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Index:

Introduction……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………2

How to arrive to Katowice by plane………………………………………………………………………………………..3

Zloty……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….4

Transport throughout Poland…………………………………………………………………………………………………5

Dishes you must try if you are in Poland………………………………………………………………………………..8

What would you like to drink?.................................................................................................11

Transport through Katowice and nearby cities…………………………………………………………………….13

Koleje Slaskie……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….15

Polish Language……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………16

Commercial and entertaining centers in Katowice……………………………………………………………….17

Striptease Clubs……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………19

Places for leisure………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….20

Nikiszowiec and Giszowiec………………………………………………………………………………………………….22

Park Slaski………………………………………………………………………………………....................................25

Sosnowiec……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………27

Pszczyna……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..28

Gliwice………………………………………………………………………………………..........................................30

Smierklaniec Park………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..32

Czestochowa……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….34

Bielsko-Biala……………………………………………………………………………………….................................36

Cieszyn-Cesky Tesin……………………………………………………………………………………….......................38

Tyskie Brewery………………………………………………………………………………………............................40

Ustron………………………………………………………………………………………..........................................42

Szczyrk………………………………………………………………………………………...........................................44

Industrial Monuments Route……………………………………………………………………………………….........45

Cracow ………………………………………………………………………………………...........................................46

Oswiecim………………………………………………………………………………………......................................48

Travelling to Czech Republic………………………………………………………………………………………............50

Travelling to Belarus………………………………………………………………………………………..........................52

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Introduction:

Dears:

I am Alberto Gonzalez, and I am an EVS volunteer at Bona Fides Association in Katowice. The

project of creating a touristic guide for young people was born when I read a guide about

Poland and I saw that there was not almost anything about Katowice and Silesia, something

unfair with this region due to all the things that has to offer to the visitor (Nikiszowiec, Park

Chorzowski, Spodek, Mariacka).

Other reason was that Katowice is very unknown outside Poland. Everybody knows Warsaw,

Cracow, Wroclaw, Gdansk… but Katowice is considered just as a cheap airport and a train

station, when it really has much more to offer.

Many young people like travelling, but of course, we cannot afford spending one or two nights

in a hotel, so this guide can also be a good way to discover how to travel throughout Silesia

and other worthy places in Poland. For example, what you could do if you go to Katowice for 2-

3 days.

This guide is open and does not have an ending, anyone can collaborate and update it. Maybe

future volunteers in Bona Fides can continue this project. Anyway, Katowice has changed a lot

these last years and for sure, it will be changing more and more.

Witamy na Śląsku!

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How to arrive to Katowice by plane:

You can find two airports next to Katowice: Pyrzowice, located 35 km far away from the city

centre or John Paul II Airport located in Cracow, located 65 km far away from Katowice.

Curiously, the trip from Krakow to Katowice is cheaper than taking the bus from Pyrzowice

John Paul II (Kraków) – Katowice:

The best option is taking either the bus 208 or 292 that will leave you next to the Bus Station

(Dworzec Autobusowy). The price of the ticket is 4 PLN and the trip to the bus station lasts 25-

30 minutes. Once you are at the bus station, you should look for “Katowice” located on the

platforms. There is a bus each 15 minutes that goes to Katowice, but only until 21:00h, and the

price of the ticket can vary between 4-14 PLN, depending on the company and the promotions,

but the best one can be Uni-Bus, with 8 PLN. The trip to the bus station (Dworzec PKS) lasts a

bit more than one hour.

Pyrzowice – Katowice.

From Pyrzowice you will find micro-buses that will bring you to Cracow and one urban bus that

will leave you at train station of Katowice (Dworzec PKP). The trip will last approximately 40

minutes and it costs 27 PLN one way. You can consult the timetable of the bus here*:

http://77.252.189.162/index.php?co=rozklady&submenu=tabliczka&nr_linii=Lotnisko&nr_przy

st=1&id_trasy=11164

*Codziennie means everyday (from Monday to Sunday)

Travelling by plane from Katowice.

If you want to go from Pyrzowice, the best option will be travelling through Ryanair or Wizzair.

By Ryanair you will have a flight to London once a day and once a week to Alicante (on

Mondays); and from Pyrzowice to Kutaisi, in Georgia with Wizzair. From Cracow you will have

more options to travel but the flight will be a bit more expensive, just choose the most suitable

option for your needs!

