The local Parish Church of SS. Florian and Catherine, erected in the years 1626–38, is an example of the northern Renaissance style that is very rare in the Lublin Region. It is interesting to know that the church was conceptualized and designed also as a defensive building. This explains why there are double brick walls above the arcades (the space between them is about 1 m long). While visiting the church, you can walk between the walls from the choir to the main altar. The oldest 17^th-century part of the fence with the four loopholes also has characteristics of a fortress. Inside the church, the main altar dating from the 17^th century, a Renaissance pulpit supported by two confessionals, and a Baroque pipe organ are particularly noteworthy. The local church is also the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Loreto, the patron saint of travellers.

The nearby House of Loreto was built ca. 1640 thanks to the efforts of Father Szymon Grzybowski, as a copy of Santa Casa of Loreto. Thanks to its rich sculpture ornaments the building is a unique example of the late Renaissance architecture in the Lublin Region. In the 17^th century, services were held in the House of Loreto, and the faithful eagerly left votive offerings here (according to tradition, the majority of the offerings went to Tadeusz Kościuszko in support to the insurgents). Later, the Swedish Invasion and the Vistula River flooding contributed to its gradual devastation. The building was destroyed again during the Second World War, but at present, it has been restored to its former glory, (see more on p. XXX). While there, it is worth solving the “Gołąb – the Nadwiślańskie Loreto” Quest.

The enthusiasts of unique sites should also definitely stop by in the only Museum of Unusual Bicycles (ul. Puławska 1) in Europe. You can find out all there is to know about the history of single-track vehicles from the museum’s curator and simultaneously its founder, Józef Majewski. What is more, you can look at them and even try out recumbent bicycles, circus unicycles, as well as many other unusual vehicles powered by the muscle strength. Children and teenagers greatly enjoy riding on “galloping bicycles,” while the caring parents can give their kids a ride in a rickshaw. Museum is open from Apr 1– Oct 31, Mon-Fri 10am-6pm. It is possible to visit the museum at other times as well, after a telephone reservation in advance (+48 601 814 527). More information is available at the website www.muzeumrowerow.pl.

Another intriguing venue – Museum of Drunkenness – is located at the same address. It features a fascinating collection of diverse original alcohol bottles from all over the world. A rest area for cyclists (a sheltered area with a grill) is adjacent to the two museums.

Nature lovers, too, will find something for themselves in Gołąb. The Vistula River section of high natural value is located in its vicinity, between the villages of Wólka Gołębska and Matygi. It is a nesting site of rare bird species, such as the Common Ringed Plovers and Little Terns. Both species have been listed in the Polish Red Book [of Endangered Species] of Animals. The local mid river islands on the Vistula River house nesting sites of other endangered species from the Charadriiforme family, like the Common Sandpipers, Common Terns, Little Ringed Plovers and seagulls: Common Gulls, European Herring Gulls, and Black Headed Gulls. The high escarpments, bushes, and forested areas of the floodplain also feature nesting sites of other rare and endangered species, such as the Common Rosefinches, Remizes, Common Kingfishers, Sand Martins and Common Kestrels.