Cultural stops across Poland. From the UNESCO Flower Carpet Festival to the Church of Peace in Jawor and forest folk art sanctuaries. Discover festivals, traditions, and hidden gems — whether you arrive by bike or on foot.
I didn’t expect to spend a weekend inside an exhibition hall in Łódź. But that’s exactly where I found myself — at EXPO Łódź, where the NINGYO Japanese Fair Łódź had set up for a few days. I’d planned a cycling route as usual, but curiosity felt like reason enough to visit. I’ve always been interested in Japanese aesthetics and craftsmanship, so I wanted to see for myself what a traveling fair like this could offer.
A rich display of traditional Easter dishes from the Sieradz region
A week before Easter, the conference hall of the County Office in Sieradz once again hosted the annual Sieradzkie Stoły Wielkanocne. This popular local event attracts visitors from across the region who come to experience a traditional Polish Easter food display and see how Easter traditions in Poland are still practiced today.
The official Light Move Festival projection lights up a downtown landmark
Every autumn, the industrial heart of Łódź, Poland, transforms into a breathtaking canvas of light and imagination. The Light Move Festival — one of Central Europe’s most spectacular urban light art events — returns in 2025, turning the city into a glowing, open-air gallery. Streets, historic facades, and public parks become the stage for projected animations and bold neon hues, creating an atmosphere that feels both futuristic and deeply magical.
A full village scene created from hay bales — storytelling in straw
In late August and September, a special rhythm takes over the Polish countryside. Fields that only weeks ago swayed with golden grain now hum with activity — combines and tractors clear the land, leaving neat rows of straw and preparing the soil for winter. For cyclists on rural roads, it’s a captivating spectacle of change — a landscape actively shifting day by day.
The half-timbered exterior of the Church of Peace in Jawor gives little hint of the Baroque splendor hidden inside
Cycling through Lower Silesia is like pedaling through the pages of a living history book. Around every bend, you’ll find a medieval castle, a cobblestone old town, or a sweeping mountain vista.
Yet few sights compare to the Church of Peace in Jawor. From the outside, it resembles a large, modest half-timbered barn. But step inside — and you’re greeted with a Baroque explosion of color, carvings, and paintings. The contrast is so striking it leaves even seasoned travelers speechless.
Tailors and seamstresses showed off their skill — stitching by hand and treadle machine, just like a century ago
There’s something magical about rounding a bend on your bike and suddenly arriving in another era. All across Poland and Europe, small towns bring history to life through immersive festivals that recreate daily life at the turn of the 20th century. Cobblestone streets come alive with costumed artisans, the air fills with folk music, and for a few hours, time slows down.
A vibrant fan-shaped flower arrangement created from multicolored petals in Spycimierz
Every June, the village of Spycimierz in central Poland blooms with intricate flower carpets for a UNESCO-recognized festival. It offers a perfect cycling adventure through culture, color, and countryside. Locals come together to create nearly two kilometers of floral art to celebrate the Feast of Corpus Christi, continuing a 200-year-old tradition honored as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. The result is a breathtaking mosaic of religious imagery and vibrant geometric patterns that transforms the entire village into a living work of art.
The Exhibition of Traditional Easter Tables — now in its 15th edition — was more than just a feast for the eyes. It was a warm, vibrant celebration of Polish Easter traditions, regional crafts, and traditional Polish cuisine. The event showcased stunning tables brimming with symbolic foods, handmade decorations, and a festive spirit rooted in centuries-old customs.
The entrance to Kapliczkowo is a hidden sanctuary in the woods. Handmade shrines and folk carvings create a unique atmosphere.
This open-air sanctuary of wooden shrines and sculptures lies nestled in a quiet forest near Szczercow. It is the life’s work of Bernard Zboinski, a retired colonel. He is also a passionate folk artist. Kapliczkowo has 365 handmade chapels. There is one for each day of the year. The site also features countless wooden sculptures. Kapliczkowo is an artistic and spiritual experience like no other.
