Suwałki is a city located within the so-called Green Lungs of Poland. They are surrounded by forests and lakes, and on the outskirts of the Wigry National Park. The city where Maria Konopnica was born encourages you to take walks with nice, classicist buildings and numerous green areas.
The history of Suwałki is not very long. The first records of the settlement appear only in the 17th century, although in the Middle Ages the area was inhabited by the Yotvingians. You can learn a lot about their lives from the exhibition at the District Museum, where, among others, items from excavations. The foundation of the village was related to the activity of the Camaldolese Order from nearby Wigry. The settlement, which was a monastic colony, began to develop rapidly, and in 1720 it received city rights from Augustus II the Strong.
It's best to start your visit to Suwałki with a walk around the very center. The neoclassical co-cathedral of St. Alexander. Nearby, there is Maria Konopnicka Square surrounded by tenement houses and a promenade. Here stands, among others sculpture of a bluesman and a figure of Maria Konopnicka. In the past, Suwałki was inhabited by people of various denominations and nationalities. Today, during the tour, you can find a testimony of those times, i.e. the Seven Confessions Cemetery. In turn, the culinary traditions are reminded, among others, by restaurant serving Tatar dishes.
The writer was associated with Suwałki as her hometown. Today, one of the most important attractions of Suwałki is the Museum of Maria Konopnicka presenting the story of her childhood and characters from poems and fairy tales. You can also visit the city along the fairy-tale trail of Maria Konopnicka, and at the museum you can visit the Dwarf Alley with powerful appliances and furniture, where everyone can feel like a dwarf.
Due to its location in one of the greenest regions of Poland, Suwałki has many walking and recreational places. The Constitution Park on May 3 is located close to the city center, and the boulevards over the Czarna Hańcza are the favorite places for walks. In turn, Zalew Arkadia is a place where you can relax in the summer.
