Radom is the second-largest city in Mazowieckie that gets little tourist traffic. The city was a centre of light industry, but is now battling high unemployment and eyeing a transition to a knowledge-based economy. There are few tourist sights and due to low demand the tourist infrastructure is lacking. As not many foreigners visit Radom, relatively few in the service industry speak English.
Understand
[edit]Radom is 100 km south from Warsaw. With 220,000 inhabitants, Radom is a mid-sized city. Once a major centre of industry, it has undergone dramatic changes since the end of communism, with many factories being closed down. This has brought many social problems such as high unemployment, even relative to other Polish cities. This has resulted in Radom being one of the most inexpensive cities in the whole country, offering very low prices in the services sector.
Tourist information
[edit]- Radom tourist information website
Get in
[edit]By plane
[edit]In Radom there are two airports.
- 1 Radom-Sadków Airport (RDO IATA). A former military airport that has been transformed into an airport for passenger flights. Radom airport has achieved doubtful success so far and there are few operations.
For scheduled passenger flights, the closest airport is Warsaw Frederic Chopin Airport (WAW IATA), 10 km south of the centre of Warsaw and 95 km north of Radom. It takes about 1 hour by car to get to Radom from there.
By train
[edit]Numerous trains throughout the day link Radom with other cities in Poland. For more distant connections, change at one of Warsaw's stations may be needed. The main station in Radom is at Prażmowskiego Street, and usually referred to as Dworzec PKP by the locals. The station is south of the city centre and is within a walking distance from the Żeromskiego Street. Public transportation links are very convenient, as many bus lines stop around there; the bus station with connections to other cities is also nearby.
Here are the travel times to some major cities that have a direct train connection with Radom:
- Białystok (about 4hr 20min)
- Gdańsk (about 7hr 40min to 10hr, due to ongoing construction works)
- Kielce (about 1hr 30min)
- Kraków (between 3hr to 3hr 30min)
- Łódź (about 3hr 20min)
- Lublin (about 1hr 30min)
- Moscow
- Olsztyn
- Warsaw (between 1hr 50min to 2hr 30min)
- Wrocław (between 6hr 30min to 7hr 20min)
- Zakopane
By bus
[edit]PolskiBus runs a frequent shuttle from Warsaw (Metro Wilanowska) to Radom using comfortable intercity coaches. The shuttle runs approximately every 1hr 30 min except for nighttime. Consult the detailed schedule here: . Tickets are around 10 zł if purchased in advance.
The main bus station (Dworzec PKS in Polish) for long-distance connections is on Prażmowskiego Street, next to the Main Post Office (Poczta Główna) and the train station (Dworzec PKP). Buses also stop at bus stops near the train station.
To get information about buses and prices, you can contact the station at +48 48 363 54 54. For domestic departure times, consult the following website: .
By car
[edit]You can easily reach Radom by car:
- from Warsaw, Gdańsk, Kielce and Kraków, by national road 7, E77: Gdańsk – Warsaw – Radom – Kielce – Kraków – Chyżne
- from Rzeszów, by national road 9, E371: Radom – Rzeszów – Barwinek
- from Lublin and Łódź, by national road 12: Piotrków Trybunalski – Radom – Lublin – Dorohusk
Get around
[edit]By car
[edit]Parking
[edit]There is a paid-parking zone in the centre of the city. This applies M-F 08:00-16:00. Parking costs 3.60 zł for first, 4.20 zł for second, 4.80 zł for third and 3.60 zł for every next hour. 15 minutes ticket costs 0.90 zł (as of 2024). You can pay with coins using the parking meter or with your mobile phone (more details on the parking meter).
Taxis
[edit]Public transport
[edit]Radom is covered by a public transport network of 24 bus lines, numbered from 1 to 26. The full list of these routes can be found here (in Polish).
Two carriers in Radom operate the public buses, but the tickets are issued and controlled by one authority, Miejski Zarząd Dróg i Komunikacji (MZDiK). There are various tickets, but as a visitor you probably don't have to trouble yourself with most of them. A single ticket costs 3.80 zł, and there is a 50% reduction for children from the age of 4 till the end of education (includes university students), so the ticket costs 1.90 zł (in Polish: bilet ulgowy). Children until the age of 4 and seniors above the age of 70 travel for free. Be aware that you need to carry a document confirming your eligibility to the reduced fare. A single ticket is valid for the whole journey on the particular bus line. There is no time limit, but once you get off the bus, the ticket loses its validity. Make sure to validate the ticket in one of the validators by the door immediately after boarding.
