The region of Parczew is situated in the north-east part of the district of Lublin. It lies on the border with five other regions: Bialski, Włodawski, Łęczyński, Lubartowski and Radzyński. The area of the region of Parczew occupies the territory of 953 square kilometres and about 36,6 thousand people live here. The density of inhabitants amounts to 39 people per one square kilometre. In the district of Lublin the region of Parczew takes the middle position on count of the area but it takes the last one on count of the inhabitants.

The region of Parczew stands out as a region with unusual landscapes. Almost 16,5% of the area of the region is the places of protected nature and natural monuments. The area is characterized by a lot of forests (about 24,7% of the total area) and many aquatic areas, which are a part of Łęczyńsko-Włodawski lakeside. Waters account for 4,5% of the total area of the region. For the sake of clean environment, a little changed scenery and poorly developed industry, the region of Parczew has got good conditions for developing tourist and recreation branches and producing healthy food. The structure of using the soil in the region of Parczew presents in the way: for farming use – 62,7% including arable soil – 42,3%, gardens – 0,5% and meadows – 19,9%, forests – 24,7%, the rest of the soils and places which are not used take a part of 12,6% including waters – 4,5%.

On count of population, the region of Parczew is characterized by negative natural growth, which amounts to 2,2 %o and negative permanent migration balance which amounts to 4,28 %o. This situation is the main reason of constant decreasing of population in the region. The predominance of women over men can also be noticed here: there are 100 men to 102,8 women. At the preproduction age there are 22,5% of people in the region, at the production one there are 59,5% of all inhabitants including 31,8% of men and 27,7% of women, and at the postproduction age there are 18% of people, including 6% of men and 12% of women. At the end of July 2006, unemployment involved 2445 registered people (which accounts for about 15,6%). In the region there are 6906 inhabitants at school age (18,9% of all people). Nowadays there are 2027 pupils in high schools, but it is still decreasing. The similar situation takes place in 26 elementary and 7 grammar schools. The area of today’s region of Parczew is an old borderline between Poland, Lithuania and Russia.

The Polish-Lithuanian border went through the areas of Dębowa Kłoda, Parczew and Milanów, and the territory of today’s area of Sosnowica was under authorities of Russia. The oldest town here is Parczew, which was called Parczów in the past. The first reference about it dates back to the beginning of XIII century, when in 1401 it was proclaimed a town. XV and XVI centuries became the golden age for Parczew. The town which was situated between Cracow and Vilnius, on the commercial road and just by the border of Korona, by power of Horodelska Union together with Lublin, became a place of Polish-Lithuanian congresses. Some congresses and reunions of contemporary Rzeczpospolita took place here. The best-known is the one from 1564, when during the reunion in Parczew King Zygmunt August approved the resolutions of Sobór Trydencki. For the first time Parczew became the capital of the region in 1416. In XVI century the most areas of today’s region were a part of the district of Parczew and were known as one of the biggest kings’ mansions in Poland. It was over only after the partitions of Poland. After that Parczew became a region again in 1955, and then, for the third time, in 1999. Today’s region of Parczew is a typically agricultural one. It is lacking in big industrial companies which could give places of work for its many inhabitants. Unfortunately, agriculture gives a poor income, that’s why it is necessary to look for other ways of development of our region. Eco-agriculture is a chance of such development. It’s, for example, growing of herbs, such as chamomile, which takes place in the neighbourhoods of Podedwórze. Forestry is also of big importance here because forests account for ¼ of total area of the region.

Among industrial companies it is necessary to mention about the glass-producing factory in Parczew, starch-producing factories in Przewłoka and the textile-producing factory in Siemień. Unfortunately, they are small companies employing from some to some hundred people. There are also some agricultural, food and wood industry companies which produce mainly goods for the need of a local market. Two big fish ponds are also of big importance here. They are located in Sosnowica and Siemień and take up the area of some hundred hectares. Taking into consideration natural values, sacred and secular monuments and clean air, tourism is the main chance for the region of Parczew. Thanks to such values of the region as parks, reservations, forests, lakes, ponds and rivers, our place can change from a typically agricultural region into a tourism-recreation place. To maintain this it is necessary to build more places of stay and tourist information centres as well as strike up cooperation with the other regions of the district of Lublin and promote our motherland both in the country and abroad. On the land of our region there are some valuable sacred and secular monuments, such as a wooden belfry from 1675 located in Parczew, a neo-gothic church in Parczew with an icon of “Mary Virgin with a pear” from XVI century, two synagogues from XIX century in Parczew, mansions in Jabłoń and Milanów, churches in Paszenki, Kodeniec, Sosnowica, Gęś, Milanów and many other architectural and sacred monuments.. The region of Parczew is varied on count of wonderful places. Most of the tourist attractions (forests, lakes, ponds, and monuments) are situated in the neighbourhoods of Sosnowica, Dębowa Kłoda and Siemień. And they are the places where tourism is concerned and these places should mostly be taken into consideration while developing this branch.

The rest of the places are characterized by poor tourism as they are lacking in attractions such as lakes or ponds which could attract tourists. However, the region, having a purpose of developing its whole territory, gives also opportunities to visit all the places by establishing tourist routes, organizing folk parties, such as sculpture and painting meetings, cultural reviews and folk art fairs. Thanks to all the events, these places do not stay out of life but try to promote their regions. Taking into account a small tourist movement, these places are lacking in hotels and recreation places which could be open all year round. The main reason of such a small tourism development in the region is little incomes of this branch of the industry and poor interest of tourists with our region. The tourists visiting these places can only count on spending a night in the dormitories by the schools or in the private houses. A good way out from this situation is a development of agricultural tourism. It is one of the typical forms of the tourist base, which takes less money in comparison to specialized places of stay. It gives better opportunities to know the region, as well as learn the way people here live, the traditions and the cuisine of the region and other offers prepared by the hosts. Agricultural tourism can be a chance of the development of the places which have appropriate values together with economic and public potential.

The way of relax connected with agricultural tourism is associated in Poland mainly with the places in the villages which are situated near the parks and relaxation places. Such conditions are well fulfilled by the private houses belonging to the region of Parczew, which can additionally offer fresh air and meetings with other national and religious cultures, such as Ukrainian, Judish, Orthodox and many others.