Suwałki, Administrative center in northeastern Poland
Suwałki is a city in northeastern Poland, within the Podlaskie Voivodeship, near the Lithuanian border. The town sits at about 170 meters (560 feet) elevation along the Czarna Hańcza River and is surrounded by forests and lakes.
The settlement grew from a Camaldolese hermitage established in 1682 and received official town rights from King Augustus II in 1715. The area changed hands several times over the centuries before becoming part of Poland definitively in the 20th century.
The name recalls the Camaldolese tradition that left a quiet legacy in the area. Visitors today find small chapels and cemeteries with inscriptions in several languages, evidence of the mixed population that lived here over past centuries.
The city is easy to explore on foot, especially the compact center with its street cafés and small shops. The regional museum with its religious artifacts is located centrally and offers a good overview of the local past.
The river divides the town into two halves, and along its banks old mill structures built from wood and stone still stand. In summer, locals gather by the water to fish or take short walks along the tree-lined paths.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
