Katowice

Eco-friendly travel guide to Katowice advises how to be a responsible tourist. Learn how to explore the attractions in a sustainable way and how to respect the local people and culture. Make your trip green by supporting locally owned hotels, organic restaurants and other businesses. Read more on how to protect the environment by making conscientious choices and how to travel green in Katowice, Poland.

Valley of Three Ponds in Katowice

Air quality: 4 / 5

Exploring by foot: 3 / 5

Exploring by bicycle: 3.5 / 5

Public transportation: 4 / 5

Parks: 3 / 5

Outdoor activities: 3.5 / 5

Locals' English level: 3 / 5

Safety: 3.5 / 5

Accommodation: US$70 - $150

Budget per day: US$250 - $500

Responsible Travel

Katowice is a major city located in southern Poland, the Silesian Region's capital city. The city is one of Poland’s most popular tourist cities. As a tourist, there are several duties and responsibilities that you need to fulfill to travel responsibly.

You will not be able to get the best experience out of your travel in the peak season. I prefer visiting the city during the low season as over-tourism is a significant problem in Katowice. The fall, winter, and early spring seasons are ideal for visiting the city as tourism is less, and you will enjoy it.

Doing so will help you maintain your budget and support these local businesses to grow. While exploring the local culture and food in Katowice, I prefer local businesses over big business chains as they serve better quality dishes that are sourced locally. These local businesses offer the same services as the big business chains at a lower rate and better quality.

I always prefer staying at green hotels, hostels, and guesthouses as they use eco-friendly measures to minimize their impact on the environment and are also quite affordable. With high tourism rates, the demand for accommodation is relatively high, which has resulted in many unregistered accommodation properties. To avoid such places, always see to it if the property is registered for tourism or not.

Air Quality and Pollution

The city of Katowice mostly has good air quality, and pollution levels aren't bad. Automobiles are the prime source of air pollution in the city as they emit harmful chemicals like carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxide. Other than ground transportation, the shipping industry has contributed a lot to air pollution. Most of the fuels used in marine ships have a major concentration of sulfur, a contaminant. One can say that automobiles' effect is more than that of the people who visit the city. The Air Quality of any tourist location or place is a crucial thing to keep in mind because not all tourists can adapt to a city where air pollution is high and the air quality is bad, especially people who belong to a sensitive group.

Respect the Culture

The city has a rich history and cultural heritage that attracts a large number of tourists. While visiting the city and exploring it, you need to be respectful towards the local people, environment, and sites to be responsible tourists. By doing this, you will be able to get a good Katowice’s experience. Without witnessing the culture, you will not be able to get the best experience of your tour. You will get to meet new people, traditions, lifestyles, culture, and many other things.

Top 10 Places to Visit

Silesian Museum: It is a museum housed in a former coal mine. It is located in Dobrowolskiego, Katowice, Poland. The museum was established in the year 1929 by the Silesian Sejm.

Silesia Park: A vast green space with family attractions. It is located in Aleja Rozana, Katowice, Poland. It is a Japanese garden within Silesian Central Park.

Legenda: Legendia is a theme park with a roller coaster and rides. Legendia Park is located in Plac Atrakcji, Katowice, Poland. It was established in the year 1959.

Silesian Zoological Garden: It is a large zoo with a dinosaur valley section. It is located in Promenada Generala Jerzego Zietka, Katowice, Poland. The garden was established in the year 1954.

Upper Silesian Ethnographic Park: Upper Silesian Ethnographic Park is an open-air museum with historic cottages. It is located in Parkowa, Katowice, Poland.

Kosciuszko Park: A historical urban park with a war monument. The park is located in Kosciuszki, Katowice, Poland. It was established in the year 1925.

Krolewski Zamek Bedzinski: Krolewski Zamek Budzinski is a famous tourist attraction in the city of Katowice. It is located in Katowice, Poland.

Silesian Insurgent’s Monument: Silesian Insurgent’s Monument to the Silesian uprisings in the city of Katowice. It is one of the famous tourist destinations in the city.

