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City in Silesian Voivodeship, Poland
Photo: Kamil Czainski, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Bielsko-Biała is a city in the Silesian Voivodeship of southwest Poland, with a population of 170,000 in 2020. It's post-industrial but has many interesting old buildings and museums, and sits at the foot of the Beskidy mountains.
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Katedra świętego Mikołaja
A city landmark with its 61 m tower, this dates from the 1440s but was rebuilt in 1912. There's mass 7 times a day so you should find it open.
Bielsko Castle
The castle dates from the 14th century but was entirely re-modelled circa 1860, and now houses the main branch of the town museum. It displays several furnished castle rooms and art, plus temporary exhibitions.
Galeria Bielska BWA
This displays modern and contemporary art.
Stara Fabryka
Housed in a former cloth factory and principally exhibiting wool processing, this branch of the town museum broadened in 1995 to include other local industries.
Dom Tkacza
An 18th-century weaver's wooden house, a branch of the town museum furnished as it appeared in 1900, by which time power looms had swept away this style of "cottage industry".
Julian Fałat (1853-1929) was a notable water-colourist, part of the impressionist movement. He was Director of the Kraków School of Fine Art then spent his last 20 years here. It's now a branch of the town museum.
The city's main theatre, built in 1890.
Chic cafe on Rynek in retro 1930s style.
Just what Silesia needs, a bar specialising in rum.
Clean friendly hostel near the station and downtown.
Boxy chain hotel by the station, most rooms spacious and clean but some dingy. Some street noise.
Very basic but central.
Reliable Accor chain hotel 1 km south of centre.
North by the ring road, convenient for motorists.
Pleasant hotel in a quiet neighbourhood near the ski lifts.
Smart spa hotel west edge of town, with good restaurant.
By train
Four trains a day are direct from Warsaw, taking 4 hr 30 min via Piotrków Trybunalski, Częstochowa and Katowice.
By bus
Flixbus runs once a day from Gdańsk, taking 8 hr 30 min via Toruń, Łódź and Katowice airport and city. Two buses from Warsaw take 7 hours via Kielce and Kraków.
By road
The main approaches to Bielsko-Biała are:
There's an extensive bus network, operated by MZK Bus Company.5 zł for reduced). Buy them from kiosks and validate them immediately on first entry.
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Balice · International · KRK
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