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Złoty:

The currency in Poland is Polish Złoty (PLN). One Euro is equivalent, approximately to four PLN

and one USD is approximately 3 PLN. Generally Euros will not be accepted in shops, unless you

are next to the border with Germany or Slovakia. The best option would be to withdraw

money from a Polish bank by using a debit card (lowest fee for exchanging money) or if

possible, to go to a Kantor* (currency exchange places) when you are already in the city.

Avoid exchanging currencies at banks in your country, they will take some days to bring you

the money and the fee will be high, and even in some cases, they will not know what a Złoty is.

If it is also possible, avoid also airports, they will give you even less than 3 PLN per Euro, so if

you are in an urgency (you need some money for the bus that will bring you to the city center)

and you do not have any other option, exchange low quantities at the airport.

*Kantor

You will find a Kantor in almost every street. In these offices you can exchange Euros for Złotys

and vice-versa. Inside these offices you will find a screen with two columns: Skup, in which you

change your Euros for Złotys; and Sprzedaż where you can change PLN for Euros or other

currencies. Depending on the place, the change will be better (1 EUR – 4.15 PLN as media), but

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in overcrowded places the change will be lower. Also depending on the office, they will only

accept banknotes from 5 Euros onwards.

Ways of transport throughout Poland:

There are three possible ways to Ravel throughout Poland: by bus, by train and by renting a

car. Here we will explain how to deal with it with more details.

By bus:

Travelling by bus may be not so comfortable as by train, but it is usually cheaper. The most

popular company in Poland is Polski Bus (http://www.polskibus.com/en/). Polski Bus buses

have free WI-FI and plug-ins incorporated. You can have connections to other cities like

Gdańsk, Poznań, Warsaw, and other ones abroad, like Berlin, Wien and Bratislava. From

Katowice you can go to to Wroclaw, Opole, Warsaw and Zakopane, Berlin, Gdansk, Wien and

Bratislawa. Depending on the day and the hour of your trip, the price will change (on Fridays

and weekends it will be a bit more expensive than on weekdays).

You have to book the tickets in advance through their website. In this case it is not necessary

to print the tickets, writing down the ticket number and saying it to the driver will be enough.

You can also buy them in the bus station (Dworzec PKS) but it will be a bit more expensive.

You can find also other companies like PKS (national bus company), Polski Express and

Eurolines, oriented to long-term trips and which also offer free WI-FI. Another possibility to

visit little villages of interest is using micro-buses and in this case you have to buy the ticket

from the driver. From Katowice you can go through these micro-buses to Oswięcim, Zawiercie,

Siewierz, Cieszyn, Wisła and other cities. One known company that offers this service is

Busbrothers (http://busbrothers.pl/).

You can also find some transports by private companies to Czech Republic (Ostrava, Olomouc

and Prague can be interesting cities to visit from Katowice), and you can find a one-way ticket

to Ostrava for 67 PLN. Maybe in this case you can save some money by going to Cieszyn,

crossing the border and going by train from Cesky Tesin.

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It is important to say that if you have some kind of Student Card (Legytimacja Studencka) or

other kind of valid card, you will have discounts on the price.

By train:

The national company in Poland is PKP, although you can find also other local companies that

can offer regional trips (in the case of Katowice and trips to other Silesian cities you will find

Koleje Śląskie). You can find more information about timetables in this website by just writing

the departure and the arrival city and the date and time in which you are interested to travel:

http://rozklad-pkp.pl/bin/query.exe/en?. You can also buy a ticket (if available) through the

website or buy it on a desk at the train station (Dworzec PKP).

They may be a bit more expensive than buses, but you can find them more comfortable

because you can move and walking a bit. Sometimes you can find Wi-FI in some of them, but it

will not be as common as in buses. If you have a valid discount card (Legitymacja Studencka)

you can obtain important discounts.

By renting a car:

Renting a car can be also an option if you do not want to depend on bus/train schedules and

you want more freedom of movements. In Katowice you can find one company located inside

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Hotel Katowice, in Aleja Korfantego 9. On the other hand, it would be only worthy to rent it if

you are 4-5 people (it would imply more than one driver, and sharing costs would make the

trip cheaper). Another requirement would be the possession of a credit card to pay the car,

because debit cards are not usually admitted. Renting one car can cost from 300 PLN onwards,

depending on the place you rent the car and the place you give it back to the enterprise, and

also depending on the days you are renting it (weekends and festivities will suppose an extra

cost). The price of gasoline can vary, but it is usually between 5,30 and 5,60 PLN per liter,

similar to other countries of the European Union.

