśród najmłodszych cieszy się ogród zoologiczny, gdzie można spotkać wiele gatunków zwierząt m.in. niedźwiedzie, wilki, osły, żubry, małpy. Podczas zwiedzania można zapoznać się z ich krótką charakterystyką, zakupić przekąski, czy też pamiątki. Puszcza Knyszyńska To idealna propozycja dla tych, którzy uwielbiają bliski kontakt z przyrodą. Rozległe tereny zapewniają wielogodzinne piesze wędrówki. Trzeba jednak pamiętać, że niektóre trasy wymagają dobrej kondycji. Spacery po puszczy pozwalają odciąć się od miejskiego zgiełku i wszechobecnego hałasu.

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• Wielkopolska
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All the Best Sights to See in Bialystok, Poland

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When trying to figure out how to get between Lithuania and Poland , I came across the option to travel to the city of Białystok in far eastern Poland. Honestly, visiting Bialystok hadn’t been on my radar at all before that. And yet, it seemed like a convenient stop to break up the long journey to Warsaw. Thanks to the different things to do in Bialystok, what started as a transit stop turned out to be an endearing, underrated destination.

Poland is still very much a country full of spots unseen and unheard of by the majority of international tourists. Białystok is clearly one of them. While it may not be able to compete with a day in Warsaw or other heavy-hitters like Krakow , I found Białystok to be a pleasant first step in exploring Poland and hope you’ll find something to your liking below.

Table of Contents

Understanding Bialystok

Situated in the far eastern reaches of Poland by the Belarussian border, Białystok is the largest city in the region despite its moderate size. The city and its surrounding metropolitan area has a population of 370,000 meaning it’s by no means a small spot.

This is interesting as the city had quite the late start, being only notably settled in the 14th century. It even wasn’t until 1692 that Białystok received its official designation as a town. Since then the city’s focus has been on academia and the arts, although light industry did bolster the city’s growth.

Sadly the rampant destruction that devastated Poland during World War II destroyed much of the city’s historic buildings. With aid from the EU, Białystok has spent considerable effort rebuilding the city’s bigger landmarks, for everyone’s benefit.

Another important note is that before World War II, Bialystok had a considerable Jewish population. It actually accounted for over 60% of the city’s population in 1897. Thus the city, and its Jewish population, suffered immensely when the Germans occupied the city in 1941. Today, one of the best things to do in Bialystok is learn more about the city’s Jewish past by following the markers along the Jewish Heritage Trail .

Branicki Palace

The most impressive landmark in the city of Białystok has to be Branicki Palace and its classic gardens. If you’re wondering what to do in Bialystok, this should be your first stop. Constructed at the end of the 17th atop the foundations of an old castle, the highly influential Branicki family built the palace when they came to own the area of Białystok in 1660.

Owners redesigned this palatial residence multiple times over the centuries, before it fell into disrepair under the Russian Tsars at the turn of the 20th century. The palace was destroyed in 1944, but has since been rebuilt and now houses part of the Medical University.

Branicki Palace actually reminded me of somewhat of the Habsburg palaces you find in Austria and its neighbouring countries. Honestly, just from looking you would never know that it had been rebuilt in the last 100 years.

Aside from its looks, the palace does reflect the importance and impact of the Branicki family, who turned effectively a small village into a significant city. The family’s influence is felt in many parts of the city, including but not limited to the city hall, hospital and theatre.

Behind the main residence lies the Palace Gardens, with an unusual design of small hedges arranged a top a pebble courtyard. Positioned throughout are elegant stone statues and a regal little rotunda, again reminding me of some of the palaces I’ve seen in Vienna. On several sides of the gardens runs a moat and plenty of park benches, as the gardens and surrounding park are clearly a popular local spot to unwind.

Kościuszki Square Market

As good fortune would have it, the timing of my Bialystok visit was the first Sunday of the month and so the city centre was transformed into a big, lively market. In front of the City Hall , a ring of market stalls selling food and handcrafts surrounded a small stage where a Polka band was performing. Talk about a lucky first experience. It was nice to see the city so lively and to witness the strong community spirit.

It is also around Kościuszki Square that you find many of the city’s more important buildings. Of course there’s the City Hall, built in 1761 and although destroyed during WWII, now functions as the Podlaise Regional Museum. Other notable buildings nearby include the St. Vincent de Paul Monastery and the city’s former inn. If you’re wondering what to see in Biaylstok, Kościuszki Square is a good place to start.

Churches and Cathedrals

The city wasn’t always lively however. That morning when I made my way to the town square, it was actually exceptionally quiet. Of course, once mass finished droves of people emerged from the city’s churches and cathedral. Poland is a strongly religious country and Białystok is no exception.

This means that there are several churches to admire. In the centre of town is the Neo-Gothic Białystok Cathedral that makes for a central, imposing landmark. Just a little further up Lipowa Street, which passes through the city centre, is the Cathedral of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker Archbishop of Myra. This cathedral is noteworthy for its Byzantine style, which is rather uncommon to find so far north.

Continuing along Lipowa Street you reach the Church of St Rocha in yet another different style, this time built with a modern design from the 20th century. Together the three buildings pose an interesting collection and reinforce the importance of religious faith in the city. Throughout the city you can also find Orthodox Churches, a Synagogue and Muslim Prayer House, reflecting the openness that Białystok has represented for centuries.

Home to Esperanto

Aside from religion, another common sight found in the city is references to the language of Esperanto. That is because the creator of the artificial language once crafted to provide a universal medium,  L. L. Zamenhof,  was born in Białystok in 1859.

The city is quite proud of its renowned favourite son and you can find the odd reference to Zamenhof about. There is even a Ludwik Zamenhof Centre in the city, that runs as a cultural institution and museum. The obsession with language even extends to the facades of buildings as seen above.

Street Art and Installations

A nice surprise to find walking about the city was that it has its fair share of art installations scattered about the place.  From the immense mural above of the girl holding a watering can over a tree, to the unconventional statue of what looks like puppets on top a wheel being pushed by a king, Białystok has some fascinating modern additions.

Old Bojary District

For those willing to venture away from the city centre, Białystok offers some historic wooden and brick houses in the Bojary District , one of the city’s oldest. Throughout the district you’ll find buildings dating from the late 19th/early 20th centuries, with some that genuinely look like they’ve been left untouched since then.

The main streets to explore are Wiktorii and Slonimska streets, with plenty of dated buildings and yet a cosy vibe. The best spots can be found in the “Wooden Architecture Trail” in the city’s Bialystok Trails guide, available at the Tourist Information Office.

Tips for Visiting Bialystok, Poland

• Pick up a  Białystok Trails guide from one of the Tourist Information offices, which has different themed walking routes and information;
• I can recommend the Villa Tradycja – I found my stay there comfortable, with a large room and walking distance to the city centre;
• Białystok is quite well serviced by both train and bus networks, the nearest major city being Warsaw. Naturally, having your own car can help given how large Poland is.

Have you visited the city of Białystok Poland? If not, which of the things to see in Bialystok would you choose first? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.

David is the author behind the Travelsewhere travel blog and is always on the search for the quieter, less-visited corners of the world.