Paprocany Lake: It is a scenic place for sailing and kayaking. It is a famous lake in the City of Paprocay Lake. The length of the lake is about 2 kilometers.

Tyskie Brewing Museum: Tyskie Brewing Museum of beer at the Tyskie Brewery. It is located in Katowicka, Tychy, Poland. The museum was established in the year 2004.

Dead Horse Gap Dawn, Kosciuszko National Park

Explore

The city of Katowice can easily attract people from various parts of the globe. Katowice, the famous Poland city, is popular for its white-sand beaches, the bright sea, the calm and refreshing breeze, the Mayan culture, and much more interesting things. The city is full of places and activities to explore. If you see the city parks and museums, then you will never feel like returning. The city of Katowice, located in the state, is popular for its white-sand beaches, the bright sea, the calm and refreshing breeze, the culture, and interesting things. The city is full of places and activities to explore. The people of the local tribe named it, yet the reason it is named is unknown. Here’s a list of places you can visit in Katowice.

City Parks

The city parks are the life of this city, and you can find city parks of all types to visit in the city of Katowice. Beautiful city parks are available all over the city of Katowice. Here are some of the parks you should visit while you are in the city:

Plac Andreja
Plac Swietego Jana Pawla Ii
Cardinal August Hlond Squareamed Road, Katowice
Skwer Porucznika Henryka Kalemby
Kosciuszko Park
Strefa Relaksu Pod Palmami

Kosciuszko Park'

National Parks

The country has always been famous for its beautiful and graceful natural resources, and so that this city has a wonderful collection of national parks and a zoo. We are listing down a few of them that may not exactly be located in and around the city but are not very far away from the city.

Drumsetpro-Szkola Perku
Rozlewisko
Staw Trze Wiczek
Katowice Forest Park
Wzgorze Wandy
Ojcowski National Park

Ojcowski National Park

Beaches

The nearest beach is a few hours’ drive away, and you shall have to wander into territory that doesn’t come within the city limits. Those tourists who are beach lovers shall not be disappointed in the city of Katowice. Though the city hosts some of the world's craziest parties, there is always the lack of a good beach. Some of the beaches that are worth visiting near the city are:

Morawa Beach
Kapielisko Stawiki W Sosnowcu
Dolina Trzech Stawow
Kapielisko Hubertus
Plaza Przy Jeziorze Borki
Beach Bar

Landmarks

Katowice's city is not a city where the ideal landmarks are just highrises, tall buildings, resorts, and water parks. There are numerous landmarks other than the basic ones.

Here are some of the famous landmarks given below:

Cathedral Of Christ The King Katowice
Wodny Park Tychy
Silesian Botanical Garden
Valley Of Three Ponds
Water Park Nemo-Leisure World
Planetarium Slaskie

Silesian Botanical Garden

Museums

The city of Katowice has a long history of the tribe, which can be easily understood in these museums. If you like to explore the culture and learn about any city's history, museums are the perfect place to visit. Here are all the popular museums in the city:

Silesian Museum
Guitar History Museum
Museum Of The History Of Katowice
Szyb Wilson Gallery
Asylum House Of Fear
Rondo Sztuki Art Gallery

Eat

You will find that the locals prefer to eat healthy and nutritious food with lots of vegetables and meats. Apart from these traditional and modern cuisines, the local street food is a must-try one that will leave your mouth lingering with their flavors. You will find that vegetarian, and non-vegetarian dishes are popular, and you will not find much trouble conveying your food preferences. Here are some famous local restaurants, vegetarian and vegan, and street foods are given below.

Traditional Local Restaurants

These restaurants are some of those restaurants in Katowice that continue to serve traditional Poland’s food made in traditional ways. They are must-visit places to get a good experience. Here are some famous local restaurants which serve their authentic traditional foods are given below:

Tatiana
Fantasmagoria
Bob Café
Smuggler’s Inn Dinner
Bobbu Burger
Campanile
Karczma Wrazidlok

Vegetarian and Vegan

Many tourists maintain their healthy diet by eating vegetables and keep the tour eco-friendly. Eating healthy vegetables and different vegan dishes helps travelers to stay healthy and fit. If you are one of them, you do not need to worry much as there are many different vegan restaurants available in the city.

