Green Velo

This black bike trail makes a loop around Sandomierz, passing through the picturesque hilly areas of the Sandomierz Upland. Along the entire route, you’ll see a large number of... orchards. And no wonder, as this region is famous for cultivating fruit. This ride along quiet asphalt roads between rows of apple trees is one that is sure to live long in the memory, with one of the main attractions along the way being Winnica na Rozdrożu (Vineyard at the Crossroads). The route is well-marked, so following the trail shouldn’t present any difficulties.

Sandomierz (0.0 km) → Zawisełcze (3.6 km) → Andruszkowice (5.4 km) → Kobierniki (9.5 km) → Chwałki (11.8 km) → Wysiadłów (15.0 km) → Gołębice (19.9 km) → Sandomierz (22.0 km)

• Lenght: 22 km
• Time: 2 hours (3-5 hours with sightseeing)
• Type: Cross, MTB
• Elevation: 175 m
• 65% asphalt roads, 22% unpaved roads, 13% gravel roads
• Moderately difficult
• Marking good; black bike trail

Getting there and starting out

When arriving by car, a convenient place to begin your trip is the car park by the stadium of the municipal sports and recreation centre in Sandomierz at ul. Romana Koseły 3a.

Technical description

From the car park by the stadium, head south on ul. Romana Koseły. Turn onto ul. Rokitek and after about fifty metres turn left onto a narrow street with cellular paving stones. After a short ride downhill, keep going straight when the road bends and take the unpaved road at the bottom of a narrow gorge. As you reach ul. Kręta, turn right and you’ll reach national road no. 79 and the Green Velo route. Follow the Green Velo signs heading towards Zawisełcze and Koćmierzów. When you leave Green Velo, turn to the right and cross the bridge over the Koprzywianka River to Andruszkowice. Cross national road no. 79 again. After going past the Vineyard at the Crossroads and climbing uphill among the fruit tree plantations, you will reach the villages of Kobierniki and Chwałki. Turn left onto national road no. 77, and after 300 m turn right onto a road paved with concrete slabs that will take you to Chwałki Dolne. After the roadside shrine, turn to the right and take the dirt path to Wysiadłów. Another stretch on a rough surface awaits once you cross national road no. 79. Enter Sandomierz through the Gołębice district. Cross the national road by going straight ahead, and then follow ul. Różana and ul. Wojska Polskiego to the roundabout. Here, first turn right and then left onto ul. Jakubowskiego, ul. Czyżewskiego and ul. Sienkiewicza. Ul. Żeromskiego will take you to the end of the route, to the Church of St. Michael the Archangel. You can take a sharp right turn onto ul. Mickiewicza and then go along that to ul. R. Koseły, where you left your car. Alternatively, you could head to the centre of Sandomierz for a look around, which we highly recommend. We’d suggest starting off at Opatowska Gate and then heading to the market square to relax in one of the numerous cafés.

Attractions along the way:

Sandomierz

One of the oldest and most beautiful towns in Poland, it has a well-preserved, original 14^th century urban layout with a number of historic monuments and museums. It is a good idea to start your sightseeing in the market square, which is dominated by the town hall built at the turn of the 15^th century. The square is surrounded by richly decorated tenement houses, and there is also an underground tourist route below the surface. The late-Romanesque Church of St. James is a real gem here. Built in 1226, it is one of the oldest brick churches in Poland. King Kazimierz the Great founded the Gothic Cathedral of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (1360) and also the Royal Castle, which now houses the District Museum. Other historic monuments include the Długosz House from 1476 (now the Diocesan Museum), the 15^th century Opatowska Gate, and the Dominican Gate known as the “Needle’s Eye”. One of the tenement buildings in the market square houses a unique exhibition dedicated to the popular Polish TV show, “The World of Father Mateusz”. The Collegium Gostomianum, one of the oldest secondary schools in Poland, which was founded in 1602, towers above the town and is beautifully illuminated at night.

District Museum (MPR – Miejsce Przyjazne Rowerzystom; Cyclist-Friendly Place), ul. Zamkowa 12, tel. +48 15 644 57 57, www.zamek-sandomierz.pl; Diocesan Museum, ul. Długosza 9, tel. +48 15 833 26 70, www.domdlugosza.sandomierz.org; “The World of Father Mateusz” Exhibition, ul. Rynek 5, tel. +48 534 883 883, www.swiatojcamateusza.pl

Vineyard at the Crossroads

Situated at a crossroads among picturesque loess hills, the vineyard is a great place to stop if you fancy a short break and would like to taste some of the wines produced there. The local wines, predominantly white, are also available for purchase.

Andruszkowice 110, tel. +48 887 453 673,

www.sandomierskiszlakwiniarski.pl