Ustroń

Ustroń is a spa town in Cieszyn County in southern Poland, spreading along the Vistula River. The settlement sits between forested hills, with the Czantoria and Rownica peaks framing the skyline to the south.

The settlement appears for the first time in 1305 within Wrocław episcopal salary records and evolved from a farming village into a recognized spa over the centuries. The healing properties of local springs were officially documented in the 19th century, leading to the establishment of health baths.

The name derives from the Polish word for drainage channel, referring to a stream flowing through the valley. Visitors today notice the sanatorium character of many buildings and the maintained park areas that shape the townscape.

Facilities in town offer treatments for cardiovascular conditions, orthopedic rehabilitation, and respiratory disorders. Many clinics sit in quiet areas with direct access to forest trails and promenades along the river.

The therapeutic effect of local waters was discovered when residents noticed health improvements after washing in water mixed with hot blast furnace slag. This chance observation led to systematic examination of mineral composition and later recognition as a spa.