Drumsetpro-Szkola Perku
Mihiderka
Golden Donkey
Dobra Karma
Botanika
Synergia

Street Food

The street food in the city is renowned worldwide, and some of the most popular dishes were mentioned in the sections above. Nonetheless, a couple of sellers have become an ace at their exchange, who have spent a lifetime sharpening ages-old skills and recipes flawlessly. The preparation time for them does not take long, and it is something you can eat on the go. One thing about street food is that you can try out varieties at the same time.

Tatiana
Zaklety Czardiasz
Mad Mick
Patio Park
Stare I Nowe
Staromiejska 3 Restrobar
Peirogi Swiata

Drink

From coffee to cocktails, all different types of drinks are available in the city of Katowice. You will be able to get various beverages, various wines, and many other local drinks that will help you know the locals well. If you find a bar or pub in the city, you will not have to look much as it is plenty. Both local people and foreigners visit bars, pubs, and cafes to get the best experience of having different drinks. Apart from beers and wines, you will also be able to get many options for non-alcoholic drinks. Make sure to drink them from the local shops to get some traditional local drinks as well.

Tap-water

The city's tap water is one of Poland's safest and drinkable ones. The water quality is so good that the locals drink it directly from the tap. The primary source of tap water comes from surface water, but other sources include boreholes as well. Even the water that is available in hotels and street-side food joints may be unsafe to drink. Hence, carrying bottled water is a good suggestion. Unlike many western countries, tap water may not be safe to drink, but the locals do drink after boiling it. The city also has a desalinization plant set up to reduce the level of salts in the water but can only meet the city's demand. Drinking water is also available in plastic bottles and is considered to taste better than tap water but is very harmful to the local environment and costly.

Organic Cafés

The popularity of organic food is an increasing phenomenon in Poland, as the locals are very conscious of their diets and like to eat nutritious and healthy food. There is only a small population of people who prefer eating unprocessed, healthy food that is clean and reliable beyond their houses' walls.

Organic Coffee And More
Golden Donkey
Coffee Synergia Dobre Miejsce
Kafej
Kawosz Café
Café Kattowitz
Zicherka Cafe

Breweries

You will find that there are many decades old breweries and industries that follow traditional methods to produce alcohol and beer. Unlike other cities where there are age restrictions or a legal drinking age, you will find no such thing in Katowice. The national alcoholic beverage and is widely consumed by both locals and tourists in the city of Katowice. It is an anise-flavored aperitif that is considered relatively more robust than most liqueurs. If you love alcoholic drinks, you will have a swell time in the city as there are many fabulous options for you. For those who prefer healthier foods and are more on the conscious side, organic cafes and restaurants are ideal places to detox your body. These places serve vegetarian and vegan dishes with 100% organic ingredients that are quite mouth-watering and pocket friendly. Have a look at some of its breweries:

Browariat Craft Beer Zone
Browar Palacowy Siemianowice Slaskie
Kontynuacja
Manufaktura Ogrodek Piwny
Absurdalna
Browar Mariacki

Activities

The museums and art exhibitions are always there for you to explore, making you appreciate art. Even if you are not a lover of artwork, something in you will be compelled when you see them. These activities will help you understand the local communities, the people, and their livelihood. Some of these activities will also help you create a memorable time. The city is best known for its art and culture in tourism, and it has many places to explore. However, this is not the case for people who wish to visit Katowice, as there is always something to do. Foreigners hate getting bored when in a new city, so you would see those seeking locals' recommendations.

