Katowice.
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Overview

Katowice is a large city in the Silesian Voivodeship (województwo śląskie) in the south of Poland. In 2021 it had a population of 315,000; it's the central city of Metropolis GZM (population 2.3 million) which in turn is part of Upper Silesian-Moravian metropolitan area sprawling across the Czech border. It's not scenic, but has a rich industrial heritage.

Understand

A series of medieval villages grew up in the forest clearings of Silesia, working at agriculture and small-scale metal-bashing; Katowice is first documented among these in 1598. They urbanised from the 18th century when coal mines plumbed deeper underground, and better processes were invented for extracting metals such as zinc and for turning iron into steel. Katowice outgrew its neighbours and in 1873 it became the county town. Poland in those centuries was carved up by other nations and Katowice was part of Prussia, later of Germany. It was well-connected by rail to other cities and attracted service industries such as banking. After the First World War the border was re-drawn, based on a plebiscite; Katowice voted to remain German but the district all around it voted to join Poland and it had to follow suit, becoming the regional capital.

Then in 1945 the Red Army "liberated" Katowice by destroying much of it, and post-war communist rulers carried on in that vein. Rynek the central market square was soon ringed by the shabby 1960-70s architecture now mocked as "Early Gierek". Later in the 20th century traditional smokestack industry collapsed, labour unrest grew, and the miners of Katowice were as instrumental in the downfall of "the People's Republic" as the ship-builders of Gdańsk.

The city, region and entire nation of Poland had to re-invent themselves after 1989, developing a western free-market economy with a greater role for service sector, education and IT. Other Polish cities have prettified themselves into romantic budget-flight weekend destinations - that was never realistic for Katowice. It does however have a wealth of heritage, good visitor amenities, and transport links around Silesia and beyond.

In the 2000s, Katowice gained a higher profile by creating a new convention center and hosting the United Nations Climate Change Conference (2018) and being designated the European City of Science (2024).

Get in

Onward transport: The AP airport bus takes 52 min to go directly to the main railway and bus stations, every 30 min daytime and hourly through the night, 6.60 zł (don't confuse it with bus M11 which has the same terminus but takes 77 min with countless stops). Matuszek Bus runs direct to Kraków. Buses also run direct to Bytom (No 85, 53), Mierzęcice (No 17) and Sosnowiec.

Kraków is a major tourist destination so its John-Paul II Airport has excellent connections across Europe. Flixbuses from Warsaw and Gdańsk call here every few hours on their way to Katowice, but it's usually more convenient to take the frequent bus or train into Kraków city centre and change.

By train Trains from Warsaw run hourly and take just under 3 hours via Sosnowiec. They may start from Gdynia or Gdańsk.

From Kraków they run hourly and take an hour via Myslowice.

From Berlin Lichtenburg, two trains a day take 6 hr 30 min via Rzepin, Zielona Gora, Glogow, Lublin, Legnica, Wrocław, Opole, Gliwice and Zabrze, and continue to Kraków. From Wrocław the service is every hour or so, taking two hours and continuing to Kraków, Tarnów, Rzeszów, Łańcut and Przemyśl on the Ukraine border.

From the Czech Republic, trains run from Ostrava every hour or two, taking two hours via Bohumin, Wodzislaw Slaski, Rybnik and Tychy. These may start from Prague, Vienna or Budapest.

On cross-border routes, look for split-ticket deals. Reservations are compulsory on all trains from Germany in July and August.

Outlying stations are Zaleze 3 km west, Brynów 5 km southwest and Ligota another 4 km south, and Zawodzie 3 km east.

From Warsaw, Flixbus runs five times a day, taking 4-5 hours via Katowice Airport.

From Gdańsk they run eight times, taking 8-9 hours via Toruń, Włocławek, Łódź and the airport.

From Berlin they run every hour or two, taking 8 hours via Berlin Airport, Wrocław and Opole.

From Prague they run eight times, taking 6 hr 30 min via Brno, Olomouc and Ostrava. From Vienna takes 6 hours by the same route.

From Kraków is a frequent service. They use large coaches with luggage trunks; consider booking, as they sell out at busy times.

By road From Kraków take west 60 km.

From Vienna, Prague, Bratislava and Brno head for Ostrava then take northeast across the border.

Get around

On foot Many sights are within a km or two of Rynek or the main railway station. The pavements are broad and level.

ZTM Metropolia run almost all buses and trams across the 40-some cities of Upper Silesian Metropolis, which straddles the Czech border. They have a unified ticket system.