Tickets can be purchased in any kiosk or a shop that has the sign bilety. Tickets can be also bought from the driver on-board, subject to availability, but an additional surcharge applies.
You can check the time table of the buses on this website (in Polish).
See
[edit]Museums and galleries
[edit]- Academic Art Gallery "Rogatka" (Akademicka Galeria Sztuki "Rogatka"). Corner of Malczewskiego and Kelles-Krauza streets. Gallery of the Faculty of Arts of the Technical University of Radom. It is in a 19th-century toll-house building, where the entry to the city used to be.
- Jacek Malczewski Museum, Rynek 11, ☏ +48 48 362 43 29, malczewski@muzeum.edu.pl. (Polish).
- Mazowieckie Centrum Sztuki Współczesnej 'Elektrownia, ul. Domagalskiego 5 (temporary address), ☏ +48 48 383 60 77. Centre for contemporary art. Temporarily moved away from its location at ul. Kopernika 1 for the time of renovation.
- Muzeum Sztuki Współczesnej, Rynek 4/5, ☏ +48 48 362 25 50, msw@muzeum.edu.pl. Museum of contemporary arts. Established in 1990, it is the first contemporary arts dedicated museum in Poland. Boasts a collection of over 3,500 exhibits.
- Muzeum Wsi Radomskiej, Ul. Szydłowiecka 30, ☏ +48 48 332 92 81. Open-air museum of the Radom region country side. Great place for a weekend visit. Try to get there during one of the numerous events they organize.
Parks
[edit]- Borki Reservoir (Zalew na Borkach)
- Kościuszko Park (Park Kościuszki), Contained by the following streets: Mickiewicza, Sienkiewicza, Słowackiego, Żeromskiego, 25 Czerwca.
- Old Garden (Stary Ogród), ul. Mireckiego. Established in 1820, it is the first public park in Radom.
Religious buildings
[edit]- Bernardine Monastery (Kościół Bernardynów), Ul. Żeromskiego 6, ☏ +48 48 362 72 15, radom@bernardyni.pl. One of the most unique sights in Radom. Founded in 1468, it is one of the oldest Bernardine monasteries in the world.
- Holy Family Church (Kościół pw. Świętej Rodziny), Ul. Kelles-Krauza 19, ☏ +48 48 360 05 62, parafia@rodzina.radom.pl. Neo-gothic church built in 1905.
- Holy Trinity Church (Kościół Świętej Trójcy), pl. Kazimierza Wielkiego. Baroque church founded in 1678. Build by the famous architect Tylman van Gameren.
- Holy Virgin Mary Cathedral (Katedra Opieki Najświętszej Maryi Panny, or Kościół Mariacki), Ul. Sienkiewicza 13, ☏ +48 48 362 76 67, katedra@radom.opoka.org.pl. Radom Cathedral, built between 1898 and 1918.
- Lutheran Church (Kościół Ewangelicko-Augsburski), Ul. Reja 6, ☏ +48 48 362 73 35, radom@luteranie.pl.
- St. John the Baptist Church (Kościół Farny), Ul. Rwańska 6, ☏ +48 48 362 38 06, fararadom@wp.pl. One of the oldest churches in Radom, founded in 1360 by King Casimir the Great. Be sure to see the 17th-century chapel founded by Jan Kochanowski.
- St. Stanislaus Garrison Church (Kościół Garnizonowy św. Stanisława), ☏ +48 48 362 72 39. Plac Konstytucji 3 Maja 1. Built in 1902 as an Eastern Orthodox Church, it now serves as Roman-Catholic military church.
- St. Wenceslaus Church (Kościół św. Wacława), Ul. Plac Stare Miasto 13, ☏ +48 48 362 68 51, parafia@waclaw.radom.pl. The oldest remaining building in the city, most likely built in 1216.
Cemeteries
[edit]- Jewish Cemetery, ul. Towarowa. Built in 1831.
Streets
[edit]- Moniuszki Street
- Piłsudskiego Street
- Rwańska Street
- Żeromskiego Street
Squares
[edit]- Third of May Constitution Square (Plac Konstytucji 3 Maja)
- Market Square (Rynek)
Tenement houses and other buildings
[edit]- City Public Library (Miejska Biblioteka Publiczna), ul. Piłsudskiego 12. - Library located in a neo-renaissance villa. Built in 1892.