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I love that mural! So cute how they incorporated the tree into their work. Białystok looks like a beautiful charming town. And so lucky you were there when they had the market for that month! #wanderfulwednesday

Cute town! I’ve never heard of this place before, but I have seen that art mural of the girl watering the tree before! Nice to know where it is! #WanderfulWednesday

Wow what a hidden gem! I’d never heard of Bialystok before but your photos totally make me want to go! I love the mural so much and the castle is just perfect!

really nice pictures and lovely place. I must admitt that I’d never heard of it 🙁

What a fascinating country, and can now add Białystok to my list of places to visit.

This city seems to have quite a history. It is always interesting when one person (or family) can change the course of a town. It is a shame that many of the town’s landmark buildings were destroyed during WWII. I am happy that they rebuilt.

So interesting to see a town you know through someone else’s eyes! Białystok is a city of contrasts – it has the old village-like wooden houses next to lovely townhouses from late 19th c. and next to them some ugly communist-era apartment blocks… I love the wooden houses the most, there are truly charming.

I’m glad you liked this stop! It’s worth mentioning, that if someone has a bit more time, not far from Białystok is Tykocin with stunningly beautiful synagogue, a great example of pre-war “shtetl” or “little Jewish town” vibe, where Jews and Catholics lived side by side.

Glad you liked my write-up! Thanks for sharing the tip of visiting Tykocin, sounds like another interesting spot.

I guess I should stop being amazed at how beautiful Poland is and just go there and explore for myself. Thanks for linking up! #wkendtravelinspiration

Loved finding your Bialystok page! This city has been on my Poland trip list for many years and I will finally be visiting summer 2018. You’ve added some must do’s to my list and Villa Tradycja is one of the hotels I’m considering staying at.

I’ll have to search your website to see if you’ve hit Bialowieza as well. Thank you!

So glad I could help encourage you to visit. For somewhere not heavily covered by western tourists, the local tourist information people have heaps of great info and walking tours. Unfortunately haven’t been to Bialowieza yet, but you’ve now made me curious. Have a great time in Poland Victoria!

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Things to Do in Bialystok, Poland - Bialystok Attractions

Things to do in bialystok, explore popular experiences, tours in and around bialystok.

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13 things to do in Bialystok: the ultimate guide for travelers in 2023.

Looking for things to in bialystok.

Ciema! Welcome to Bialystok, a magical city! Northeastern Poland’s Bialystok is a hidden jewel that offers a distinctive fusion of culture, history, and scenic beauty. Let’s explore awesome things to do in Bialystok!

Bialystok has something special in store for you whether you’re a history buff, an outdoor enthusiast, or a foodie.

The top 13 things to do in Bialystok are covered in detail in this extensive guide, along with some frequently asked questions about this enthralling city.

The largest city in northeastern Poland and the capital of the Podlaskie Voivodeship is Bialystok, sometimes known as the “ Green City .”

Bialystok, which is well-known for its verdant parks, majestic buildings, and rich cultural heritage, provides a variety of activities for tourists looking for an unforgettable experience.

Table of Contents

13 things to do in Bialystok

1 Visit Branicki Palace Start your adventure off right. Branicki Palace is a stunning place.

Beautiful gardens and exquisite architecture may be found in this baroque marvel. Imagine the rich lives of the past as you meander around its magnificent hallways.

2. Bialystok Historical Museum The Historical Museum is a great place to learn about the city’s past. Find objects that depict the history of the city, from its earliest days to the present.

3. Bialystok City Park Visit this park if you’re looking for a peaceful day outdoors.

Take a leisurely stroll around the forest, enjoy a picnic, or just take in the tranquil ambiance.

4. Try Local Cuisine Don’t pass up the opportunity to dine on traditional Polish fare at nearby establishments. Bigos, kielbasa, and pierogi are just a some of the delicacies you must try.

5. Attend a Cultural Event Throughout the year, the city hosts a variety of cultural events, like as music festivals and art exhibits.

To find out if there will be an event during your stay, check the local calendar.

6. Explore the Market Square Take a stroll through the lovely Market Square to browse for trinkets and observe daily life in the city.

7. Visit St. Roch’s Church A magnificent example of neo-gothic architecture and a showcase. Be in awe of its minute features and tranquil atmosphere.

8. Bialowieza Forest The unique natural gem known as the Bialowieza Forest, also known as the “Bialowieza Primeval Forest” or “ Puszcza Bialowieska ” in Polish, is situated on the border between Poland and Belarus. The ancient trees and distinctive biodiversity of the Bialowieza Forest are well-known.

Its significance as one of the greatest and last remnants of the ancient forest that once covered most of Europe led to its designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979.

The primitive nature of Bialowieza Forest is what makes it unique.

The forest has been allowed to preserve its natural state in some areas since they have been uninhabited for many years.

It feels like going back in time to a place that predated human habitation.

9 Podlasie Opera and Philharmonic Spend a night at the Podlasie Opera and Philharmonic experiencing culture and music.

A performance schedule is available on their website .

10. Hiking Lace up your hiking boots and visit the stunning Knyszyn Forest, which provides beautiful pathways for nature lovers.

11. Spa At the Suprasl Spa, you may repose in thermal pools and take advantage of restorative spa services. This is a great way to wind down your journey.

12. Orthodox Church of St. Nicholas In addition to its historic buildings, Bialystok is renowned for its rich religious history.

A magnificent illustration of this legacy is the Orthodox Church of St. Nicholas, popularly known as the Cathedral of Bialystok.

Built in the nineteenth century, this magnificent cathedral has ornate Orthodox Christian architecture and bright murals that depict tales of faith and tradition.

13. Boat Ride Take a leisurely boat ride along the picturesque Bialystok Canals to see the city from a different angle.

The city’s canals provide a calm haven away from the busy streets as they snake around the metropolis.

While traveling calmly, you may take in the city’s architecture and environs from the sea.

3 things to do in Bialystok with kids

Taking a family vacation? There are lots of family-friendly activities in Bialystok to keep the kids entertained.

1. The Bialystok Zoo The Zoo is a great place for youngsters to learn about animals from all around the world, as was already said.

2. Bialystok Puppet Theater Take your kids to the Puppet Theater for a fun puppet show. It will undoubtedly spark their interest.

3. Adventure Park Tarzania For an adrenaline rush, where youngsters (and adults!) may test their mettle on zip lines and treetop obstacle courses.

Walking tour Bialystok

Beautiful buildings, lush parks and gardens, intriguing tales, and the endearing Branicki Palance may all be found in Old Town.

With a private, certified guide, explore it all while learning about the history, traditions, and customs of the Polish people and the city.

Highlights include Kosciuszko Market Square, Branicki Palace, and St. Roch Basilica. Depending on the group’s tastes and interests, this private tour can be altered.

Learn about the customs of the Polish people as well as the history of the city. Licensed tour guide leads a private trip.

Examine the Old Town and Market Square’s stunning architecture. Explore the lovely Branicki Palace, also known as “Versailles de la Pologne”

Things to Do in Bialystok: FAQ’s

Hot to get to bialystok.

Major Polish cities have excellent train and bus connections to Bialystok, making it convenient for tourists. The main transit hub is the Bialystok Railway Station.

What is the best time to visit Bialystok ?

The summer months (June to August) are the ideal time to visit because the weather is beautiful and outdoor activities are in full flow.