(PKM Jaworzno are an exception. They run blue and yellow buses on some 20 routes, including lines A, E and J from Aleja Korfantego.

In 2024 tickets valid for 20 mins are 4.60 zł, 40 mins 5.60 zł, 90 minutes or for the full route 6.60 zł, and a 90 minute group ticket for up to 5 people is 13 zł. A one-day pass valid until midnight is 12 zł. All these tickets are valid for unlimited transfers within the allotted time.

You can buy tickets from kiosks, newsagents, shops, machines at the main stops, or at POP passenger service points: these are within Katowice railway station, at Pocztowa 10 near Rynek, and at the ZTM offices on Barbary 21a. The only ticket you can buy on boarding is the 90 minute 6.60 zł (or concessionary 3.30 zł) ticket from bus drivers, who don't give change (they don't yet have contactless payment), and are sometimes out of tickets.

You must validate your ticket immediately on boarding. Inspectors prowl, and an unvalidated ticket is as bad as no ticket at all. For outlying sights buy your return ticket along with your outbound in case you find no convenient ticket point or the machine is broken, and with trams you don't have the option of paying the driver.

There are taxi ranks at the airport, north entrance of the railway station at 3 Maja, the bus station, main hotels and city transport nodes.

By bicycle There are also rental bicycles available in the city. The most common system are the Metrorower yellow bicycles, which can be rented using the Metrorower app. The system, with about 1,000 rental stations, covers not just Katowice but also many nearby cities.

See

Rynek. The market place, pedestrianised but criss-crossed by trams. It's frankly drab, though the communist buildings are being replaced by modern structures. They've taken up the Kraków tradition of sounding the Hejnał at noon, a five-note bugle call, which in medieval times was the signal to open the city gates at dawn.

Zachód Słońca - "Sunset" - is a neon installation on Rynek, a red globe low over the Rawa canal.

History of Katowice Museum. Small permanent display of local history plus exhibitions.

Silesian Organ Museum. Part of the University Dept of Music, these pipe organs have been collected or cannibalised from around the region. Hours erratic, and you need to be here when an organist plays them.

Cathedral of Christ the King. Built from 1927, but the war intervened and it was only finished in 1955. It's in brick, but faced with sandstone. The interior is fairly plain.

Archdiocesan Museum. Small church museum with religious artwork.

Church of the Immaculate Conception. Sturdy neogothic church, framed by the view down Mariacka. Mass in English is 14:30 Sunday.

Cathedral of the Resurrection. This large Lutheran church is neo-Romanesque, built 1856–58.

Goldstein Palace. A cod-Renaissance bling mansion, built in the 1870s by the brothers Abraham and Joseph Goldstein. They made their money from sawmills, but when their Katowice mill burned down in 1892 they left for Wrocław. The building then had various uses and is now a municipal marriage hall; you can usually look in.

Former Municipal Bathhouse. It was built in 1895. It closed in 1970 and is now municipal offices.

BWA Contemporary Art Gallery. Contemporary art.

Rondo Sztuki. Two galleries, concert hall and cafeteria in this 2007 building on a roundabout.

Silesian Museum. Remarkable building of 2015 in a former coalmine, with galleries underground. Excellent display of life and history in Silesia down the ages, plus religious artworks. The former museum within the old Grand Hotel closed in 2018.

Museum of Computers and IT. It's frightening how fast cutting-edge technology has turned into museum pieces. This gives an exposition on IT in Poland and has over 3000 ancient computers in its collection.

Jewish cemetery. Small Jewish cemetery within a larger communal cemetery, laid out in 1870. It's in poor condition.

Silesian Insurgents' Monument. The little park just south of Jerzego Ziętka Roundabout. Much of Silesia remained part of Germany even after World War I and Polish independence, but there were uprisings by ethnic Poles in 1919, 1920 and 1921 - the three wings symbolize these, and the battle sites are etched on the sides. But thus the map remained until World War II, when the German and Polish parts suffered equal horrors, and afterwards the entire region joined Poland.

St Michael the Archangel. Charming little wooden church, built in 1510 in Syrynia near the Czech border. It was moved here in 1938 to form the nucleus of a heritage park, which never happened. Somehow it survived the war and was restored to use from 1956. Closed for renovation as of June 2024, without a reopening date.

Silesian Freedom and Solidarity Centre. Wujek is still an active coal mine, producing sub-bituminous coal. This was suitable for power stations as it contains little sulphur, but it emits disproportionate CO2 so its markets are shrivelling. The mine is best known as the scene of the "Pacification" of Dec 1981, when riot police shot dead nine miners striking against the imposition of martial law. In Sept 2009 an underground explosion killed over 20 miners. The museum depicts the labour uprisings of the 1980s, the nucleus of the Solidarity movement that eventually toppled communism in Poland.

