By Justin Mays:
Don't you have a plan for next weekend? If you feel like doing something away from the city center and surrounded by nature, we will tell you about a perfect plan in this post. Have you ever heard of Polonezköy? It is a small Polish town located in the Beykoz district, about an hour's drive from the center of Istanbul.
The best thing about Polonezköy is its enormous natural wealth, as it is a town full of forests, slopes, and other green areas. In addition, it conserves the Polish essence that was given to it in the mid-19th century. It is the perfect place for those who want to exercise and disconnect from the noise of the city, surrounded by an environment different from what the metropolis has accustomed us to.
If you want to know Polonezköy, below we explain everything you need to know before starting your route. We hope you like it!
History of Polonezköy
To know the history of Polonezköy, it is necessary to go back to the mid-19th century, just after the Crimean War. When the conflict ended, the families of some of the Polish soldiers who participated in that war decided to go into exile in Adampol, the name that was formerly given to the town of Polonezköy.
The inhabitants of this town turned the area into a perfect space for agriculture and livestock, laying the foundations of the Polonezköy that we know today. But after 1918, when the Second Polish Republic was declared, many of the Polish people living in this area of Turkey felt safe to return to their country. It was not until 1923 that Adampol was renamed Polonezköy, which in Turkish means “the village of the Polish”.
Things to do in Polonezköy
What most attracts the attention of those people who decide to visit this small Polish paradise in Turkey is its beautiful landscape, full of green areas and natural beauty. Polonezköy is a town full of extensive meadows and green forests, full of hiking trails.
This makes it a perfect place for lovers of excursions and long walks. If this is your case, you can't miss the following route. It begins at the Polonezköy Yürüyüş park and has an extension of five kilometers. During the journey, you will border the northwestern part of the town. It is a perfect plan to exercise and disconnect.
Near the beginning of this route is the Catholic church that honors Our Lady of Częstochowa, a Polish icon of the Virgin Mary and one of the most important national symbols. As it is a town that stands out mainly for being full of green areas, it is not surprising that this church is one of its most popular monuments, since it is not exactly a place with many buildings.
On the other hand, if you travel to Polonezköy, you may be interested in visiting the open-air exhibition of wooden crafts, one of the most photographed corners of the area. It is a small space in which works of art made with wood are exhibited. Of these figures, the one that stands out is the one of a woman and a man dressed in traditional Polish costumes. Not far from this exhibition, in the Polonezköy House of Culture, which aims to promote Polish heritage, you can also see paintings and photographs.
How to get to Polonezköy
The main inconvenience you will encounter if you decide to visit this little Polish paradise hidden in the surroundings of Istanbul is transportation. Polonezköy is a bit far from the urban area of the Beykoz district, so the most comfortable option to get there will always be to go by car. If you have a car or can rent one for a day it will be perfect, but if not, remember that you can always take a taxi. If you choose the second option, keep in mind that Polonezköy is not a very busy area, so it may not be easy to find a taxi when you return. If it is difficult for you, remember that you can always try to contact the taxi company by phone.
On the other hand, there is also the option of getting to Polonezköy by bus, but it is a bit more complicated. The bus leaves from Kavacık Square, in the Beykoz district, and reaches the desired destination in an hour and a half. It is the cheapest option, but also the longest. Either way, we hope you enjoy this little piece of Poland!