When organizing your trip, take into account your tastes as each season has its own beauty.

Do they speak English in Bialystok?

Despite the fact that Polish is the main language in Bialystok, you’ll discover that many residents, particularly in tourist areas, speak some English.

To improve your experience, it’s a good idea to learn a few fundamental Polish terms .

Is Bialystok a good place to live in?

Yes! For people who value a relaxed pace of life, lush surroundings, and a strong feeling of community, Bialystok is regarded as an excellent place to call home.

For people and families looking for a tranquil yet active lifestyle, it is the perfect location.

What does bialystok mean in Polish?

The Polish name “Bialystok” comes from the terms “bialy” ( white ) and “stok” ( slope ) in Old Polish.

It perhaps alludes to the city’s setting atop a chalky, white slope.

Is Bialystok safe?

Yes! The city is usually regarded as safe for tourists.

To protect your safety, it is advised to take the usual measures at every trip, such as watching your valuables and avoiding dimly lit places at night.

How far is Bialystok from the Ukraine border?

Approximately 90 kilometers (56 miles) away from the Ukraine border

The Wrap-up: 13 things to do in Bialystok: the ultimate guide for travelers in 2023.

With its extensive history, stunning surroundings, and welcoming people, Bialystok is a place you should visit in 2023.

This quaint Polish city has something to offer everyone, whether you’re an architecture buff, a nature lover, or a foodie.

Bialystok offers a variety of scenic parks and historical sites where you can make lifelong memories.

Pack your luggage, start your journey, and experience Bialystok’s enchantment for yourself!

Read more of my blogs!

• Top 6 beaches in Gdanks
• Best guided Tours Poland
• Best hotels in Poznan

Pozdrawiam and see you in Poland

My name is Krystian, I am 35 years old and a proud father of a 2 years old son.

I have lived in Poland until I was 6 years old. After that we moved to The Hague in Netherlands, were I spend my whole childhood.

Just like many people I have a huge passion for travelling. So far, I have visited more than 30 countries and planning on visiting more!

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Home » Travel Guides » Poland » 15 Best Things to Do in Białystok (Poland)

15 Best Things to Do in Białystok (Poland)

A city at the far eastern boundary of the European Union, Białystok is under 60 kilometres from the border with Belarus. The centre of this former textile city is compact and walkable, and was planned in the early 18th century by Jan Klemens Branicki. He was one of the richest men in Poland at the time and built himself a miniature Versailles with its own plush formal gardens.

When industry arrived in the 19th century the city became a melting pot of minorities, inspiring Białystok’s most famous son, L. L. Zamenhof to develop Esperanto in the 1870s. For some visitors, Białystok is a convenient jumping off point for the Białowieża National Park, which has Europe’s last tracts of primeval forest, and the world’s largest population of European bison.

Let’s explore the best things to do in Białystok :

1. Branicki Palace

Jan Klemens Branicki, an affluent nobleman who had pretensions to the Polish crown was the man behind this 18th-century wonder.

Not only did he build a palace and gardens, but extended his plans to create a Baroque city with churches and a town hall.

The palace is the biggest surviving piece of his plans, and you enter the grounds in solemn fashion passing under the ceremonious Griffin Gate, named for the family coat of arms.

The palace looks a lot like it did when it was completed in the early 18th century, as does the Great Hall, Chinese Room and the magnificent vestibule, all free to enter and shared by the Medical University.

The gardens have also been kept from that time and so stand as the best example of Baroque garden design in Poland, with topiaries, geometric lawns, stone vases and fountains.

2. Rynek Kościuszki (Kościuszko Market Square)

Plotted around the town hall, Białystok’s market square is in the shape of an elongated triangle.

The original town hall was in Jan Klemens Branicki’s plan, and as the centre of commerce in the city was the site of the town’s official scales and weights and measures of length and volume.

This has since been rebuilt after taking damage in the war and now houses the main building for the Podlachian Museum.

The row of townhouses on the western side may well be the prettiest sight on the square, as the facades have ornate sgraffito decoration with foliate patterns, portraits, images of animals and mythological figures.

In good weather you can plonk yoursel at a cafe or restaurant table, soak up the view east to the cathedral and see the city going about its day.

3. Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin

One of the neat things about Białystok’s Cathedral is that when you stand outside you can see just how much the city grew in the 1800s.

There are two interconnected buildings: The smaller whitewashed Mannerist church used to be the parish church was built at the start of the 17th century.

This is dwarfed by the new Neo-Gothic church, which is 90 metres long and 75 metres high, and was built between 1900 and 1905 to accommodate a congregation that was now 12,000 strong.

At the old church, look for the fine main altar, the Mannerist pulpit and the tombs for the Gryfit-Branicki family.

The new church needs to be seen for its sheer magnitude and its lofty vaults, even if doesn’t have the history of its smaller neighbour.

4. Ulica Lipowa

Białystok’s main artery begins at Kościuszko Market Square and continues west for 800 metres.

Józef Piłsudski, Adolf Hitler and Josef Stalin have all had their names attached to Ulica Lipowa, before it returned to its original name (Lime Street) in the 1990s.

More than any other street in the city, Ulica Lipowa bore the brunt of the German attack in the Second World War.

But its high tenement houses and villas have been restored and there’s an array of interesting sights, like the Cristal Hotel, the first new hotel in Poland after the Second World War.

If you cut down Ulica Malmeda you’ll come to a statue of L. L. Zamenhof, the Białystok-born doctor who invented Esperanto.

At the far end on Plac Niepodległości is the eye-catching Church of Christ the King, one of the world’s first Modernist churches when it was completed in 1946.

5. Orthodox Church of St Nicholas

The cathedral for Białystok’s Orthodox congregation, the Church of St Nicholas on Ulica Lipowa, is also the official Orthodox church for the Polish Army.

Dating to the 1840s and with Neoclassical architecture, it’s a rather small but beautifully formed monument.

Go in for the colourfully patterned wall paintings, which borrow motifs from St Volodymyr’s Cathedral in Kiev.

The frescoes are also exquisite, particularly on the dome, which has Christ Pantocrator, above Mary and John the Baptist and then 12 apostles, four evangelists and prophets.

The iconostasis was composed in 1844 and among its icons are images of the evangelists and the Annunciation.

6. Podlaskie Museum (Podlachian Museum)

This institution is scattered around Białystok and wider Podlachia, but is headquartered at the town hall on the city’s market square.

Strictly speaking, the town hall isn’t really a town hall as it was never a government building, but rather a place to do business.

When the predecessor of the current building was erected in 1745 there were already ten Jewish merchants trading here.

The present town hall is from just after the war, and is a pared down version of the building that came before.

Inside is the Gallery of Polish Painting, with a small but heavyweight assortment of art from the last 250 years by portrait painters like Marcello Bacciarelli, Johann Baptist von Lampi the Elder and Josef Grassi who travelled to Eastern Europe from Italy and Austria.

7. Historical Museum

A branch of the Podlachian Museum, this attraction was set up in sumptuous factory owner’s villa on Ulica Warszawska in 1990. And given the origins of the building, one of the main exhibitions shows off all the finery of a wealthy bourgeois home from the end of the 19th century.

There’s a music salon, boudoir, study and dining room, decorated with period furniture, tableware, clothing, musical instruments and everyday objects from the time.

