It's impossible to picture a city of this scale with such a wide variety of attractions: from grotesque execution instruments, torture chambers, and a castle-fortress to beautiful Art Nouveau villas, Rzeszów has it all. Who might overlook Colargol (a.k.a. Barnaby), the Museum of Bedtime Cartoons' most popular resident!

The famous Underground Tourist Route (Rzeszów Cellars) takes you 10 meters underground, through a series of 25 cellars and 15 corridors that make up a 369-meter network. This relatively short stroll is jam-packed with attractions dating back to the Middle Ages. Stock replicas, a revolver with pepper or snuff cartridges, and a large stock of very aged Hungarian Tokay wine are only a handful of the many items on view in the atmospheric brickwork interiors, which are meticulously finished with stone portals and cross-ribbed vaulting. Keep an eye on your surroundings! One of the many twists and turns along the way will take you to a glass door from which you can peer out at the guests of the underground Ambasadorski Hotel's restaurant. The entrance to the cellars is located in the picturesque, trapezium-shaped Market Square, from which Rzeszów first began to expand in the 14th century. Knight and diplomat Jan Pakosawic, who later changed his surname to Rzeszowski after the city, was given the city by Casimir the Great. According to legend, an earlier nearby village once belonged to a man named Rzesz, but settlement here dates back 6,000 years.

Apart from the Underground Tourist Path, the most scenic and charming part of Rzeszów is Market Square, which is located in the center of the Old City. The elegant, coffee-and-cream-colored City Hall building stands proudly in the foreground, like a proud bodyguard. Built-in the 16th century, it was restored in the late 19th century and now has its current look. The City Hall is the focal point of the Market Square and, without a doubt, Rzeszów's most identifiable structure.

The Franciszek Kotula Ethnographic Museum, located at number 6 on the square, houses the Rzeszów women's distinctive red skirts with dark blue streaks and dark blue embroidered waistcoats, as well as the traditional white costumes with beautiful red embroidery worn by another ethnic group, the Lasowiacy. The costumes can be uninteresting to them, but they will appreciate the wide selection of postwar toys. To learn more about the city's past, walk a few doors down to number 12 and visit the Rzeszów History Museum.

The striking square fortress building that makes up Lubomirski Castle, which now houses the District Court, is another must-see. Its distinctive stone foundation is protected by four protective bastions, each named after a saint – Francis, Andrew, Jerome, and Mary – and crowned with turrets.  Originally, the castle was supposed to be a replica of the palazzo in Fortezza (fortified palace) Italian model, which was popular during the Renaissance. Despite moats and bastions, the Russians were able to successfully attack the castle, which was vigorously defended by the Bar Confederates, according to an odd local tradition. According to tradition, a miller named Luder, who had been whipped by the lady of the farm, Joanna Lubomirska, exacted his vengeance on "their lordships" by setting fire to the fortress's bridge while the Confederates were out assaulting enemy lines, thereby preventing their return. The structure had historically defeated Tatar invasions and the Swedish Deluge (the Poland-Sweden war). The Germans imprisoned Wincenty Witos at the castle in September 1939, pleading with him to form a Polish puppet government, but the three-time former Polish prime minister declined.

The Lubomirskis' tiny summer palace is near to the castle, and Pod Kasztanami Avenue, with its incredible row of Secession (Art Nouveau) buildings, is only a short walk away. The beautiful building at number 6 is decorated with a bust of poet Adam Mickiewicz, the villa at number 8 is an example of Swiss architecture with its light green windows and doors, and the house at number 10 – Under the Owl – resembles a storybook little castle with a distinctive sgraffito chubby sun-face peering out from its facade.

Fun fact: Rzeszów is home to the only known knights' tombs in Poland that are adorned with busts rather than complete figures of the deceased. The late-Renaissance gravestones that mark the final resting place of the Rzeszowski family members are also worth seeing if you're into this sort of thing. They were most likely produced in the studios of a pupil of Santi Gucci, the prominent court artist of Sigismund the Old, Stephen Báthory, and Anna Jagiellon, and can be found in Rzeszów's oldest church, the Parish Church of Saints Stanislaus and Adalbert.

