Annual events
The following are just few examples of events dedicated to the young:
Spring: Sweet celebrations of Tarnów’s Anniversary, Easter Palms Contest in Lipnica Murowana.
Summer: Wianki (traditional celebration of the first day of summer), theater performances in Strzelecki Park, Tabor Cygański (Gypsy Caravan), Malowana Chata (Painted Cottage) contest in Zalipie.
Autumn/fall: Tydzień Talentów (Week of Geniuses) nationwide festival for winners of classical music contests, Knights Tournament in Dębno.
Winter: Mikołajki – decorating Christmas tree an Town Square, outdoor crib with real animals at Bernardines Friary, winter brake with Pałac Młodzieży (Youth Palace), ‘O Lipnicką Gwiazdę’ Christmas carols contest and numerous sport events – including local, national and world competitions.
Parks and playgrounds
Over a dozen parks in Tarnów are popular destinations for weekend family walks. In most of those gardens playgrounds are located. The most popular and modern are those in Strzelecki Park and Góra św. Marcina Park.
Strzelecki Park (established in 1866) is an English garden with irregular floral composition. In its northern section a water reservoir is located. In its center stands impressive structure – Mausoleum of general Józef Bem, Polish and Hungarian national hero, born in Tarnów. Learn more about Bem In Your Pocket . Right by the reservoir Ogródek Jordanowski (playground) is located.
Góra św. Marcina Park, in the south of Tarnów, covers the northern slopes of Góra św. Marcina (St. Martin’s Hill), 384 meters high, the northernmost hill of the Carpathians. Its playground, swimming pool and trails are very popular among families with children. Ruins of the Tarnowski Castle allow scenic overview of the city.
Tarnów is known as the ‘Polish hot spot’ not only to meteorologists. Record-high temperature of December ever measured in Poland was recorded in Tarnów, in 1989. The warmest area of the city is southern section of Sanguszków Park. The garden surrounds imposing palace of the Sanguszko Dukes, composing another magnetic site that attracts families as well as teenagers.
The sites listed below should also be interesting for young visitors:
Town Square in Tarnów is one of the smallest yet one of the most beautiful in Poland. It is surrounded by the Renaissance arcaded buildings. In the middle of the Square two story Town Hall topped with an attic with fourteen masks is located. The oldest sections of the structure are Gothic. It was rebuilt in Renaissance form by Giovanni Maria Padovano, one of the greatest architects of his times. In the Town Hall’s tower (30 meters high) there is the oldest tower clock mechanism in Poland.
Cathedral Basilica of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary serves as the principal Church of the Diocese of Tarnów. It is also the most impressive historic site of Tarnów and a home of priceless works of art. Of note are the two nearly 13 meter tall monuments to the Tarnowski and Ostrogski families as well as the sculpture depicting Barbara Tarnowska of the Tęczyński – considered the most beautiful Renaissance sculpture of a woman in Poland.
Ethnographic Museum is known for its unique Gypsy collections that have composed the first permanent exhibition dedicated to the Romany culture in Europe. Collection of five original horse-drawn wagons, parked in the backyard, is the necessary complement to the exhibited history. Shows of the Gypsy camp life (including dances) can be organized upon prior arrangement. Each summer the Museum launches the Gypsy Caravan of Remembrance, a few days ride to the places of the Romany martyrdom in the WWII. It’s a unique opportunity to taste the Gypsy way of life.
Statues and monuments:
„Elephant” – painted by kids – standing at the intersection of Krakowska and Nowy Świat streets is popular meeting-point of the teenagers.
„Poets’ bench” on Wałowa street with live-sized figures of Agnieszka Osiecka, Jan Brzechwa and Zbigniew Herbert – famous Polish poets. In small boxes, placed next to the statues, books with their poems are stored.
“Solar system” fountain – in the neighborhood of newly renovated building of “Dworzec Główny” train station and ‘Planty Kolejowe’ park a water fountain modeled on the Solar System is located. The steel-glass Sun is surrounded with granite planets placed within their steel orbits. Each planet is set on a water jet that allows to change direction of its rotation easily. The fountain is illuminated and therefore especially worth seeing after the sunset.
Museums:
Muzeum Okręgowe (Regional Museum)
Rynek 3, 33-100 Tarnów, PL
tel.: +48 14 621 21 49, www.muzeum.tarnow.pl
Muzeum Etnograficzne (Ethnographic Museum)
ul. Krakowska 10, 33-100 Tarnów, PL
tel.: +48 14 622 06 25, www.muzeum.tarnow.pl
Museums in Tarnów organize lectures for groups of kids and youth. Lectures are complementary to learning programs of Polish schools, are carried in unique interiors and allow direct contact with exhibits. Sample subjects: Peasant’s cottage 100 years ago (interiors, equipment, activities), Winter ceremonials, Spring ceremonials, Gypsy history and culture, A tale on bread, Time to go – death in tradition and culture.