Check out the scale models that show how Białystok looked in Branicki’s day, and reproductions of lost monuments like the famed Ritz Hotel . The museum also has a sizeable numismatic collection of 30,000 coins, medals and seals, as well as Poland’s only museum collections dedicated to the Tatars who settled on the Polish, Lithuanian and Belarusian border.

8. Podlaskie Muzeum Kultury Ludowej (Podlachian Museum of Folk Culture)

An outdoor museum in the Swedish “Skansen” tradition, this attraction has 40 buildings and other cultural artefacts gathered from around the Podlachian Province.

The museum was founded in 1982 and part of its job was to safeguard the traditional wooden building methods in this region of Poland.

There are two windmills, a forge, a lumberjack’s hut, a Belarusian cottage, a wooden treadmill and a cave-house.

Maybe the most accomplished projects were the relocation of a Neoclassical wooden manor house from the 1810s, and a whole hamlet with five homesteads around a central square.

Most are open and have traditional furniture and pottery, along with tools from the time.

9. Ulica Warszawska

For some low-key sightseeing you could take a walk along this street for just over a kilometre from Ulica Henryk Sienkiewicz to Ulica Piastowska.

What sets Ulica Warszawska aside is its abundance of regal 19th century architecture, mostly for high-ranking government officials and factory owners.

One such building is the pink-painted palace for Białystok’s governor during the brief period that the city was under Prussian rule at the turn of the 19th century.

Later it became a school, and L. L. Zamenhof (inventor of Esperanto) studied here.

Both the Historical Museum and the neo-Baroque Trylling Palace, now the Rubin Hotel, at 7 Ulica Warszawska, were built by owners of textile factories (Citron and Trylling) at the turn of the 20th century.

10. Military Museum

At Ulica Kilińskiego 7, the military museum fixes its gaze on the events of the 20th century, in particular the Second World War.

The exhibition is dominated by its well-researched dioramas depicting a resistance activities, a trench in the September campaign of 1939, a Bren gun assault at the Battle of Monte Cassino in 1945, the Eastern Front from 1944-1945 and the notorious Battle of Bautzen.

In the post-war exhibits you can see how weapons, uniforms and equipment have changed since the 1950s, and find out about the peacekeeping and combat missions that the Polish Army has been engaged in over the last 25 years.

11. Opera i Filharmonia Podlaska

Northeastern Poland’s biggest and most modern cultural institution, the Podlachian Philharmonic and Opera moved into a brand new complex in 2012. This Minimalist concrete and glass construction opened in time for the highly-regarded opera’s 58th season and is worth a detour even if you’re not up for high-brow entertainment.

The main stage, with a capacity of up to 1,000, is equipped with the second largest organ in Poland.

This high-tech hall also has movable platforms in the ceiling, with glass screens that can help customise the hall’s acoustics according to the performance taking place.

Also in the complex is an outdoor amphitheatre, and lush gardens integrating with the architecture and featuring a cast-iron sculpture by Teresa Murak, weighing 2.5 tons.

12. Great Synagogue Monument

On Ulica Surasaka you may be stopped in your tracks by a memorial on the site of Białystok’s former Great Synagogue.

On a lawn is the crumpled metal frame of the synagogue’s dome in the middle of a paved Star of David.

An outrage took place at this place on 27 June 1941, when a large number of Jews were locked into the Great Synagogue by Nazi troops who burnt the building down.

An estimated 3,000 people were killed here and in other atrocities around Białystok in what is remembered as “Black Friday”.

13. Muzeum Rzeźby Alfonsa Karnego

One of the finest properties in the centre of Białystok is the wooden villa built in the second half of the 19th century for the Major General Mikołaj Fiodorowicz.

Since 1993 this has been a museum for the Białystok-born sculptor Alfons Karny.

His career spanned most of the 20th century, producing monuments in the Socialist Realist style, but also likenesses of figures as diverse as Albert Einstein, Ernest Hemingway and Nicholas Copernicus.

On display in the museum are Karny’s images of famous Poles from the 20th century, as well as tools from his workshop and his collection of historic and contemporary art.

14. Akcent Zoo

Children may have to be patient to get through Białystok’s cultural attractions, but they can look forward to a great little zoo a few hundred metres from the Branicki Palace.

It was founded back in the 1960s, and while it used to have exotic species, the zoo’s emphasis is now on animals from eastern Poland.

These are brown bears, grey wolves, fallow deer, red deer, wildcats, lynxes and bison, as well as regional breeds of horses, goats and ponies.

The zoo also has an aviary for buzzards, tawny owls, Eurasian eagle owls, white storks and two pheasant species.

You’ll be pleased to see that the habitats are large for the most part, and have a lot of foliage.

15. Park Konstytucji 3 Maja

The zoo is just the northern tip of what used to be a big swathe of the Zwierzyniecki Forest, pushing out for miles to the south of the city and used by the Branicki family as a hunting ground.

Now the park is about half the size, and 16 hectares, but remains refreshingly uncultivated.

Most of the terrain is shrouded by dense mature forest of oak, hornbeam and birch, and with elms and alders growing in the more humid pockets of the park.

Keep a look out for the Polish and Soviet military cemetery for the two World Wars, as well as the monument to the fallen soldiers of Poland’s 42nd Infantry Regiment in the conflicts that followed the First World War.

15 Best Things to Do in Białystok (Poland):

• Branicki Palace
• Rynek Kościuszki (Kościuszko Market Square)
• Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin
• Ulica Lipowa
• Orthodox Church of St Nicholas
• Podlaskie Museum (Podlachian Museum)
• Historical Museum
• Podlaskie Muzeum Kultury Ludowej (Podlachian Museum of Folk Culture)
• Ulica Warszawska
• Military Museum
• Opera i Filharmonia Podlaska
• Great Synagogue Monument
• Muzeum Rzeźby Alfonsa Karnego
• Park Konstytucji 3 Maja

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The Best Things to See and Do in Białystok, Poland

Białystok is the capital and largest city in Poland’s Podlaskie province. In recent times, the city has seen an influx of tourists, with many new and exciting bars , cafés and restaurants opening all the time. Białystok is in eastern Poland near to the border with Belarus , and offers a refreshing alternative for travellers keen to escape the more commonly visited cities such as Gdańsk, Kraków and Warsaw.

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Start off in the Old Town Square

Start off your tour of this fascinating city in the Old Town Square, known as the Rynek Kościuszki . Not only is it a place to get your bearings, but it is Białystok’s meeting point and a historic square containing the Town Hall. Inside the Town Hall, you will also find the Museum of Podlaskie . Head in to learn the city’s history before exploring the rest of Białystok.

These days, locals in Białystok are particularly proud of the local football team known as Jagiellonia . In 2017, the team was the runner-up in the Polish League; had they won their final match with Lech Pozan, they would have been Champions. The huge arena known as Białystok City Stadium sits on the edge of town next to a forest, and it holds 22,372 patrons. Stadium tours can be arranged and match tickets are easy to come by.

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Sample local beers in the Stary Browar

Poland’s craft beer scene continues to improve all the time, and the result is bars such as Stary Browar (Old Brewery). This bar is situated on the ground floor of the Royal Hotel in central Białystok and is the perfect spot to experience the best of the locally brewed beer.