Katowice Forest Park. Large park and forest complex, the largest green area in the city, with hiking and cycling trails.

Valley of Three Ponds. Detached north section of Forest Park. You can bathe or boat in the lake.

Walcownia Museum of Zinc Production. Zinc ores are widespread though the local mines are worked out; zinc is used for corrosion-proof coating of steel, and is alloyed with copper to make brass. This large, chilly industrial hall displays the process plus a collection of motorcycles.

Gallery Szyb Wilson. Vast hall that once held the headworks for a mine shaft (szyb). It's now an art gallery and hosts events, but they're dwarfed by the space.

Nikiszowiec. Nikiszowiec is a city neighbourhood built 1908-12 to house workers of Giesche (later Wieczorek) coal mine, all in a distinct red-brick style. It has the neo-Baroque Church of St Mary, several galleries, a branch of the Museum of Katowice History, and a modern hotel.

Giszowiec. Giszowiec was similarly built 1907-10 for the Giesche miners. Here the idea was a self-contained "Garden City" so the housing resembled chalets. But more housing was built for later generations of miners, the unity of style was lost, and there are now the same shabby high-rise flats as in other dreary suburbs.

Franciscan Monastery in Panewniki. Early 20th century monastery and basilica church. Surrounding it is a park with small Catholic shrines.

Kościuszko Park. Built around the church, it was laid out in its present form in 1925. Multiple access points, open 24 hours. It's named for Andrzej Tadeusz Bonawentura Kościuszko (1746-1817) the dashing military commander.

Do

Spodek. A city icon opened in 1971; the name means "flying saucer" and it's the city's main multi-use venue, with a capacity of over 10,000.

International Congress Centre. Poland's largest conference center, built in mid-2010s.

Football: GKS Katowice play soccer in Ekstraklasa, the top tier. Their Arena Katowice (capacity 15,000) opened in 2025: it's on Nowa Bukowa, 3 km west of city centre. Other top tier teams nearby are in Chorzów, Zabrze and Gliwice. Ice hockey: GKS Katowice play in Polska Hokej Liga, the top tier. Their home rink is within Spodek.

Silesian Library. Large modern regional library.

Board games and puzzles: Ludiversum is a board games cafe at Kamienna 7, next to Hostel Centrum near the railway station. Flamberg is a hobby and games shop at Adama Mickiewicza 3, near the Marriott. Or get in touch with Silesian Fantasy Club.

Cinema Katowice has several new, multi-screen cinemas and some traditional ones. Check if films are shown dubbed or sub-titled.

Światowid. The main place for art-house film in city centre.

Rialto. An artist-run venue showing more experimental film.

Cinema City - Silesia City Center. Modern multiplex cinema with 13 screens including one IMAX.

Cinema City - Punkt 44. Another multiplex with 13 screens and one IMAX 3-D.

Kino Kosmos. Shows a mixture of mainstream, classic and art-house films.

Silesian Theatre. Katowice's main repertory theatre, the largest theatre in Silesia, dedicated to the playwright Stanisław Wyspiański (1869-1907).

Teatr Korez. Reckoned as the most cutting-edge theatre in the city.

Teatr A Part. Contemporary visual and physical theatre group, formed by Marcin Herich, actor, director and organizer of theatre events.

Teatr Gry i Ludzie. Experimental and mainly outdoor theatre group.

Teatr Żelazny. Small off-beat theatre.

Silesian Philharmonic. This was founded in 1945.

National Polish Radio Symphony Orchestra. Founded in 1935, the orchestra moved into its present concert hall in 2014. The main hall has a capacity of 1800 and the smaller hall 300.

JazzArt Festival is in April. A-Part Festival is an international look at alternative and experimental "Off" theatre. It runs over a week in June, see A-Part Theatre above. Tauron Festival is a Techno and dance rave in the Industrial Museum Complex in June. Fitelberg Competition for Conductors is organised by the Silesian Philharmonic (see above) and held in July.

CIOFF organise folk music and dancing festivals globally, with the Katowice event held Aug / Sept.

Rawa Blues Festival. An indoor blues festival.

Mayday is a Techno music event held at Spodek in November.

Polish Directors' Art Festival "Interpretacje". Festival of theatres and TV drama, with a competition for directors for the "Konrad Prize". It was last held in Nov 2022.