If you love religious sights, the Bernardine monastery complex is a must-see. Pilgrims flock to the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Rzeszów, where a late-Gothic wooden statue commemorates the Virgin Mary's apparitions here. A fun story for you: the crowns on Mary's long hair have been robbed several times. The Ligezas, who took over the city after the Rzeszowskis, were buried in the church's mausoleum. The monastery's founder, Mikoaj Spytek Ligeza, was buried under the church's threshold. He was the one who began construction on the castle and saw to it that the Rzeszowskis' bodies were properly buried in the parish church. He was well-known for founding churches, hospitals, and poorhouses all over the area. The Podkarpacie Organ Festival takes place in Rzeszów's largest churches in July and August.

The lovely Wanda Siemaszkowa Theatre, which was established by the renowned actress at the end of WWII in what was formerly the Sokól (Falcon) Gymnastic Society, is not far away. Future great theatre directors Kazimierz Dejmek and Adam Hanuszkiewicz are among the actors who have gone through here. The theatre is also home to Poland's only permanent gallery of works by avant-garde author, stage designer, and theatre theoretician Józef Szajna, as well as the Rzeszów Theatre Meetings and the International Theatre Poster Biennial.

If you have kids, the Museum of Bedtime Cartoons near Market Square is a must-see for them, where they will meet many of their favorite Polish animated cartoon characters, including Teddy Drop Ear, Plastus the little plasticine guy, finger puppets Jacek and Agatka, and the super famous bear, Colargol (or Barnaby, as he's known overseas).

The boulevards on the banks of the River Wisok are the green heart of Rzeszów, boasting excellent bike lanes, lots of places to stop, and lush foliage, and are a great spot to chill, refuel, drink in some fresh air, and enjoy some of the city's fine nature.

The Paniaga Festival, a traditional cultural eruption that fills the streets with color, food, music, and pride, takes place every year on May 3rd. During the Austrian partition, what is now Maja Lane, the city's main promenade, was known as Panska Street, and locals referred to it as Paniaga. Every year, the festival has a new theme which includes a variety of crafts fairs, dance parades, concerts, and performances. Now is the time to tour Rzeszów if you want to see it at its most vibrant.

Warszawa (Warsaw):

It is the capital of Poland with an estimated population of 1.7 million people. The majority of Polish people migrate to the city for business and education. This is due to the higher education institutions with a vibrant spirit, and it is an important center for culture and sciences. 

After the city was destroyed entirely by World War II, it gained steady progress with years of communism. This helped the city recover in terms of its architecture and commercial structure, both of which are signified by the Palace of Science and Culture and the skyscrapers. 

Kraków (Cracow):

The city has stunning architecture and fine works of art which is a major tourist attraction. It was the ruling place of the royal family and the capital of Poland until 1596. 

As the first university of Poland, the Jagiellonian University, founded in 1364, is located in Kraków and is regarded as the cradle of Polish science. Kraków has more than 730,000 residents, and it is an important cultural and academic center. 

Wrocław:

It is the fourth largest city in Poland and the capital of Lower Silesia (Dolny Śląsk). There is a beautiful Old Town with a unique atmosphere that describes its history and location. It spreads across several islands and is surrounded by the Oder River and its tributaries on all sides. 

Gdańsk:

It is a major seaport in Poland and forms the Tricity Metropolis with Sopot and Gdynia along with a population of 750,000 people. Gdansk was an important Hanseatic city, owned by Poland and Germany alternately. This where World War II and the Polish Solidarity Movement began. 

Poznań:

It is among the oldest and largest Polish cities, and due to its Paris-Moscow route, Poznań is an important transport and trade center. Poznań has been the venue for the International Trade Fair since 1925. It also has a good number of universities and research institutes that contribute to its development. 

Łódź:

Łódź is an important city in Poland, and it was the textile-manufacturing hub. It has a Central Museum of Textiles with 19th-century machinery, fabrics, and handicrafts that were once a prominent part of the city’s trade and commerce. The Manufaktura complex, which was once a factory, was restored into a lively arts and culture center. 

Poland has numerous cities and universities that can make your time there worthwhile. Moreover, the value of a degree acquired from any university in this country is far greater than in other European regions.