Visit the best of the City’s Churches

Białystok has a truly impressive array of churches, and, due to the differing appeal, they are all worth a visit. To narrow it down, there are three in particular that merit a visit and here they are:

1.The Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin MaryThe Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary is a red brick church with two towers. It sits just a few minutes walk from the Old Town Square and is host to many Catholic Masses and wedding ceremonies.

2.The Cathedral of St. Nicholas the ArchbishopThis stunning church sits in front of the central public square dedicated to Constantine the Great. The Cathedral of St. Nicholas the Archbishop is an eastern Orthodox Church with black domes.

3. Roman Catholic church of St. Rocha Standing tall over the city’s skyline is the instantly recognisable Roman Catholic church of St. Rocha. It sits on a prominent roundabout and has a tall white tower and an archway with steps up to the church’s entrance.

Learn about Ludwik Zamenhof, the inventor of Esperanto

A little known fact, but something which locals can be proud of, is that Białystok was the home of Ludwik Zamenhof, who was a Polish medical doctor, inventor and writer. Zamenhof created Esperanto , which has over 2 million speakers. He is remembered with a square named in his honour, an impressive museum and a head bust.

Stroll along Lipowa Street

Lipowa Street is Białystok’s equivalent of what Oxford Street is to London. It is here on this long street that the pick of the city’s shops, cafes, bars, restaurants and art sit. There are always new works of art being revealed and quirky and interesting cafes opening.

Take a day trip to Europe’s last primeval forest

Outside Białystok there is a special forest called Białowieza which is often described as Europe’s last primeval wilderness and is a UNESCO listed World Heritage Site . Białowieza makes for a superb day trip or an overnight adventure, there are buses from Białystok for those who don’t have their own transport. As well as natural plants and trees, at the forest you can see moose, wolves, lynx and bison. For those wishing to see nature within the city, around 32% of Białystok is occupied by parks, squares and greenery.

Understand the war history

Białystok has been through a lot of bloodshed in its time. It wasn’t just the world wars that claimed the lives of many here, the Soviet regime took its toll and monuments in the city are dedicated to those who died. The Homeland Monument ( Bog Honor Ojczyzna ) sits on a main roundabout near the Old Town Square, and the the city’s excellent History Museum will help you understand how conflict-affected the city.

Tour Branicki Palace

Branicki Palace is a large historical palace and is often the highlight for those who visit Białystok. It has been dubbed the Versailles of Poland. This elaborate complex has gardens, pavilions and sculptures, all in front of a beautiful palace. The palace was built between 1691 and 1697 but was destroyed by the Nazis during the Second World War. It has been rebuilt and refurbished to its former glory and makes for a wonderful afternoon trip.

Cycle by the Biała River

The White River (Biała) near Białystok offers some well needed peaceful respite from urban life. Here on the edge of the city, head out on a bicycle along the paths by the river from Park Antoniuk and explore the natural beauty of the region. The greenery by the river is known as the Białystok Uplands (Wysoczyzna Białostocka). The Biała River is a tributary of the Supraśl River, and it passes through the city too.

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• 1.1 By plane
• 1.2 By train
• 2 Get around

Białystok is the largest city in north-eastern Poland and the capital of Podlachia . It is the gateway to many natural attractions of Podlachia, known collectively as the Green Lungs of Poland , including Biebrza National Park and Białowieża National Park . Białystok is also the place of birth of Ludwik Zamenhof, the inventor of the artificial language, Esperanto . The city hosted an international Esperanto conference in 2009.

Get in [ edit ]

By plane [ edit ].

The closest Polish public international airport is the Warsaw Chopin Airport in the capital, located some 200 km away. This airport is served by most major normal and low-budget airlines. The convenient way to get to Białystok from there is to take a bus no. 175 to the Warsaw city centre and then take a train or a coach to Bialystok. There is a coach connection from the airport operated by PlusBus . Although the coach spends less time in Warsaw and therefore arrives in Białystok quicker, the prices can be twice as high and you have to book your tickets in advance.

There also are many cheap airlines flying to Kaunas (pl. Kowno ) in Lithuania, which is 240 km away from Białystok. This is closer than other Polish airports but there is no direct train to Białystok except on weekends, and the bus journey may be more expensive than from Warsaw or Łódź. Since both Lithuania and Poland are in Schengen you will not need to stop at the border for the passport control.

Another Polish airport that is next closest in proximity (about 300 km) is the Łódź Władysław Reymont Airport served by many no-frills carriers. To get to Białystok from Łódź you will need to take a train or a coach.

Another option for travellers from the East (i.e. Belarus or Russia) is to fly to Hrodna Airport in Hrodna ( Grodno ), which is a city on the Belorussian border only 40 km away from Białystok. To get to Poland from Russia, Belarus or other non Schengen areas, you must have a visa and that you may spend a significant amount of time waiting at the border for clearance.

By train [ edit ]

This is the most affordable choice of getting in to 53.13399 23.1358 1 Białystok train station from Warsaw . There are 13 trains a day from Warsaw , the first one leaving at 04:55 and the last one at 21:30. The journey takes about 2 hours and 30 minutes. 11 of those trains are operated by PKP Intercity and cost 39 zł for the second class and 59 zl for the first-class ticket.

Białystok has also direct connections with other cities in northern Poland such as Gdańsk and Olsztyn , Kaunas in Lithuania and regional connections with Ełk and Suwałki .

For timetables and prices, see Polish State Railways .

By bus [ edit ]

PKS Białystok operates coaches to most major cities in Poland. Although the coach journey takes much longer than the train and the price is usually higher, sometimes the timetables are more convenient, especially if you want to get somewhere in the middle of the night. There are also many international connections, such as London, Brussels, and Baltic countries.

By car [ edit ]

You can easily get there by car from Warsaw , Gdańsk (A1) and Poznań . The national road S8 makes Białystok 2 hours and 30 minutes away from Warsaw.

Get around [ edit ]

As a city, Bialystok has a rather small area considering its big population - it is the second most densely populated city in Poland after Łódź . Most of the sights worth visiting are in the strict centre of the town, so you won't be likely to use the public transport a lot. The exception is the south-eastern district of Dojlidy with a couple of palaces worth visiting.

There is an extensive bus network that covers the whole city. The tickets can be bought inside of the bus in ticket machines mounted usually in the wheelchair accessible part of the bus, You don't have to show the ticket to the bus driver but you do need to perforate it using devices installed in the buses. The tickets can also be bought in advance - they are sold in many places, including newsagents, convenience stores, supermarkets and designated ticket retail points. Only in the latter can you buy daily, weekly and monthly bus passes.

See [ edit ]

• The whole of Lipowa and Warszawska street , with rows of unspoiled architecture spanning all of 19th century.
• 53.13475 23.16685 2 VI High School – King Sigismund Augustus . A big palace painted in light pink, the former residence of the Prussian Governor of the Białystok region during the short times in 19th century (1795-1815) when Białystok was under German rule. The building was later transformed into a school. It is here that Ludwik Zamenhof was taught. The school has another infamous alumnus - Ignacy Hryniewiecki, who killed Alexander II, Tsar of Russia, on 13 March 1881, by throwing a bomb at him.  
• Jewish Heritage Trail in Białystok . A marked foot trail created in June 2008 by a group of students and doctorate candidates, who participated as volunteers. One of the goals of the project was to generate social capital by engaging cooperation between local institutions and social groups. The project included: planning the trail, publicizing an informative booklet and map in printed and electronic versions, building an interactive website of the project, marking the trail sites and opening the trail to the public with a walk around the city, publicizing teacher's materials.  

