About the region

The Świętokrzyskie voivodeship, with its capital in Kielce, is located in the southeastern part of Poland and borders on six voivodeships: Mazowieckie, Lubelskie, Podkarpackie, Małopolskie, Śląskie and Łódzkie.

• Świętokrzyskie is charming

Świętokrzyskie is a region with exceptionally interesting values. They are made up of three lands: Świętokrzyskie Mountains, Ponidzie and the Sandomierz Upland.

A land full of legends, ghosts and spells, surrounded by forests, with the Świętokrzyskie Mountains and a fantastic “set” of monuments, picturesque towns and other attractions, it is an ideal place to organize an incentive trip.

The magnet attracting people to the region is the Swiętokrzyskie Mountains, the oldest in Poland, the green land of Ponidzie, where a gentle river meanders between hills, valleys and towns with a rich history, and the Sandomierz Upland with the royal, historic city of Sandomierz. In addition, it is worth coming here because of the unique caves and over 1,300 km of hiking and about 1,500 km of bicycle hiking trails. Numerous reservoirs on clean rivers allow sailing, water skiing and windsurfing.

• A region for active people

Horse riding enthusiasts will find about 20 equestrian centers here, while aviation enthusiasts – aviation sports centers in Masłów and Pinczow.

The Świętokrzyskie region is a paradise for skiers, both beginners and advanced skiers. In the immediate vicinity of Kielce and in the city itself, there are 6 ski routes. The length of the ski runs varies from 300 to 800 m.

• Spas

The mild climate and rich deposits of mineral waters ensure a perfect spa holiday. Busko-Zdroj and Solec-Zdroj are dynamically developing spa centers in the region.

• Kielce – the city of business

Due to the development industry and central location, as well as academic traditions, the city is a well-known center for business meetings at frequent fairs and exhibitions. Targi Kielce, which organizes many industry exhibitions combined with scientific conferences and shows, provide a great opportunity to establish business contacts.

Hotels

Kielce remains the most frequently chosen locations for conferences and congresses, but it should be emphasized that Świętokrzyskie is increasing the number of well-prepared hotel facilities in spa towns every year.

• Kielce – the city of business and fairs

Recently, the city has focused on the development of hotel facilities, so important for the development of the meetings industry. There are places of different standards.

Hotele 5*****

• Odyssey ClubHotel Wellness&SPA 5*****

Hotele 4****

• Best Western 4****
• Hotel Grafit 4****
• Hotel pod Złotą Różą 4****
• Hotel Qubus 4****
• Hotel Tęczowy Młyn 4****
• Binkowskie Resort Centrum Konferencyjno – hotelowe 4****

Hotele 3***

• Dal Hotel Kielce 3***
• Hotel Bristol 3***
• Hotel Echo 3***
• Hotel La Mar 3***
• Pałac w Konarach

Ponidzie offers a wide range of health resorts in Solec-Zdroj and Busko Zdroj. In both towns you will find elegant hotels tailored to conference needs, with medical and wellness & spa facilities.

• Słoneczny Zdrój Medical SPA & Wellness 4**** (Busko Zdrój)
• Bristol Art & Medical SPA 4**** (Busko Zdrój)
• Lawendowy Zdrój Sanatorium Medyczne & SPA 4**** (Busko Zdrój)
• Dormed Medical SPA 3***
• Mineral Hotel Malinowy Raj 4**** (Solec Zdrój)

Conference and business venues

Kielce has been considered an investor-friendly place for many years. In 2013, it was on the final list of Polish cities nominated for the prestigious Poland Outsourcing and Services Awards. The location of Kielce in the central part of the country creates favorable conditions for the organization of exhibitions and conferences. It is an ideal place not only for domestic companies, but also for entrepreneurs from neighboring countries.

Targi Kielce Congress Center

A modern facility that combines innovation and professionalism. Thanks to many years of experience, it is a guarantee of high-quality services in the organization of large events such as congresses or conferences, through seminars, two small exhibitions.

The content-related support is provided by the Świętokrzyska Regional Tourist Organization.

Local cuisine

The Świętokrzyskie region is rich in regional flavors of traditional local cuisine. Potato, flour and groats dishes and products have been present in the diet of the inhabitants of this region for centuries, because the cuisine of the Świętokrzyskie region is derived from the rural tradition. Poor soil was produced mainly by potatoes, cabbage, legumes and grain, busy housewives cooked from what was at hand.

• Świętokrzyska Zalewajka

The most characteristic product, identified with the Świętokrzyskie region, is certainly zalewajka Świętokrzyska, but it is not the only regional dish. Classic pickle is cooked on the basis of sour soup with potatoes, sausage or bacon, sometimes with mushrooms. An equally characteristic dish is the white borscht made of sauerkraut, served mainly on the Easter menu, while the daily dinner often includes a dish called “parzybroda”, i.e. boiled potatoes with boiled sauerkraut, topped with bacon greaves.

