Green Velo

The trail of the trip runs through the three main towns of the region. It starts in Zwierzyniec, which is called the Pearl of Roztocze; then it leads through Zamość, which is called the Pearl of the North and the Pearl of the Renaissance, and Szczebrzeszyn, which is known as “city of the beetle” thanks to a famous poem by Jan Brzechwa. The trail begins near one of the best-known historic sites of Zwierzyniec and the entire Roztocze region – the Renaissance Church of St. John Nepomucene, known as the “church on the water.” When leaving the town, you must ride along the shore of the Rudka Reservoir and then follow the forest path leading through the Roztocze National Park to reach Kosobudy – a village hidden among hills and forests. Here can you see a former Orthodox church, which serves as a Catholic church today, and wooden buildings with a blacksmith’s shop that are characteristic elements of rural architecture. The next section of the trail leads on a rarely attended asphalt road towards Zamość. Along the road, there are large farmlands and rare buildings. In the Hubale village located on the trail, there is a viewing point and the Hubale Reserve, where the ground squirrel – a rare small steppe mammal – is protected. The biggest attraction on the trail of the trip is Zamość. Surrounded with huge bastion fortification renewed in the last few years, the building arrangement of Old Town was inscribed on the UNESCO’s World Heritage List. In the summer period, cultural and entertainment events are often held there. The trail of the trip includes also the famous zoological garden in Zamość and the airport of the Aeroclub of the Zamość Land in the city outskirts. You can make use of its tourist offer and embark on an unforgettable flight over Roztocze. To see all attractions and historic landmarks of the city, you will have to reserve at least a few hours. The next town on the trail in Szczebrzeszyn, which is famous not only for a “beetle humming in the reeds” from Jan Brzechwa’s poem, but also for its multicultural history and architecture. Here it is worth seeing two Catholic churches, an Orthodox church and a synagogue, which are situated not far from one another. On the market square in Szczebrzeszyn, you can see the monument to the famous beetle, and the whole family of these insects is present near the synagogue. The last section of the trail to Zwierzyniec runs on the Green Velo Trail. At the end of the trip, you can rest by the water in the complex of Echo ponds or on the Rudka Reservoir, where it is possible to rent water sports equipment.

Course of the trail:

• Zwierzyniec – 0 km
• Zamość – 27 km
• Szczebrzeszyn – 50 km
• Zwierzyniec – 60 km

Surface and marking of the trail:

Over 80% of the trail runs on asphalt roads, and the remaining part consists of unsurfaced roads. The trail is partly marked. The Szczebrzeszyn – Zwierzyniec section runs on the paved Green Velo cycling path, and the section leading from the area of Wólka Wieprzecka to Zamość runs along a red PTTK cycling trail.

Attractions on the trail:

• Church of John Nepomucene in Zwierzyniec (called “church on the water”)
• Church of Andrzej Bobola in Kosobudy (former Uniate and Orthodox church)
• Rural wooden buildings and the blacksmith’s shop in Kosobudy
• Hubale Reserve
• Old City in Zamość
• Zoological Garden in Zamość
• Orthodox Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Szczebrzeszyn
• Church of Catherine in Szczebrzeszyn
• Church of Nicholas in Szczebrzeszyn
• Synagogue in Szczebrzeszyn
• Monument to the beetle on the market square in Szczebrzeszyn

Tourist and Historical Information Centre in Zamość, Rynek Wielki 13, 22-400 Zamość, phone 84 639 22 92, e-mail: zci@zamosc.pl, www.zci.zamosc.pl