Polanczyk
Polanczyk is a spa town, that is administratively part of the municipality of Solina, lies in the county of Lesko which is found in the Subcarpathian Province. It is a charmingly located Carpathian resort lying on a peninsula on the western shore of Lake Solina at an altitude of 440m above sea level. The resort has the characteristics of a piedmont spa with a fairly stimulating climate that is moderated, to a large extent, by the adjacent dense forests, predominantly made up of beech, fir and larch, and the large reservoir lake. Apart from its climate, the other main element used at the health resort is its mineral waters which are rich in bicarbonates and sodium.
The holiday and spa resort of Polanczyk was located on the Sobienski Estate under Wallachia Law and owned by the Kmita family. There already was a village at this location in 1580 named Polieszczanskie, after the Leszczynski Stream which flowed through it. The village was inherited by Marek Stadnicki, the son of the regional governor’s sister, Katarzyna Kmicianka who was married to Andrzej Stadnicki, a castellan from Sanok. The name of the village was included in the judgement laid down by the Royal Court in Lublin in the action of the Pobiedzinski family with the Stadnicki family that was delivered in 1655. The current name was adopted in the late 17th century when the village was owned by the Polanski family. Over the next centuries the village was owned by a procession of aristocrats and their families of whom the final one was Franciszek Cielinski in 1945. After the conclusion of World War II the Ukrainian and Ruthenian population of the village was repatriated.
The formation of the Solina Reservoir between 1961 and 1968 changed the appearance of the village of Polanczyk. Holiday homes and sanatoria were built on a peninsula, surrounded by water of the newly formed lake, to the east of the village. Since 1974, according to laws governing spa resorts, the town of Polanczyk has been recognised as having the right conditions to carry out spa treatments which enabled the setting up of further treatment facilities. In 1999 the town was accredited with full health resort status.
As a health centre the town already has more than 1200 available beds for its patients. The waters in the wells and springs are rich in bicarbonates, chlorides, bromides as well as iodine. Polanczyk specialises in a wide range of treatments which include those for the respiratory and the urinary tract and gynaecological diseases. Other treatments include those for musculoskeletal and metabolic disorders, anxiety and skin complaints. Excellent climatic conditions and experienced expert staff ensure effective treatment and rehabilitation.
For tourists there is a large variety of overnight accommodation and mooring at the yachting marina as well as a varied selection of restaurants in the town. Polanczyk is an excellent choice for those looking for active relaxation away from the burdens of everyday life. The health resorts have football pitches, tennis-courts and recreational areas. The marinas on the shores of Lake Solina actively encourage the hire of water-sports equipment and there are regular cruises along the shores of the reservoir. The nearby Bieszczady Mountains offer a wide selection of cycling and hiking trails of varying length and degrees of difficulty. Local attractions are diverse and include excursions by chair-lift into the Bieszczady Mountains or a visit the Roman Catholic parish church of the Blessed Mary, Queen of Poland.
