Augustów, surrounded by lakes and forests, is an attractive health and recreation town with good tourist facilities and a wide range of recreation and relaxation services. It is a good place where one can start exploring the areas of Augustów Primeval Forest, the Biebrza valley, Elk Lakeland and northern Suwalki Region. Augustów was a royal town, and it has been reflected in its coat of arms till today. The town was granted civic rights, as well as the name, by King Zygmunt August in 1557.