Muzeum Drogownictwa w Szczucinie (Museum of Road Building in Szczucin)
35 km north from Tarnów, towards Warszawa and Kielce
ul. 1 Maja 39, 33-230 Szczucin, PL
tel.: +48 14 643 63 81
One-of-a-kind open air exhibition of road building machines and vehicles. An indoor exhibitions, presented in a bridge-shaped building, include: rich collection of tools used in road building over centuries, unique 19th century documents, roads and bridges designs, souvenirs and uniforms of road building personnel. The exhibitions are presented in modern and attractive way. Slide shows, movies projections and presentations on history and techniques of road and bridge building can be scheduled by appointment.
Zalipie – Malowana Wieś (Painted Village)
40 kilometers north from Tarnów, towards Żabno
Dom Malarek w Zalipiu
33-263 Zalipie 128A, PL
www.dommalarek.pl
tel.: +48 14 641 19 38
Zagroda Felicji Curyłowej w Zalipiu (Felicja Curyłowa Farmstead Museum)
Zalipie 135, 33-210 Olesno, PL
www.muzeum.tarnow.pl
tel.: +48 14 641 19 12
Zalipie – ‘Painted village’ is famous for the tradition of painting houses in original floral ornaments. An exhibition on the history of floral painting can be seen in Dom Malarek. Special workshops for children are organized there. Kids can learn traditional Zalipie paintings, paint Easter eggs or make Easter palms. A must-see in Zalipie is Zagroda Felicji Curyłowej (Felicja Curyłowa’s Farmstead) where besides walls of house and farm building one can admire beautifully painted interiors. Special museum lessons can be scheduled here as well.
Muzeum Lalek w Pilźnie i Lipinach (Museum of Dolls)
some 25 and 15 kilometers east from Tarnów, towards Rzeszów
ul. Grodzka 24, 39-220 Pilzno, PL
tel.: +48 14 672 13 21, www.muzeumlalek.pl
open air exhibition in Lipiny (by E 40 Tarnów – Rzeszów route)
Museum’s wide educational offer focuses on meeting child’s needs and interests. Some of the courses include: cooking with the Witch, weaving techniques, traditional pottery making techniques, hand making crepe paper flowers, puppets making, Christmas and Easter motifs in decoration, or expressing feelings through dolls’shapes and colors. The last one is free of charge.
Muzeum Przyrodnicze w Ciężkowicach (Natural Science Museum in Ciężkowice)
35 kilometers south from Tarnów, towards Krynica
ul. 3 Maja 4, 33-190 Ciężkowice, tel.: +48 14 651 00 38, muzeum.ciezkowice.pl
The exhibitions include some 200 species of birds, 500 insects and tens of hunting trophies. Other attractions are: bats’ cave, insects’ feeding grounds, local flora and pictures of a nature by some of the best photographers.
Entertainment
Cinemas and theaters in Tarnów welcome young audience. Cinemas offer regular movie sections just for kids. Tarnowski Theater and Centrum Sztuki Mościce perform live for kids either with their own troupes or guest ones. Events calendar is available at ww.tarnow.travel (Polish only).
Active leisure
Tarnów and Tarnów region is a perfect place for all active, including the youngest ones. Kids can have great time at ‘Promienny Zamek’ in Tarnów. There are giant slide, pools with balls, three story playhouse with numerous stairs, dead ends, obstacles, toys and many other attractions.
Older children can try kart racing, quad rides, bowling or climbing one of the biggest indoor climbing walls in Poland. Other activities in Tarnów include paintball (both indoor and outdoor) or skating in one of the skate parks. Water lovers can take advantage of one of the swimming pools. And in the winter there are ice rinks operating with skate rentals in place. There are also several ski lifts just few kilometers outside the city.
Once you get bored of the city, we encourage you to walk the Pogórze Ciężkowickie. There are numerous walking and cycling trails leading out of Tarnów. Right outside the Ciężkowice there is ‘Skamieniałe Miasto’, or ‘Stone City’ nature reserve with sandstone formations of unique shapes. Some rocks were named after what they look similar to: Grzybek (Mushroom), Borsuk (Badger), Warownia (Fortress) or Czarownica (Witch). More about Stone City In Your Pocket .
‘Ośrodek Edukacji Ekologicznej’ (Center for Ecologic Education) in Polichty – Sucha Góra offers numerous paths which allow continuous observation of the nature all year round.