- Glogier Family House (Kamienica Glogierów), ul. Sienkiewicza 12. Built in 1914.
- Resursa Obywatelska, ul. Malczewskiego 16.
- Trzebiński Printing Shop (Drukarnia Trzebińskiego), ul. Żeromskiego 28 (enter through the archway into the backyard)
- White Eagle Pharmacy (Apteka pod Białym Orłem), ul. Żeromskiego 5.
Do
[edit]- Radomska Orkiestra Kameralna, ul. Żeromskiego 53, ☏ +48 48 3620444. Go to a performance by city's renowned chamber orchestra.
- Teatr Powszechny im. Jana Kochanowskiego (Jan Kochanowski Popular Theatre of Radom), Plac Jagielloński 15, ☏ +48 48 384 53 06. See a theatre play in the Jan Kochanowski Popular Theatre of Radom.
- Football: Radomiak Radom play soccer in Ekstraklasa, the top tier. Their home ground Stadion im. Braci Czachorów (Czachor Brothers Stadium) has capacity 8800 but is being rebuilt to accommodate 15,000; it's 2 km northwest of town centre. Games during rebuilding sometimes move to Stadion Lekkoatletyczno-Piłkarski just south of town centre.
Events
[edit]- Dni Radomia (Radom Days). The city's annual festivity, taking place around the middle of June. Expect a large number of concerts, performances, exhibitions and more.
- International Gombrowicz Festival, Teatr Powszechny im. Jana Kochanowskiego, Plac Jagielloński 15, ☏ +48 48 386 52 67. A major theatre festival in Poland, combining theatre, science, criticism, arts, music and film. It is organized biannually since 1993.
- Kaziuki (Saint Casimir the Jagiellon days). Celebration of the city's patron, Saint Casimir the Jagiellon, taking place in March. It is celebrated in early March. There are religious celebrations, sports and cultural events, as well as concerts.
- Międzynarodowy Festiwal Muzyki Dawnej im. Mikołaja z Radomia (Nicolaus of Radom International Festival of Early Music). Annual festival of early music; takes place in October.
- Radom Air Show, Sadków Airport, ☏ +48 22 6825040. A biannual air show. The last festival was in August 2018. It is the biggest such event in Poland, attracting tens of thousands of visitors from all over Poland and abroad.
- Ogólnopolskie Spotkania z Piosenką Żeglarską RAFA, Sala Koncertowa Urzędu Miejskiego, ul. Żeromskiego 53, ☏ +48 48 385 74 15. An annual Poland-wide festival of shanties. Tickets: 20 zł.
Learn
[edit]Maybe not the obvious choice, Radom is the second largest academic centre in Masovia, after Warsaw.
Universities
[edit]- Technical University of Radom (Politechnika Radomska), ul. Malczewskiego 29, ☏ +48 483617000. The Technical University of Radom, with some 10,000 students enrolled, is Radom's largest institute of higher education and offers a variety of courses and programs to choose from.
Language schools
[edit]- Consus, ul. Żeromskiego 75, ☏ +48 483631503. Language school offering courses in English, German, Italian, Spanish, Russian and French.
- Fabryka Języka Centrum, ul. Słowackiego 84, ☏ +48 606108446. Language school offering courses in Arabic, English, German, Italian, Spanish and French.
Work
[edit]In Radom, there is a small expatriate community of language teachers. Try contacting one of the city's numerous language schools; they are especially keen on employing native English speakers, but speakers of German, French or Spanish might also find something.
Buy
[edit]City shopping
[edit]The best place for city shopping is Żeromskiego Street and the adjacent streets. There you will find numerous shops with clothes, shoes and others. Many Polish and international banks have their branches at Żeromskiego too. Almost opposite of the city hall (where Mickiewicza and Żeromskiego streets meet), there is also Galeria Rosa which has a number of shops inside.
Local products
[edit]- Browar Zamkowy - Piwo Żywe, ul. Limanowskiego 71. Buy local non-pasteurized beer from one of Radom's first micro-breweries. It is said the recipes date back to a few hundred years ago.
- Radomianka. Locally made cocoa cake with whipped cream. Ask for in restaurants and confectioneries.
Shopping malls
[edit]- Galeria 'Echo', ul. Żółkiewskiego 4, ☏ +48 48 333 21 56. M-Sa 09:00-21:00, Su 10:00-19:00.
