Region 2
The prettiest street in Podlasie is five kilometres long and runs through three villages.
In Trześcianka, Soce and Puchły the houses stand gable-end to the road, one beside the next, like soldiers on parade. Each has its own shutters: blue, green, white, with cut-out suns, flowers and crosses. The patterns passed from father to son, and a carpenter from the next village could tell by them whose work it was. Behind the houses begin the meadows of the Narew valley, backwaters and alder carrs, where cranes circle in the evening.
This is a land of slow tempo. It is best covered by bike, or slowly by car, stopping at every Orthodox church. The interiors are often closed, but at many churches there is a parish phone number, or a neighbour who knows who has the key.
To the east the Narew valley opens onto Siemianówka Reservoir, one of the largest bodies of water in Podlasie and a refuge for waterbirds. The Narewka River, which flows out of the Forest, runs calmly through the meadows here and is one of the most pleasant kayaking routes in the area.
Shutters used to be the calling card of the householder. Today they are the calling card of the whole village.
From Klejniki to Narew it is approx. 14 km, to Trześcianka approx. 19 km, to Puchły approx. 23 km. Go via the bridge in Narew, because there is no other crossing of the river in the area.
May to September. In spring the Narew backwaters and the birds, in summer greenery and long evenings. On an overcast day the colours of the shutters glow the strongest.
Half a day by car, a full day by bike.
These are living villages, not an open-air museum. Take photos from the road and do not enter yards without an invitation. Shops are small and there are almost no places to eat, so bring provisions or plan lunch in Narew or Hajnówka.
Map: © OpenStreetMap contributors. Route lines are based on OSM data; on the ground, follow the trail markings.
★★★ worth a special trip · ★★ worth a detour · ★ worth a look
The largest village of the Land of Open Shutters. The most decorated houses and the green Orthodox church of St Michael the Archangel from the 1860s, with a rich iconostasis.
Walk through the whole village. The prettiest shutters are on the side roads.
The smallest and most intimate of the three villages. Houses in an even row, a stream and the chapel of St Elijah.
The best light for photos is in the late afternoon.
A village with a colourful Orthodox church of the Protection of the Mother of God, built in 1913–1918, one of the most picturesque in Podlasie. Its bright decoration is visible from the road.
The interior usually opens for services. Keep quiet around the church.
An Orthodox hermitage on the edge of the Narew valley marshes, far from the roads. Wooden buildings among meadows and silence.
This is a place of prayer. Come for a short visit and do not disturb the monks.
A large reservoir on the Narew near the Belarusian border and one of the most important refuges for waterbirds in Podlasie. Herons, terns, cormorants, and in spring hundreds of ducks.
Bring binoculars. The most birds are there in the morning and evening.
An old small town on the river, one of the oldest in the area. Two Orthodox churches and a wooden church, with the meadows of the Narew valley all around.
This is the easiest place for a shop and lunch in the Land of Open Shutters.
From Klejniki through Narew, Trześcianka, Soce and Puchły and back. The prettiest villages of Podlasie in one day.
56 km4–5 hrs with stopsmoderateA loop from Narewka to Siemianówka Reservoir and back along the edge of the Forest via Masiewo. Birds, water and woods.
37 km3–3.5 hrsmoderateA calm river from the Forest through meadows to the small town of Narew. Birds, reeds and no hurry at all.
35 kma full day (approx. 35 km) or two shorter sectionsmoderateIn the Narew municipality, approx. 25 km north of Hajnówka. It consists of the villages of Trześcianka, Soce and Puchły. From Klejniki it is approx. 20 km via Narew.
From the outside, always. The interiors are usually opened for services or after contacting the parish.
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Every route in this guide starts within an hour of our house. After a day out, a tiled stove, a kitchen with a wood-fired range and silence are waiting for you.