Do [ edit ]

• 53.10592 23.14927 1 Białystok City Stadium ( 2 km south of city centre. ). Home to the Jagiellonia Białystok football club, who play in Ekstraklasa, the top tier of Polish football. Capacity 22,000.  
• 53.14338 23.1757 2 Memorial Museum Siberia ( Muzeum Pamięci Sybiru ), Węglowa 1 , ☏ +48 85 6723600 . T-Su 9:30 - 17:00 . Museum showcasing an array of exhibits on Polish citizens who were deported to the USSR during WWII. Normal Ticket: 25 PLN (5.71€), Reduced Ticket: 20 PLN (4.56€) . ( updated Jan 2024 )

Buy [ edit ]

There are multiple shopping centres in Białystok, spanning from somewhat large shopping malls to small outlet centers in suburban districts.

• 53.136343 23.162886 1 Galeria Jurowiecka , Jurowiecka 1, 15-101 Białystok . M-Sa 9:00 - 21:00 . ( updated Jan 2024 )
• 53.122917 23.178915 2 Atrium Biała ( Old: Galeria Biała ), Czesława Miłosza 2, 15-265 Białystok . M-Sa 9:00 - 21:00 . ( updated Jan 2024 )

Eat [ edit ]

Wherever you are in Poland, you must visit one of the milk bars : they offer genuine Polish cuisine for a very affordable price. Białystok has a couple of them: Podlasiak and Słoneczny in the city centre (the latter being unusual for serving beer too), and Topolanka a bit further on the north from the centre on the Wasilkowska street. Expect a decent range of regional cuisine and a very mixed clientèle: students, families with children, businessmen and occasionally even homeless people.

There are numerous kebab, hamburger and zapiekanki (garlic bread with tomato sauce, meat, cheese and mushrooms) stands by the railway and bus stations and in other places in the city centre. Some of them are open 24 hours a day.

Drink [ edit ]

There are many pubs in the city center, with decent selection of alcohol. The price of a half litre glass of beer is around €1.5 . A typical beer sold in Białystok is Żubr : named after the bison-like animals that live in Białowieża National Park . The typical regional alcohol is Żubrówka - a type of vodka which has a leaf of grass inside. Żubrówka literally means: 'Bison Grass'. The average price of a 0.5 L bottle in a shop is €5 .

• Kawiarnio-Księgarnia "Spółdzielnia" ( The Cooperative ), ul. Marii Skłodowskiej-Curie 8/1 . Cafe and bookstore with modern interior and large front shopwindow.  

Sleep [ edit ]

Białystok provides every kind of accommodation, ranging from expensive hotels (Gołębiewski, Branicki, Cristal €75 /double room) through mid-range ones (Turkus, €35 /double room) to budget hostels ( €8 /night in a 8-person dorm).

Go next [ edit ]

Bialystok is the obvious hub for discovering the natural wonders of the Podlachia region. There are 4 national parks in the region, including the world-famous Białowieża National Park , the UNESCO World Heritage Site .

The nearby town of Choroszcz is an entrance point to the beautiful Narew National Park. The town centre is well-preserved and features a majestic baroque church, and Branickis' summer residence, which houses a museum with a collection of memorabilia connected with the Branicki family.

The town of Supraśl is a spa town is about 15 km northeast of Białystok. It is home to the Supraśl Orthodox Monastery , also known as the Supraśl Lavra .

Further away is the town of Tykocin , with one of a few remaining Jewish synagogues of the region. The nearby villages of Kruszwiki and Kruszyniany were the centre of Tatar Muslim migration to the country centuries ago and still have a vibrant and very specific Lipka Tatar community. The antique wooden mosques in the villages are hundreds of years old and are still in operation.

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Sightseeing in Bialystok - what to see. Complete travel guide

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• Trzescianka
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Asheville ranks high on list of best flower festivals in the world

ASHEVILLE - One of the best places to stop and smell the flowers is in Asheville, according to international travel agency, Planet Cruise.

Biltmore Blooms, a flower festival at Biltmore Estate, ranked No. 8 worldwide, based on search volume, social media mentions and sentiment, number of observed flower species at peak month, and the average daily sun hours and monthly rainfall.

The No. 1 ranked flower festival is the Tulip Festival in Amsterdam in The Netherlands, which has 85 locations of colorful tulips across the city including in public gardens and museums.

Biltmore Blooms received the most positive social media sentiment score at 91%. in Planet Cruise's research study. There were 590 searches and 6,840 social mentions reported for the flower festival.

In May, the peak month for blooms, 908 flower species were observed, and an average of 9.3 sun hours daily and 93 millimeters of rainfall monthly was measured, according to Planet Cruise.

This season, Biltmore Estate’s “Spring at Biltmore” features thousands of flowers including daffodils and tulips, and orange, purple, yellow, red and white bulbs are in the Walled Garden.

According to the estate, its founder George Vanderbilt was “fond of tulips as they paid tribute to his Dutch heritage.”

Biltmore’s gardens shift and change daily but guests may check Biltmore Director of Horticulture Bill Quade's weekly bloom report , updated on the estate's website.

Inside Biltmore House, the estate’s floral team has created floral décor in the theme of “Spring Romance” and recreated a large wedding bell and floral bouquet display in the Tapestry Gallery as a tribute to the 100th anniversary of the springtime wedding of Cornelia Vanderbilt ― daughter of Biltmore’s founders George and Edith Vanderbilt ― and John F.A. Cecil in April 1924. According to Biltmore, the design is based on the room’s 1924 decor for the couple’s wedding breakfast.

On April 15, Biltmore House tours will offer a new self-guided audio tour with new stories about the Vanderbilt family, recorded in English with versions in Spanish, French, German and Mandarin Chinese available later this spring.

Guests may request an American Sign Language and descriptive audio tour for the visually impaired.

In March, Biltmore premiered its new special art exhibition, “Chihuly at Biltmore,” featuring artworks by globally renowned artist Dale Chihuly, open through Jan. 5 at Amherst at Deerpark on the estate.

For details about admission tickets, events, and overnight stays, visit Biltmore.com or call 877-BILTMORE.

Planet Cruise’s Best Places in the World to See the Flowers Bloom in 2024:

• Tulip Festival, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
• Calla Lily Festival, Yangmingshan National Park, Taipei, Taiwan.
• National Cherry Blossom Festival, Washington, D.C.
• Girona Flower Festival, Girona, Spain.
• Canadian Tulip Festival, Ottawa, Canada.
• Floralia Brussels, Brussels, Belgium.
• The Gardens of Versailles, Versailles, France.
• Biltmore Blooms, Asheville.
• Springhill, Derry, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom.
• Infiorata Flower Carpet Festival, Noto, Italy.

See the full list at planetcruise.com .

Stories you may have missed:

• 'Chihuly at Biltmore' art exhibit opens with glass chandeliers, more at historic estate
• Handle with care: Dale Chihuly artist team moves new exhibit onto Biltmore Estate
• Asheville Orchid Festival will feature thousands of blooms at NC Arboretum
• Asheville restaurant named one of the most romantic places to dine in the U.S.