Yoga and Retreats

While yoga is practiced by a few here, many also practice meditation; you could dabble in that as well. You will find that young people are the ones that like to participate in such fitness exercised. There are many yoga institutes in the city where you can train under a qualified and experienced yoga teacher. With increasing awareness of the need for a healthy and fit lifestyle, the local people are gaining interest in yoga. But for those who are particular about yoga, given below are some of the highly-rated yoga retreats in the city:

Gymforyou Fitness Club
Joganika-Szkola Jogi W Katowicach
Yoga Life – Yoga School Katowice
Jogadom- Szkola Jogi Katowice
Akademia Jogi
Ashtanga Yoga Katowice

Accommodation

Sometimes the cheapest hotels don’t offer an incredible service, and you’re left wondering what made you sign up after all. Before you book any accommodation in the city, it’s important to do a little due diligence to find out more about the space you are about to pay for. The city of Katowice is a heaven on earth if you like beach life. One can experience everything in this small city. If you are planning to visit there soon, you might be wondering where to stay. Some of the best hotels and resorts are classed from luxury to budget in the city of Katowice, where one can have an easy stay. The city has many options when it comes to accommodation, so foreigners are not stranded. These accommodation options range from hotels to apartments, and much more. You can either make accommodation plans when you are in the city or before you arrive. It would be best to do whatever works best for you.

Green Hotels

Green hotels provide you with the best service and embrace the ecology of the place. Green hotels practice environmentally conscious ways in any tourism industry. They work on solar and wind energy, have responsible waste management and cooperate with the local communities. You can book these kinds of hotels, so you will at least know that you are doing something good for the environment.

Novotel Katowice Centrum
Best Western Hotel Mariacki
Q Hotel Plus Katowice
Park Inn By Radisson Katowice
Ibis Budget Katowice Centrum
Hornigold W Zielonej Kamienicy

Hostels and Guest Houses

As it is a densely populated city of Katowice attracts many tourists and young ex-pats, many of them are on a tight budget, and they have little money to spare for accommodation. As a result of this, there is a sizeable market for accommodation in hostels and guest houses; these offer quirky amenities and compact living spaces at reasonable prices.

Some of the famous and reasonable hostels and guest houses are given below:

Kaktus Guest House
Hostel Gwarek
Pokoje Goscinne – Sara
W Hostel
Nocleg
Vesa Ligonia

Apartments

Apartments are usually cheaper when rented with a group of friends. A new concept called aparthotel has started gaining popularity in the city of Katowice. Hotels are often the number one choice for tourists as they are usually cheaper and convenient, but tourists visiting the city for a longer time should always prefer renting out an apartment. There are many affordable apartment options for tourists. It is a small apartment within a hotel ideal for families and groups. These apartments have an en-suite kitchen with the required appliances and utensils. A lot of these places are located near the prime locations and are the best ones to rent. Before renting out an apartment, inspect the site properly and get reviews from the other residents.

Couchsurfing

Couch-surfing is a new accommodation where a tourist can stay at a local person's house for a particular time. The idea surrounding Couch surfing is that locals of the city offer hospitality by opening their homes to foreigners. It is usually voluntary so that there will be no complaints. Thus, anyone who signs up to accommodate people through Couch surfing is expected to treat them right as they were not forced to do it. Young college students usually do this type of practice to earn a little money at the side. It is a legal concept and has its website where you can search for couch-surfing hosts in the city you are going to town. You need to contact these hosts and set a deal with mutual consent for a particular time stay before visiting the city.

Camping

Camping is one of the fun activities in the city of Katowice. There are places where you can camp so there won’t be any need to look for a hotel to stay in. Campers describe the experience as exciting, and it lures those who have never been camping before. It helps you meet new people, and you get to do things you have never done before. If you a lover of nature and the outdoors, we know that you would wish to experience camping in whatever form when you are in a new city. The thing with camping is that there are particular areas for it; else, the whole purpose is defeated. Thus, it is right to know about camping sites.

Camping Nr 215
Bojan Sport
At The Lake” Campsite
Camp9 Nature Campground Poland
Rod Camping Oskard

How to Get There

There are many ways to reach the city, like trains, buses, airplanes, taxis, rental cars, etc. If you are already in the country, you can choose various transport services like long-distance buses, trains, rental cars, etc. These public or private transports are easy to access and are very convenient. You can also opt for hitchhiking, but you may face trouble getting to the city in time, and it isn't the most comfortable mode of travel.