• The land of the potato

Potato, considered the basic ingredient of Świętokrzyskie cuisine, appeared on the menu only in the 19th century, and potato dishes had different names. Those made of grated potatoes, boiled and baked, can be as scoops, gola, golorz, dumplings, trindles (kryndle), pigoły, targańce, zmiocarz -potato pate. Dumplings were also stuffed with potato stuffing, and potato donuts were fried in deep oil. The king of potato dishes is kugiel – the showpiece of the Kielce region, i.e. potato casserole with meat originating from the Jewish tradition, and the most famous of them is the kugiel from Czermno.

• Kashotto

In addition to potato dishes, regional cuisine knows the different types of groats, barley, buckwheat, millet, served in various forms, as cutlets, cakes, stuffing for dumplings and cabbage rolls. Żytniczki, or dishes made from unripe grain, have been on the menu of Kielce for centuries, and groats are secret groats that matured for several hours wrapped in a blanket or in a bread oven. A popular Christmas Eve dish was grycoki, i.e. dumplings with groats.

Cabbage, a popular vegetable, constitutes a significant position in the Kielce region. Traditionally, it was eagerly combined with „ledzwian”, the oldest variety of peas, similar to chickpeas, which, almost completely forgotten, is now back in favor. The traditional pickling of cabbage took the form of folk rituals binding rural communities.

• Local tinctures

It is not appropriate to leave this region without trying „pasternocka” – groats with plums or local „sosniak” and l”bzowka”. The dishes are prepared according to old recipes from products from own farms, so to taste this cuisine it is best to visit one of the many agritourism farms.

• Fruits and desserts

Swiętokrzyskie is a land of apples, apricots and plums. Apple pie, chocolate-coated plums and sweet jam are popular desserts in the region. The first plum orchards were established at monasteries in the Middle Ages, and the local Jewish population is a tradition of smoking purple plums.

• The Sandomierz Wine Route

The region of Sandomierz, in turn, is the area where vines are grown, and the “Sandomierz wine route” is developing here, leading through local vineyards.

The most interesting attractions

Świętokrzyskie is an area where numerous historical events took place. The architectural monuments available here come from different eras. These include not only manors and palaces, but also numerous technical monuments. The most important places worth seeing here are:

• Swietokrzyskie Mountains

Not high, they are made of the oldest rocks in Poland, but they have been shaped by relatively “young” geological processes. The highest peak is Łysica, which is worth climbing due to the presence of a gravel area on the slopes of the entire Łysogory range.

• Museum of the Kielce Countryside – Ethnographic Park in Tokarnia

A unique opportunity to see what the villages of the Kielce region, cottages and entire farmyards with barns, mills and manors used to look like. The facility organizes handicraft shows, field games and theme tours of the open-air museum (disappearing professions, everyday life and holidays). Every year it hosts: “Swiętokrzyski Tasting Festival”, “Swiętokrzyski Agritourism Fair”.

• Archaeological Museum and Reserve “Krzemionki”

Inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2019, it is a real “hit” of the region. Here you can explore neolithic striped flint mines, preserved as in a time capsule, and showcase the region. Striped flint is, next to amber, the most popular stone of Polish jewelery.

• Ćmielów – Live Porcelain Museum

A modern porcelain center with an interesting exhibition, the possibility of workshops and a gallery of contemporary art.

• Krzyżtopór Castle in Ujazd.

The rich, mannerist residence of the magnate Krzysztof Ossoliński. The shape of the castle referred to the calendar: four towers like the seasons, 12 rooms corresponding to the months, 52 chambers related to the number of weeks and 365 windows, as many as the days of the year. Over the dining room, through the glass ceiling, you could see the fish swimming in the aquarium, and the horses in the stable looked at each other in the mirrors and ate from the golden manger. Outdoor knight picnics and night tours can be organized.

• Szydłów

Szydłów, a city surrounded by stone walls with battlements, which is why it is called the Polish Carcassonne. Every year, the national “Tournament of Knighthood for the Sword of King Casimir the Great” and “Feast of the plum” are held there.

• The ruins of the castle in Chęciny

One of the largest strongholds of the 16th century. Republic of Poland. Particularly interesting is the night tour with a fire show, illumination, old dances and the White Lady.

An idea for incentives in Świętokrzyskie

Świętokrzyskie is the perfect area for organizing an incentive trip.

An impressive list of monuments and natural attractions; a region shrouded in magic and witch legend; suitable place for adventure; vineyards, regional cuisine, many handicraft activities.

• Night tour of castles – a perfect proposition for every group. Fun, a bit of adrenaline, a way to integrate ghosts and white ladies while wandering the ruins of Chęciny at night. Thrilling night tours can be organized in Chęciny and Krzyżtopor.
• Vineyards – one of the most important wine regions in Poland. The local vineyards organize tastings and give the opportunity to participate in the grape harvest.
• Winter sports skiing – there are ski lifts around Kielce.
• Sports and nature – bicycles, mountain hiking, canoes. The offer of sports activities is very wide and can be adapted to the needs of the group.
• Culinary – apple pie baking workshops, wine tasting, cooking zalewajki, culinary lessons of regional cuisine will be the perfect complement to your stay in the region.
• Handicraft workshops – Świętokrzyskie is a region where porcelain has been produced for centuries. In the living porcelain museum there is an opportunity to organize interesting workshops

Wellness & SPA

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