Just a short and luxurious 2-hour and something Wizz Air flight from Luton Airport will take you to the historic mining region of Polish Upper Silesia. A populous and resource-rich area, Silesia as a whole primarily sits within Polish borders, with small areas within Germany and the Czech Republic.
Katowice, capital of the Silesian Voivodeship, was the destination for this trip. Located east of the much-bigger Wrocław and west of arguably Europe’s best weekend trip destination, Kraków, Katowice probably hasn’t caught your attention to date.
The city boasts a decent offering for the curious traveller, with sites including the Spodek - a UFO-shaped arena in the outskirts of town which sits next to the opulent glass temple that is the PWC building, the converted coal mine-cum-art gallery Muzeum Śląskie, in addition to a selection of cafes, galleries and cultural spaces converted from former-industrial spaces. Charming outdoor food and beer markets in the city centre also bode very well for weekend plans. Honourable mentions include the local shooting range. You can expect all of this, plus the usual Polish fare of tasty homemade food that goes way beyond pierogi dumplings, tipsy Żabka (Polish chain convenience store) trips and delightfully affordable beer, shots and snacks served up at fun, unpretentious and late opening bars.
However, arguably the biggest cultural draw to Katowice is the small historic neighbourhood of Nikiszowiec - located just a 10-minute drive from the city centre. Historic Nikiszowiec was shaped by the raw industrial energy of early 20th-century Poland. It is renowned for its rows of formerly miner-occupied terraced red brick houses with unique red-tipped window frames, picturesque shared courtyards, and the colossal smoke-chucking chimneys of old that lurk stoically behind the uniform rows of houses.
Within each courtyard, there's a palpable sense of history; these are spaces where families shared their daily lives, and where the quiet pulse of the neighbourhood endures even as the mining days fade. Windows are adorned with lace curtains and potted plants, human touches against the industrial blackened walls and grey Silesian skies above.
Nikiszowiec is a place that feels genuine, lived-in, and alive with untold stories—a perfect spot for any travel photography enthusiast unhappy with their current level of Polish travels. Katowice, Nikiszowiec and wide Silesia are excellent choices for that next weekend trip. For more excellent post-industrial spots, Ostrava, in the Czech Republic is accessible in just over one hour from Katowice, via Flixbus, and wholly worth a look.
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