Trains of thought - Poland is a great family destination

Head south to Rzeszów

If you’ve already ticked off your list the crowds and stag nights of Krakow and Warsaw, the Podkarpakcie region of Poland in the south offers something altogether quieter and more elegant (not to mention more affordable). And there’s plenty for children, too.

The region’s principal city is Rzeszów, dating from 1354 and strategically placed on the European East-West Highway, which runs from Calais in France to Ridder in Kazakhstan. It’s home to the intriguingly named Underground Tourist Route, a 213-metre network of tunnels and cellars built under the Rynek (Market Square). They were originally built for as storage for the shops and stalls above ground, to keep produce cool in the 30C summers and prevent it freezing in the harsh winters. They also they served as refuge from fires, wars and invasions. The tunnels have sheltered refugees from Gengis Khan’s Tatars as well as Jews who escaped the Resovian ghetto in the Second World War.

Kids will love the hidden passages as well as the displays of armour and medieval weaponry. Claustrophobics need not beware: the whole complex  is well lit, and tours are accompanied by a guide, so you can’t get lost. Tickets cost 4.50-6.50 zloty (£0.95-£1.37)

Above ground the Rynek itself and wider Old Town are well worth exploring. More recent history is reflected in the Plac Cichociemnych, adjacent to the Rynek. Uncut stones bear the names and camp numbers of young men taken by the Nazis to Auschwitz, never to return.

Food and drink in Rzeszów, and the wider area, is very affordable. Main courses for dinner at the stylish 4-star Grand Boutique Hotel range from 25 zloty/£5.20/for a main of fettucine to 79 zloty/£16.39 for a sirloin steak. A ½ litre of pils lager brewed on the premises at Stary Browar Rzeszowski in the Zynek comes in at 10 zloty/£2.08.

Flights go twice a week from Prestwick, so you have at least three nights to visit other towns and attractions in the area. Hire a car (Skyscanner compares rates from Rzeszów airport, www.skyscanner.net/car-hire-from/rze/car-hire-from-rzeszow-airport.html) and head for Krosno, swinging by the multi-coloured Most Narutowicza bridge.

En route, refuel at Taurus restaurants at motorway service stations, which serve up surprisingly good Polish food.

The town that loves Scots

Krosno, 70km from Rzeszów, is a town that owes its existence to an immigrant from Langside, Glasgow. Robert Portius, like many Scots, made his home and his business here in the 17th century. So many people of Caledonian descent settled in Krosno that locals insist the common Polish surname Szynkler is derived from Sinclair.

In any case, Portius built walls around the city, led the Krosno army to successfully defend against a Tatar invasion and contributed to many of the buildings standing today, as acknowledged by his statue near the Rynek and the many plaques in the surrounding streets.

If the children are restless, schedule a visit to the Glass Heritage Centre, a working factory, producing intricate glassware for export around the world. Watch the workers blowing glass, before letting the kids have a go (16 zl/£3.38).

Afterwards, stroll around the picturesque Old Town before setting off to Bóbrka, a small town with a population of just 800, where the Museum of the Oil And Gas Industry is situated. Spread over 40 hectares, this museum is the site where pharmacist Ignacy Łukasiewicz drilled the world’s first oil well in 1854, still producing today. Tours take 90 minutes and cost 40zl (£8.34) per group plus entrance (12 zl, 7 zl children (£2.50, £1.46).

Bicycle Rail Trolleys

If time permits, your last stop could be the most memorable: riding bicycle draisines, or rail trolleys in the Bieszczady Mountains.

Draisines carry four people: two pedalling and two seated in the back. They set off from Uherce Mineralne Station, 90 minutes’ drive from Bobrka, several times a day. Staff members ride ahead and follow behind every draisine. “We stop at interesting places,” says Janusz Demkowicz, founder of the draisine trail. “The route offers bunkers, castle ruins, wooden Orthodox churches, picturesque villages and even a great local brewery.” A regular trip lasts 1-3 hours and cost 108 zloty (£22.71).

Podkarpackie is a year-round destination, despite marked contrasts in seasonal climate. Summers can be surprisingly hot, reaching over 30C. Winters are unsurprisingly cold: temperatures dropping to -5C. Spring and autumn weather is moderate and comfortable. n

Ryanair (www.ryanair.com) flies to Rzeszów airport from Glasgow Prestwick on Tuesdays and Saturdays. Flights cost from £29 return plus optional baggage fees.

Bill Mair travelled as a guest of Rzeszow International Airport.