Sandomierz is one of Poland's oldest and best-preserved towns, perched on a loess bluff above the Vistula river. The Old Town survived both the Mongol invasions and the Second World War largely intact, leaving a compact medieval centre that feels far removed from the busier tourist circuits of Kraków or Warsaw.
The market square is ringed by Renaissance townhouses and dominated by a 14th-century Gothic town hall. Below the streets runs a network of underground tourist routes through old merchant cellars. The cathedral, dating from the 1360s, holds a set of remarkable Ruthenian-Byzantine frescoes. Walk up to the Opatów Gate for sweeping views over the Vistula valley. The Royal Castle at the southern edge of the hilltop houses a regional museum.
Sandomierz gained a second life as a film location for the hugely popular Polish TV crime series Father Mateusz, and fans of the show will recognise its streets immediately. It is also the heart of a small but growing wine region — the surrounding loess hills produce some of Poland's most interesting wines, and several vineyards welcome visitors.