Learn

All of these may offer short courses suitable for visitors, though their main offerings are for undergrads.

University of Silesia. Their main campus is in Katowice, with facilities also in Sosnowiec, Cieszyn and Chorzów.

University of Economics. Public university with some 10,000 students.

Academy of Music. This offers university-level courses (some in English) and degrees.

Academy of Physical Education. Mostly Higher education courses, but some at degree level.

Medical University of Silesia. This has departments of Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy, Public Health and Health Sciences (which covers nursing, physical therapy and dietetics).

Academy of Fine Arts. It offers degree-level courses in English.

Silesian University of Technology (Politechnika Śląska) is based in Gliwice. but the Faculties of Materials Science and Metallurgy, of Transport and of Management are sited here.

Buy

Shopping centres are mostly north of the station. Galeria Katowicka is adjacent on 3 Maja, open M-Sa 09:00-21:00.

Silesia City Center is 3 km northwest on the boulevard to Chorzów, with Cinema City.

Eat

Złoty Osioł. Lively vegetarian bar hosting events like poet meetings or concerts.

Tradycyjne Zapikanki. Fast food place open late.

Talerz Szklanka. Called a milk bar, but it's trad filling Silesian food, perfectly seasoned and textured.

Mój Kaprys. Great place with tasty home-style food, generous portions and good coffee. Nice atmosphere inside and friendly service.

Okiem i Brzuchem. If you're looking for local Silesian cuisine on the map of Katowice. Selection is "10". Great decor, delicious food, great service. Unique atmosphere.

Mekong. Fresh authentic Vietnamese cuisine.

Hurry Curry. Indian and southeast Asian food, some vegetarian and vegan options available.

Pierogi Świata. The name means "Dumplings of the World" and it's an eclectic offering of trad Polish and fusion.

Żurownia. Traditional Silesian specialties and beer.

Dobra Karma. Veggie cafe for breakfasts, pizzas, soups, pastas,child-friendly. The name's a bit of an uneasy fusion, but suppose they'd called it Theek Hai Los.

Fantasmagoria. Polish and Georgian cuisine. Bright interior and a terrace in summer. Cash payment only.

CityRock. Retro American-style diner, for wings, pizza, burgers and the like.

Wiejska Chatka. Family-friendly place for trad Silesian cuisine, no alcohol.

Zaklęty Czardasz. Splendid Hungarian restaurant and winery in a cellar.

U Babuni. Rustic wooden interior, good value trad meals.

Buddha. Mostly good reviews for this Indian restaurant.

Koku Sushi. Sushi place with a large menu selection.

Patio. Top quality Silesian and Polish specialties from this long-established restaurant.

Patio-Park. Another branch of Patio, with wonderful Polish cuisine, and a beautiful setting by Kosciuszki Park.

Karcma pod Strzechom. Done up like a mountain chalet, this serves trad country dishes.

Drink

Katofonia. Live rock, blues and other music.

Lorneta z Meduzą. Bistro bar with filling food.

Hipnoza Jazz Club. Jazz and other music, drinks and interesting dishes.

Spiż. Club with decent music and drink.

Absurdalna. Spacious indoor and patio seating.

Sleep

Hostel Katowice Centrum. Clean and very convenient.

Hostel Polonia. It's a basic hotel rather than a hostel. Gets noise from the nearby station.

Hotel Diament. Comfy friendly place on a tram route, some noise from the events hall.

Jopi Hostel. Friendly hostel with 2-, 4- and 6-bed rooms, six bathrooms and shared kitchen. The neighbourhood is a bit rough.

Mercure Katowice Centrum. Convenient Accor chain hotel.

Hotel Mariacki. Clean, friendly and central.

Hotel M23 is by the Mariacki at No 23 and gets good reviews.

Courtyard by Marriott. Smart place in the centre.

Novotel. Spacious efficient Accor chain hotel convenient for motorists. With pool, sauna and gym.

Hotel Senator. Comfy simple place. On a tram route, so this means some street noise.

Hotel Załęże. Two km west of main railway station and downtown, this is okay for what you pay.

Marysin Dwór. Simple accommodation in the industrial suburbs next to Załęże railway station.

Stary Nikiszowiec. Modern simple place in a former miners' estate.

Hotel Monopol. Grand old central hotel, opened in 1903, with modern spacious rooms.

Qubus Hotel. Modern, central four-star hotel. The Sky Bar has nice views from the 27th floor.

Vienna House Easy. Slick modern hotel in the centre with 203 comfortable rooms and apartments.