Air

Miedzynarodowy Port Lotniczy Katowice Airport serves the city of Katowice. Traveling by air is the easiest and best way to get there because you will experience the real beauty of the city of Katowice from above.

Miedzynarodowy Port Lotniczy Katowice Airport

Bus

The bus is always an excellent option to travel to different cities and also it comes with a cheap fare that helps to save a lot of money. If you travel from the other cities in Poland, you will get many options to reach the city as it is very well connected with other cities. Expressways are very well connected to all the other cities. Make sure to book the bus tickets online before your tour date to confirm your seat on the bus.

A bus in Katowice

Train

You will be able to get the train from this city from the neighboring countries very easily. Trains are very widely available in this city but book the tickets online to not end up on the waiting list. As the train tickets tend to get booked very fast, you need to be very early to book a seat for yourself successfully.

Outside the Katowice Train Station

Hitchhiking

Hitch-hiking is a common practice in the city as mountains surround the city, and many locals and tourists like to explore these areas on foot. Unlike other countries where one can ask for a lift by showing the thumb, it can be considered offensive in Poland. A small wave of the hand is the better way of asking for a ride while hitch-hiking in the city.

Others

The city lies along major international roads that pass through and connect different countries on the continent. As a result of this, some of the visitors who get into the city are long-distance adventures driving their cars or even riding motorbikes. You can also reach there by road in your private car or a minivan.

Moving Around

The city of Katowice is absolutely massive, and to explore, you may need to rely on more than just one means of transportation. If you want to travel and explore the various areas of Katowice's city, then the best option at your disposal are public transports such as subway trains, available buses, and electronic vehicles.

Walk

Walking might be the best option to witness the local culture and people of this city. Walking is the best way of exploring a city as it costs nothing. You will be able to access even the most remote areas of the city where vehicles cannot reach or don't have a proper road. You can ask them for directions, and they will help you out without a second thought. You do not have to be stuck in traffic or wait for the signal to go to your destination. Make sure to carry some essentials like food and water while planning to tour the city on foot.

Bicycle

The city of Katowice quite straight routes, making it a perfect place to bike around on your bicycle. There are also sports for bike tours in the city. Cycling is a popular means of transportation in the city of Katowice. It is extremely safe, and you have dedicated bicycle lanes all over. You can rent a bicycle at various locations, and there are options for using bicycles made out of bamboo and wood. You can find some bike rental shops near the Hotel Zone where you can find a bicycle and travel around Katowice. A few premium hotels shall allow you to rent one for a minimal cost or even for free.

Electronic Vehicles

When it comes to going around the city's lanes to reach someplace in the crowded area, the vehicles might not be the best option as you will need to wait in the traffic and signals. Most of the tourists choose electronic vehicles to get a tour of the city. There are both advantages and disadvantages to this travel medium, just like other ones. It is one of the comfortable modes of transportation that helps you to sit back and relax. You can book or rent these cars both online and offline in the city. From taxi to self-driving cars, you will be able to get many electronic vehicles in your way.

Public Bus

Buses are very frequent in this city, and you will get ones easily from the bus stands. The best thing about this transportation mode is that it helps you get to the destination very fast in a cheap fare that saves time and money. You will be able to find many buses in the city, and all of them help give a very nice and comfortable riding experience. You can also catch the city bus, which is known to be a free bus service in the city. The best way to recognize these buses is to look for buses that are different in color. Most of the Go bus comes in different colors. It is very much available in the districts.

Tram, Train and Subway

The tram service is the backbone of transportation in the city. You can board one of these and reach the city's farthest corners; they are efficient and economical. The railway system in the city has endured many years of neglect, but it continues to be a convenient mode of transport for the residents of the areas in which it passes. It is preferred due to its timed schedule and fixed fare.

Sustainable Shopping

You will be able to get some branded eco-friendly stores too in the city of Katowice. A tour of a place is never complete without having good shopping. It helps to give you the best experience and witness the culture up close. You will be able to get many different local shops that sell traditional items. There are many shops and markets in this city that will help you to get recycled items at a reasonable price. Eco-friendly sustainable stores that promote zero-waste are increasing rapidly in the city, and many locals are tying hearse products.