- M1 Shopping Center (Centrum Handlowe M1), al. Grzecznarowskiego 28, ☏ +48 48 3618 776. M-Sa 09:00-21:00, Su 11:00-19:00.
- 'Senior' Department Store (Dom Towarowy 'Senior'), Plac Jagielloński 8, ☏ +48 48 360 00 39. M-F 10:00-18:00, Sa 10:00-14:00.
- Galeria Fenix
- Galeria Słoneczna, ul. Chrobrego 1 (In front of the Jagiellonian Square).
Eat
[edit]This page uses the following price ranges for a typical meal for one, including soft drink: | |
Budget | 20 zł or less |
Mid-range | 21 zł - 40 zł |
Splurge | 41 zł and up |
Budget
[edit]At the M-1 Mall (M-Jeden in Polish) there is a small food court with McDonald's and KFC, as well as a pretty good sit down restaurant called Sphinx. There are a few other McDonald's restaurants in town.
- Bar Mleczny "Sezam", ul. Moniuszki 23. A remainder of the communist era, this milk bar offers fairly decent dishes for as little as 2 zł. Worth a visit for a 1980s-like experience.
- Samira Kebab Cafe Bar, ul. Malczewskiego 9/11, +48 48 362 26 41. A Lebanese restaurant, serving delicious kebabs and other Arabic dishes at very competitive prices.
- Słonecznik, Ul. Moniuszki 22, ☏ +48 48 362 63 73. Cafeteria-style place serving Polish and European cuisine. A place to go for a quick meal, a cake and a coffee; nothing special though.
Mid-range
[edit]- Casablanca Piano Cafe, Ul. Piłsudskiego 11, ☏ +48 48 385 85 45. opening times: M-F 10:00-22:00, Sa Su 12:00-22:00. Styled after the movie Casablanca, this restaurant serves Polish and European cuisine. Also very popular to go there for a couple of beers. Nice music plays in the background.
- Green Zebra, Ul. Focha 12 (behind the TM Hotel), ☏ +48 48 363 84 04. opening times: M-Sa 10:00-22:00, Su 12:00-20:00. The city's first vegetarian restaurant. Extravagant design, friendly atmosphere.
- Karczma Bankrut, Ul.Kielecka 153, ☏ +48 48 383 66 94. Su-Th 11:00-22:00, F Sa 11:00-24:00. Traditional restaurant decorated in a highland style.
- MammaLeo, Ul. Szewska 14, ☏ +48 502 553 658. A family restaurant. Great place to visit with your children where they can engage in a number of educational activities and eat.
- Panie i Panowie, Ul. Piłsudskiego 13, ☏ +48 48 340 22 79.
- Teatralna, Ul. Piłsudskiego 13, ☏ +48 48 363 77 63. Daily 12:00-22:00. A cosy restaurant serving Italian cuisine. Piano bar every Tuesday.
- Restauracja Różany Gościniec, ul. Zagłoby 2, 26-600 Radom, ☏ +48 48 332 18 46, rezerwacje@rozanygosciniec.pl. Daily 12:00-21:00. Family restaurant in Radom with all the best polish food. Such as hand made "dumplings", "fish", "burgers:, "steaks", "schnitzel", "pasta" and much more. Be sure to visit this place if you ever travel to Radom.
Splurge
[edit]- Europejska, Ul. Słowackiego 11, ☏ +48 48 340 00 24. Daily 12:00-23:00. In the Europejski Hotel, this restaurant offers a variety of Polish and International cuisine.
Drink
[edit]Bars and pubs
[edit]- Jack Rocks, ul. 11-ego Listopada 99f, ☏ +48 509 482 362. M-Th 12:00-24:00, F Sa 12:00 till last customer, Su 12:00-23:00. Two-storey cosy pub with live music.
- MK Bowling, Galeria ROSA, ul. Żeromskiego 52, ☏ +48 48 382 02 02. M W Su 10:00-24:00; Tu Th-Sa 10:00-02:00. Bar and restaurant. Has bowling and pool. Karaoke every Tuesday and Thursday at 21:00.
- Nasza Szkapa, ul. Dowkonta 2, ☏ +48 48 362 27 84. A small, but lively pub next to the train station. Popular for watching football matches.
- Pivovaria, ul. Moniuszki 26, ☏ +48 48 384 88 78. The first restaurant in Radom with in-house microbrewery. Go for a meal and chase it with one of the 4 kinds of beer brewed in Pivovaria.
- Tawerna Messa, ul. Malczewskiego 8. Sailors' tavern.
