Kosice to Bieszczady National Park: Private day trip

Visit this mineral-water spa town wrapped in beech forests, hiking trails, and Poland's largest reservoir that spreads out below it. What to do:

• Hike the Perła Polańczyka loop, a well-marked circuit of roughly 3 miles (5 km) linking the resort's best viewpoints over the lake
• Take the short climb to the Kamień viewing platform for the classic panorama across the Solina peninsula
• Stroll the lakeside promenade and pier, or take a pleasure boat out onto the reservoir in season

What to see:

• Solina Lake, created in 1968 when a dam flooded the San valley, submerging several villages and forming Poland's largest reservoir by volume
• The Perła Polańczyka trail's series of viewpoints, each framing a different arm of the lake against forested ridges
• Beech and hornbeam forests that turn copper and gold across the surrounding slopes from early October

What to eat:

• Bieszczady-style pierogi filled with buckwheat, potato and cheese, or wild mushrooms gathered locally
• Żurek, a sour rye soup served with sausage and egg, ideal after a cold morning walk
• Proziaki, soda-bread flatbreads from the Podkarpacie region, served warm with butter or jam
• Smoked trout from the San valley and local honey from mountain apiaries

What to buy:

• Bieszczady honey, including the prized linden and forest varieties
• Handmade wooden carvings and mountain crafts from roadside stalls
• Herbal teas, tinctures and mineral water products tied to the town's spa tradition

Ustrzyki Górne is the trailhead village for Bieszczady National Park and its treeless połoniny meadows. What to do:

• Start a hike from the village trailheads towards Połonina Caryńska or Tarnica, Poland's highest Bieszczady summit
• Drive or walk a section of the Wyżna Pass road for sweeping views over the surrounding ridges
• Stop at the Bieszczady National Park information point to learn about the wolves, bears, bison, and lynx that still roam here

What to see:

• The połoniny, high open meadows above the treeline whose origin is still debated between natural conditions and centuries of shepherding
• Old cemeteries, orchard remnants and stone foundations marking villages that no longer appear on maps

What to eat:

• Hearty mountain fare at the village inns, including bigos, żurek and pierogi
• Grilled kiełbasa and smoked cheese from roadside grills near the trailheads
• Naleśniki, Polish pancakes served sweet with fruit or savory with cheese
• Herbal tea and mulled wine at the legendary Bieszczady bacówka shelters

What to buy:

• Forest honey, herbal tinctures and wild-fruit preserves
• Handcrafted wooden items and sheep wool goods from local producers

Take note:

• Entry to Bieszczady National Park requires a small ticket, purchasable at trailheads; details at bdpn.pl
• Even the shortest ridge hikes take several hours, so keep the timing in mind
• Weather on the połoniny is exposed and unpredictable, with wind and fog common even in fine conditions