Tiana Kennell is the food and dining reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA Today Network. Email her at [email protected] or follow her on Instagram @PrincessOfPage. Please support this type of journalism with a subscription to the Citizen Times .

Google revamps Maps to feature top restaurant, travel tips from NYT, Lonely Planet, Infatuation … and AI

Google is working on making its Maps service about more than just telling users where to turn left–eventually planning to serve up everything from related content to future vacation ideas, too.

The search giant said this week that it’s teamed with media outlets like the New York Times, Lonely Planet, and The Infatuation to add created lists of restaurants and attractions for certain travel destinations, beginning with 40 cities in the US and Canada. The company offered more details about how it’s bringing generative AI to Maps for the first time, a program announced in February that’s currently in pilot stages with select power users.

The updates, which Tech Brew previewed at a travel-themed Google event in Manhattan this week, come as Google has been  using AI —not just generative AI—to change aspects of Maps, from info on EV charging stations to better recommendations.

Trendy trip tip

In addition to lists created by publisher partners, Google Maps will also generate lists of “trending” restaurants that are especially popular at a given time and “hidden gems,” or “up-and-coming” places that have been “steadily gaining a lot of interest,” Andrew Duchi, director of product at Google Maps, said onstage at the event.

When asked by another journalist at the event if Google planned to include recommendation lists from other sources like travel bloggers, Duchi said “we are going to be working with the little guys…we’re gonna take a sort of cautious approach to starting to surfacing those at first, but we will be trying to find some of these great lists from the Maps community.”

“We have some specific partnerships that I can’t get into with some of the large publishers,” Duchi told Tech Brew at the event. “We are not paying creators to create this content. One thing we are doing though is trying to engage with them about…like ‘How do we make this useful for you? How is this a tool that you can use?’”

AI everywhere

Google plans a wider rollout of its Maps generative AI features in the future as the tech giant continues to  weave the technology  throughout all of its offerings. Duchi said the integration will make Maps more conversational, so users can ask it, for instance, what to do on a rainy day in Chicago and refine results through dialogue like asking for kid-friendly options.

That feature is exclusively in the hands of top Local Guide volunteers for now, and there’s no “specific timeline” for when it will be available for all Maps users, Duchi said.

This article was initially published in Tech Brew .

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• Total Solar Eclipse 2024 Where to See the Total Solar Eclipse Across the U.S. Where to Camp for the Total Solar Eclipse Where to See the Total Solar Eclipse in Oklahoma Where to See the Total Solar Eclipse in Texas How to See the Total Solar Eclipse on a Cruise The Most Popular Total Solar Eclipse–viewing Cities How to See the Total Solar Eclipse From a Plane How to View the Total Solar Eclipse With NASA in Niagra Falls When to Use Solar Eclipse Glasses — and the Best Pairs to Buy See April's Solar Eclipse From the Sky on This Special Delta Flight These Destinations Are the Most Popular for Solar Eclipse Viewing, According to Alaska Airlines Delta Adds a Second Flight to See April's Solar Eclipse From the Sky This Hotel in Maine Is in the 2024 Solar Eclipse Path of Totality — and Still Has Rooms Available This City in New York Is in the Solar Eclipse Path of Totality — Here's How to Plan Your Trip This Hotel Brand Will Pay 2 Photographers $5,000 to Capture the 2024 Solar Eclipse From a Helicopter The Most Affordable Destinations to See the 2024 Solar Eclipse, According to Kayak FAA Prepares for Busy Airports and Skies Ahead of 2024 Solar Eclipse The Total Solar Eclipse Month Is Here CLOSE Part of Total Solar Eclipse 2024

The Total Solar Eclipse Month Is Here — Along With a Spectacular Meteor Shower, a Planet Sighting, and More in April's Night Sky

From an eclipse to planet sightings, April’s sky-watching will be out of this world

Stephanie Vermillion is a travel journalist and photographer covering culture and adventure for Travel + Leisure Outside, and more.

john finney photography/Getty Images

It’s the month we’ve all been waiting for. In just a few days, the total solar eclipse will delight skywatchers along a 100-mile-wide strip of North America, known as the path of totality. This April 8 marvel is expected to draw tens of millions of viewers — especially since the contiguous U.S. won’t see another total solar eclipse until 2044.

Yet the eclipse isn’t the only sight to watch for in the skies this April. In addition to the moon-meets-sun spectacle, we have meteor showers, planet sightings, and more on the horizon. Here are the top astronomical highlights to bookmark this month.

April 8: Total Solar Eclipse

Kick off the month with the year’s top interstellar event: the total solar eclipse, which will travel more than 9,000 miles from Mexico, across 13 states from Texas to Maine, then out over the ocean through eastern Canada, according to Astronomy.com . A total solar eclipse occurs when the moon glides between Earth and the sun, turning day into a false dusk as it fully covers the latter. Skywatchers will experience the event’s signature dimming effects as the partial eclipse begins; the partial eclipse lasts for several hours, but fleeting totality only hits for a few minutes. Eclipse-viewing parties across the country will offer festive perches to watch the event ( eclipse glasses required). If you can’t watch in person, don’t miss NASA’s livestream .

April 10: Conjunction of the Moon and Jupiter

The eclipse is just the start of this week’s sky-gazing fun. On the evening of April 10, head outside to see the two-day-old moon and bright Jupiter near each other along the western horizon just after sunset. The pair will be visible to the naked eye, and close enough to fit into a pair of binoculars, according to In-the-Sky.org .

April 20: Jupiter Meets Uranus

According to Starwalk , bright Jupiter and green-tinged Uranus will near each other in the night sky on April 20. Look for the planets in the evening, near the western horizon, once the sun sets. While you can see Jupiter with the naked eye, you’ll need stargazing binoculars — and a destination with low light pollution — to fully admire Uranus and its vertical rings.

April 22: Lyrid Meteor Shower Peaks

The medium-strength Lyrid meteor shower runs from April 16-25, and is expected to hit its peak of activity the night of April 22, according to Space.com . Viewing conditions aren’t ideal, as the bright moon will wash out many shooting stars. That said, it's always worth heading out if you find yourself in a dark-sky location with clear skies. Catch the shower near the constellations Lyra and Hercules.

April 23: Full Pink Moon

This month’s full moon name doesn’t mean stargazers will actually see a pink moon — we’ll need to wait until the next supermoon in September for that. Instead, the full pink moon is an ode to the springtime blooms in North America, according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac . You can catch it at its fullest on the evening of April 23.

Total Solar Eclipse 2024

Natural, History: Green Washington, D.C.