Food Markets

Roaming the food markets is always good, as you will be able to get close to the locals and learn about different cooking and eating ingredients. Some of the food markets also have some food stalls filled with delicious local foods. Katowice's food markets are popular amongst the locals and the tourists as they are packed with fresh and high quality produce. These places provide visitors with an authentic taste of Poland food while promoting local businesses. Here are some of the popular food markets in the city of Katowice:

Rynek Smaku Katowice
Swieza Jaja
Freshmarket Katowice
K-Shop
Lewiatan
Targowisko Plac Miarki Katowice

Flea Markets

Some of these markets have specific days when traders come and display their merchandise, while others run throughout the week. The city of Katowice has many flea markets that mainly cater to low-income earners who cannot afford items sold in exhibition stalls. Some of these markets include:

Marchants’ Association Fair
Biobazar Huta Baildon
Targowisko Miejskie
Szyb Wilson

Second Hand Stores

The trade of second-hand items in the country, especially clothes, has weathered my opposition forms as it is blamed for the collapse of the country's manufacturing industry. In its defense, second-hand items are what most of the local people can easily afford. There are shops for second-hand electronics, furniture, and home appliances, clothes, etc., available in this city.

Pow_Secondhand
Szafiarenka
Textile House
Sheda. Phu. Buksa S.
Vive Profit
Biga
Sklep Z Odzieza Uzywana

Eco-Fashion

The eco-friendly way of fashion is to buy products that won’t harm the environment at any cost. It is also a responsibility for you to protect the environment and not pollute it in any way. A relatively uncharted area in the country, eco-fashion is slowly gaining ground as an ethical way to engage in fashion in an eco-friendly way.

Recycling

While many local people understand the long-term ramifications of improper solid waste management to the environment, recycling has not caught on, particularly in middle and high-income areas where recycled products generate income proportionately too minimal to consider pursuing seriously. Residents pay handsomely without really knowing where the waste will end up.

Waste

The waste segregation method employed here is based on the above-mentioned category system. You shall find cleanliness in common places to be marvelous, and trash cans are found everywhere. The solid waste management system is terrible because there aren’t many plants available in this city. The city of Katowice is a well-known tourist center. The waste collected mainly comes from the tourist industry sector.

Work and Study Abroad

You will find many shops around the city that have a huge collection of recycled products like bags, clothes, blankets, bedsheets, and others. Recycling is a great way to make the environment clean from pollution and wastes. Many wastes are polluting the sea and making it hard for sea creatures to survive. But people still need to be concerned about this situation and adapt to recycling products. The city of Katowice is one of the cities with many different recycling shops and markets with eco-friendly products. Also, these wastes are slowly polluting the whole earth. So, many countries and different cities have started to take care of the environment by recycling things.

Exchange Student

There are a few universities in the city where one can study as an exchange student. Although, you do not get many options for your particular stream. The city of Katowice has many multinational corporations that attract many foreigners, but it also has some of the region's best universities. Every year, these universities attract many international students from all over the world.

Au Pair

You will hardly find an Au Pair or a family participating in such activities as they are accustomed to managing by themselves or with the help of their close relatives or neighbors. The couple helps the family members in education and career to help them build a better life with lots of potentials. You will get a luxurious home to live in as the concept is only popular amongst the rich who have room to spare in this densely packed city. Au Pairing is a widespread practice in Katowice, where a foreign person helps out a family take care of their children's education or help out in the finances. In return, the au pair gets some monetary allowances that they can use for their personal use. This type of practice is common in Katowice with low-income families as they cannot provide proper education facilities to their children.

Volunteering

Volunteering is one of the best ways to keep the city clean and get to know the local people very well. You will also get help to get your language skill up one notch. There are many different services available that can help you to get volunteering. As a tourist, it is essential to give back something to the community of the city you are visiting. Volunteering is one of the best ways of learning about the deep-rooted problems and needs of the town.