Discover Żarki: markets, culture and crafts

The Żareckie Jarmarki are held every Wednesday and Saturday in the centre of Żarki. The Jewish Cultural Route runs from the car park on Koziegłowska Street to the Old Market Square and takes about an hour and a half to walk. Advance booking is required to visit the Stary Młyn Museum of Old Crafts; guided tours start on the hour.

A visit to Żarki can be shaped by different interests: the markets, a self-guided cultural route, or the history of crafts. The Jewish Cultural Route connects the Old Market Square and former town centre with a memorial site, a Jewish cemetery and the former synagogue, now used as a cultural centre. Multimedia materials let you explore the route independently.

The Żarecki Trail can also help you plan your trip: this yellow-marked hiking trail is 35 kilometres long and passes through Żarki. If you are more interested in the town’s history, the streets of Kościelna, Leśniowska, Berka Joselewicza and Piłsudskiego lie around the trapezoidal Old Market Square. Other historic buildings include the Church of Saints Simon and Jude Thaddeus, built between 1518 and 1522, as well as a complex of barns made of white Jurassic limestone and brick.

The Żareckie Jarmarki are part of a tradition dating back to 1556. More than 500 vendors set up their stalls across a 1.5-hectare market area. They offer local products and food, as well as fruit and vegetables. The regular market days—Wednesday and Saturday—make the market a specific reason to visit that you can take into account when planning your stay.

One special local delicacy is Tatarczuch. At the markets in Żarki, it is available every Wednesday and Saturday outside the winter season at Jadwiga Plesińska’s stall. At the regular Kupiecki Sąsiek event in the Żarecka Stodola, visitors can also listen to folk music, try Tatarczuch and other regional specialities, and buy regional products and souvenirs.

The Stary Młyn Museum of Old Crafts is housed in an almost century-old electric mill. During the exhibition visit and workshops, visitors can try their hand at small craft projects. Advance booking is required; guided tours start on the hour. Since 1 January 2017, the Old Mill has been one of the sites on the Silesian Route of Industrial Monuments.

The Church of Saints Simon and Jude Thaddeus also offers a tangible link to history: it was built between 1518 and 1522. Its founder was Marcin Myszkowski, Castellan of Wieluń. The church’s history, the mill and the historic town layout offer different ways to explore the area during your stay, without having to focus on just one theme.

To compare other destinations, you can also explore Gorzków Stary, Koziegłowy, Myszków, Lgota Górna, Ogorzelnik, Żarki-Letnisko, Niegowa and Gniazdów.

When are the Żareckie Jarmarki held?

The markets are held every Wednesday and Saturday in the centre of Żarki.

Do I need to book a visit to Stary Młyn?

Yes. Advance booking is required to visit the museum. Guided tours start on the hour.

How long does the Jewish Cultural Route take?

The route takes about an hour and a half on foot. It starts at a car park on Koziegłowska Street and ends at the Old Market Square.

For the broader travel overview: Myszków.