Apr 2, 2024 • 7 min read

Washington D.C. boasts hundreds of city parks, more than a dozen public gardens, and miles of bike lanes, paths and woodsy trails © Mike Kline / Getty Images

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Visitors flock to Washington, D.C. , for its iconic monuments, expansive museums, and corridors of power, but that’s not all this capital city offers. Designed with European flair, it boasts hundreds of city parks, more than a dozen public gardens, and miles of bike lanes, paths and woodsy trails – not to mention, the famous cherry blossoms that burst around the Tidal Basin every spring. From vast Rock Creek Park to rose-filled neighborhood gardens, D.C. provides a bevy of natural, sweet-smelling escapes. Here are some of the best:

Rock Creek Park

This linear park may sprawl just four miles north of the White House, but its 1,754 acres are a world away. The namesake creek burbles through a scenic leafy canyon, crossed by bridges and edged by paved trails. From there, dirt trails popular among hikers, runners, and horseback riders snake beneath a refreshing canopy of oaks, maples, dogwoods, and tulip poplars. Weekend revelers fill picnic tables for birthday celebrations and work outings. At America’s oldest urban national park , you’ll find the Smithsonian’s National Zoo , 19th-century Peirce Mill , and the Rock Creek Park Planetarium . No wonder President Theodore Roosevelt brought his kids to this sublime green oasis for Sunday hikes – and today, more than two million visitors a year enjoy its peaceful tranquility.

Insider tip: Portions of narrow, twisting Beach Drive are closed to cars, offering a glorious stretch of road for cyclists and hikers.

United States National Arboretum

Over in Northeast D.C., you’ll find 451 stunning acres of trees, plants, and flowers. Established by an act of Congress in 1927 for the purpose of botanical research, the Arboretum is divided into different collections, including Japanese Woodland, trail-laced Fern Valley, and the National Grove of State Trees. Come mid-April through May for azaleas, while early summer brings clematis, peonies, rhododendrons, and roses. Any time of year, the Capitol Columns – 22 original Corinthian columns brought here from the U.S. Capitol in 1990 – are photogenic draws. But that’s not all. The National Bonsai & Penjing Museum is renowned for its collection of impossibly miniature plants that have been pinched, pruned, and wired in the ancient Chinese way to create realistic depictions of nature. You can drive (or bike) 9.5 miles of quiet roads; several short pathways allow you to get closer to dwarf pines, sunny prairie, and flowering dogwoods, overlooking the Anacostia River.

Insider tip: Check the website for special events including forest bathing.

U.S. Botanic Garden

Step inside this iron-and-glass conservatory on the U.S. Capitol grounds and you’re transported into a verdant world of more than 4,000 seasonal, tropical, and subtropical plants, all within 10 garden rooms and two courtyards. You’ll find orchids, coffee trees, and carnivorous plants, but the most striking space is the vaulted tropical atrium, where palms, ferns, and bougainvillea provide a steamy jungle vibe. The annual holiday display, showcasing festive lights, thousands of poinsettias, and D.C. landmarks made of plants, is always crowd pleasing. Congress established the Botanic Garden in 1820 to catalog plants from various global missions. It also includes a gated outdoor garden and the two-acre Bartholdi Fountains and Gardens across Independence Avenue, with native plants, locally sourced furniture, and 10 rain gardens (designed to capture and filter storm water).

Kenilworth Park & Aquatic Gardens

Water lilies may be the last thing you’d expect to find in Washington, D.C., but when Civil War veteran Walter Shaw bought a parcel of land here in 1879, he missed the wild water lilies from his native Maine – so he planted some. What started as a hobby by 1912 had become the W.B. Shaw Lily Ponds, a popular local attraction. Today, waterlilies and lotuses thrive at this natural space overseen by the National Park Service in Northeast D.C. The flowers typically start to bloom in early July, with the most vibrant blossoms showing up the last two weeks of July. A week-long festival during this time includes ranger talks, cultural dance performances, and yoga classes. That said, there’s more than ephemeral flowers here, including migrating birds, beaver dams, and a boardwalk over cattail-fringed tidal wetlands offering stunning views of what the land might have looked centuries ago.

East Potomac Park

With lots of open, grassy space, tree-shaded enclaves, and picnic tables – and a cool breeze coming off the river – East Potomac Park is a respite from the city. Washingtonians come to this 329-acre artificial island to run, bike, and walk the 3.2-mile loop road. Here, too, you’ll find a golf course, public swimming pool, tennis courts, and the nation’s oldest continually operating putt-putt course. In spring, the city’s famous Yoshino cherry trees (the same variety as the ones at the Tidal Basin) put on a spectacular display, lining the water’s edge. Other varieties, including Kwanzans, bloom here a little later in the season.

Dumbarton Oaks Park

In the heart of Georgetown, paths wander through a wild, woodsy setting that’s a lot more historic than first meets the eye. The 27 tree-shaded, stream-laced acres once belonged to Mildred and Robert Woods Bliss, prominent patrons of the arts. In 1921 they hired Beatrix Farrand to plan their gardens. The illustrious landscape architect fashioned two parts to her design: a former garden area close to the couple’s mansion, and this more bucolic counterpart. Here, amid the trees, she planted a thick underbrush of azaleas, mountain laurel, and rhododendrons, and added man-made touches such as a stone bridge and rustic arbor. The Blisses donated the park to the National Park Service in 1940, and ever since has been a joyful place for Washingtonians to stroll, picnic, and escape into nature.

Insider tip: The more formal gardens at Dumbarton House remain one of D.C.’s most stunning gardens.

Franciscan Monastery

One of D.C.’s best-kept secrets, this serene oasis resides on a wooded hillside in the Brookland neighborhood of Northeast D.C. Amid a parklike, tree-shaded setting below the towering Church of the Holy Sepulchre, you’ll find replicas of Holy Land sites, including the Grotto of Gethsemane, Tomb of Christ, and Stations of the Cross. But the greatest allure are the quiet pathways wandering through woods sprinkled with dogwoods, redbuds, tulips, and cherry trees. Here, too, a formal rose garden blooms inside the Rosary Portico, with benches placed for contemplation. The site was the dream of Rev. Charles A. Vassani at the turn of the 20th century to bring the Holy Land to Americans who couldn’t travel abroad.

Theodore Roosevelt Island

This 88.5-acre woodsy isle in the middle of the Potomac River lies a stone’s throw from D.C.’s busy streets – yet you’d never know it. A pedestrian bridge sweeps across the water, dropping you amid oak and maple woodlands. Dirt paths and boardwalks loop around and across, offering vistas of Georgetown’s spires and the Kennedy Center. Here, too, you’ll find a striking stone statue of Theodore Roosevelt himself, the “conservation president” who fought vigorously to prevent wildlands from development. The island, once the site of a plantation where enslaved people were exploited for their labor, was transformed in the 1930s into a living natural memorial honoring the 26th president.

Insider tip: You can only approach the island by car from the northbound George Washington Memorial Parkway. Or take the Metro to Rosslyn and walk 15 minutes to the island.

National Mall

There’s a reason the National Mall is called America’s front yard. Its shaded, grass-covered expanse is ideal for picnics, bench sitting, and taking a breather in between visiting its vast museums and monuments. But it also has a handful of pocket gardens providing a blissful escape, including Constitution Gardens near the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. This peaceful, 56-acre park features an island-dotted pond where a memorial honors the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence. Outside the Smithsonian Castle, brick pathways lace through the four-acre Enid A. Haupt Garden , a changing palette of blooms. And at the Floral Library near the Tidal Basin, 10,000 tulip bulbs flown from Holland every year are planted by hand in 93 beds. They’re replaced with annuals throughout the summer and fall.

From our partners: There’s only one DC. For a free visitor guide, planning tools, deals and more, visit washington.org .

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