- Babie Lato, ul. Rwańska 7, ☏ +48 48 369 93 75, info@babielato.radom.pl. Ladies club and cafe. Apart from numerous drinks and cocktails, food and desserts are available too.
Cafés
[edit]- Bufet artystyczny Czekolada, Plac Jagielloński 15, ☏ +48 48 384 53 31.
- Marcus, ul. Żeromskiego 39, ☏ +48 48 362 34 05.
Clubs
[edit]- Alibi, ul. Malczewskiego 29, ☏ +48 48 361 73 73. Student club in a 19th-century basement of an ex-Russian garrison building.
- Fanaberia, ul. Struga 7a, ☏ +48 48 369 01 43.
- Strefa G2, Al. Grzecznarowskiego 2, ☏ +48 48 383 06 99. Largest venue in Radom, with 1000 people capacity. Concerts are organized on a regular basis. Bowling and pool available too.
Sleep
[edit]This guide uses the following price ranges for a standard double room: | |
Budget | Under 100 zł |
Mid-range | 100 zł to 250 zł |
Splurge | Over 250 zł |
Budget
[edit]- Szkolne Schronisko Młodzieżowe, Ul. Limanowskiego 34/40, ☏ +48 48 360 22 14. Youth hostel.
Mid-range
[edit]- Hotel „Centralny Ośrodek Szkolenia Maszynistów”, Ul. Józefa Ignacego Kraszewskiego 1., ☏ +48 48 369 95 90.
- E7, Ul. Czarnieckiego 70., ☏ +48 48 384 77 54.
- Glass, Ul. Prażmowskiego 17, ☏ +48 48 340 25 85.
- Hotel Gromada - Centrum, ul. Narutowicza 9., ☏ +48 48 368 91 00, radomhotel.centrum@gromada.pl. 120 zł.
- 1 Promenada Hotel, ul. Bulwarowa 15, ☏ +48 48 360 88 77.
- Hotel u Grubego Radom, ul. Warszawska 98/100 Wielogóra k. Radomia, ☏ +48 48 321 50 85.
- Gryf, Ul. Puławska 8, ☏ +48 48 365 54 05.
- Hotel Iskra, ul. Planty 4, ☏ +48 48 363 87 45. The oldest continuously operating hotel in the city.
- Hotel Poniatowski Radom, ul. Poniatowskiego 4, ☏ +48 48 384 01 91.
- 2 Hotel TM, Ul. Focha 12., ☏ +48 48 363 27 08.
Splurge
[edit]- Hotel Aviator, ul. Malczewskiego 18, ☏ +48 48 362 88 88.
- Hotel Europejski, ul. Słowackiego 11, ☏ +48 48 340 00 21.
Connect
[edit]As of Aug 2022, Radom has 5G from all Polish carriers. Wifi is widely available in public places.
- Main Post Office (Poczta Główna), ul. Beliny Prażmowskiego 2, ☏ +48 48 362 52 52, fax: +48 48 362 13 26, sekretariat.radom@dopl.poczta.lublin.pl. Open 24/7.
Stay safe
[edit]Pick-pocketing happens mostly at the train station, public transportation and local market places; it is not frequent though. Exercise the usual caution when walking around the city, especially at night and away from the city centre. At night, try keep to the main streets or use a taxi.
As a foreigner, you are likely to be a target of any crime just as much as if you were local. Crimes targeting solely tourists are unheard of.
Radom was a pioneer of the Bezpieczne Miasto (Safe City) programme, later followed by other cities in Poland, by introducing a full-scale campaign since 1997. There are 61 CCTV cameras around the city, mostly in the centre, that have helped to reduce the number of criminal offences.
Cope
[edit]Go next
[edit]North
[edit]East
[edit]- Czarnolas - Visit the museum of the great renaissance poet, Jan Kochanowski.
- Kazimierz Dolny
- Kozienice
South
[edit]- Iłża - 30 km south of Radom, Iłża is a great place for a one-day visit. The remains of the 14th century castle are a must-see.
- Orońsko - Visit Centrum Rzeźby Polskiej , the Centre of Polish Sculpture. See the manor house of the painter Józef Brandt. Open daily except Mondays. Admission: adults 5 zł; children, students 3 zł.
West
[edit]- Domaniów - About 20 km west of Radom. Home to a 500 ha artificial lake; good place to go in the summer if you are a water-sports enthusiast. There is a little pier where you can rent a sailing boat or a kayak.