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Dishes you must try if you are in Poland:

Polish cuisine is very varied and defined by many people as “hearty”, so if you have decided to

follow a strict diet, maybe these dishes are not made for you. On the other hand, these dishes

are easy to prepare they are really tasty; and ingredients are quite easy to find also outside

Poland. You will be able to find a lot of recipes on the Internet. Here there are some of the

dishes I have tried, but for sure there are a lot more!

Pierogi:

Pierogis can be considered as the national dish in Poland. The translation into English could be

“dumplings”, and they are filled with cheese and potatoes (Pierogi Ruskie), meat (Pierogi z

mięsem), cabbage (Pierogi z kapustą)… but you can also fill them with many different kind of

ingredients (peach, lentils, kasza, bacon). They are usually served with onions, bacon and sour

cream.

Bigos:

It is made of cabbage and some meat (sausage mainly, although you can use different kinds of

meat) and mushrooms. It has sour, spicy taste, but if you like this kind of flavors, it can be

really worthy to taste!

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Kluski Śląskie:

This dumplings are made of mashed potatoes and wheat flour. They are boiled in salty water.

Generally they are served with sauce.

Rolada Śląska:

Beef-meat roll usually served with kluski and red cabbage. Traditionally served on Sundays and

weddings.

Żurek:

It is a sour rye soup. Depending on the region the recipe can be different but for example it can

include potatoes and sausage. It is a very cheap dish that satisfies easily.

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Rosol z makaronem:

Chicken soup with pasta. The pasta is usually home-made and is cooked separately from the

soup and mixed after its preparation. A very typical post-hangover dish.

Łazanki:

Special pasta (because of its squared shape) with cabbage. You can either buy this special

pasta, called Łazanki, or buying some spiraled-shape pasta in a super-market. You can also add

some bacon to the mix.

So if you are in Poland, don’t miss the opportunity of trying some of these dishes, it will be a

wonderful experience!

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What would you like to drink?

The first thing that may come to your mind when you hear “Poland” can be Vodka. And it can

be said that is true that Vodka is a very popular beverage in Poland, but it is not the only one!

Beer:

Beer is also a very popular beverage in Poland, and you will find a wide variety of them. Tyskie,

Zywiec, Zubr, Lech, Kziazece, Warka, Okocim… You can find them in half-liter bottles or half-

liter cans. Popular brands have also created some varieties (wheat, black…) so you can taste

some different flavors from the same brand.

Tyskie and Zywiec breweries are located in Silesia, being the one located in Tychy (just 12 km

far away from Katowice) the nearest one, so you can go there to see the process of beer

brewing!

Vodka

Vodka is by far the most famous drink in Poland and in any supermarket you will find a wide

variety of them: Soplica, Zołądkowa (in English would mean something like “digestive”),

Zubrówka… and also you may be invited to try one home-made one (be very careful with it!!).

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It can be drunk in cold shots or accompanied by other drinks, like juice or sparkled drinks, but I

prefer to drink it in shots . If you are invited to a wedding your shot glass will be always full

because somebody will go around your table to fill it!

Kompot:

Kompot is a non-alcoholic popular drink In Eastern Europe and it is composed by the result of

boiling fruit (apple, strawberries…) in water. It is a way of conserving fruit. It is usually served

cold, but I tried hot one and it was also very tasty.

Miód Pitny

It is the result of the fermentation of honey and water. It is an alcoholic drink with a similar

taste to beer, honey and fruits (if you use them in the process). If you are patient you can

make this drink by yourself and enjoy the taste!

But… I would like to say that it could be good to drink alcohol in a moderate way and avoid

drinking if you are pregnant or you are going to drive your car back home soon!

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Transport throughout Katowice and nearby cities:

The “best” option in this case will be by bus or tram. The local bus company in Katowice and

nearby cities (Chorzów, Mysłowice, Gliwice, Sosnowiec, Zabrze…) is KZK GOP. You can find

timetables and routes here: http://77.252.189.162/index.php?co=rozklady. If you want to go

to Tychy and surrounding cities, like Łaziska Górne, you will find MZK Tychy as the local

company.

You will be able to buy tickets from automatic machines, many shops like Footem or Żabka or

directly from the bus driver (it will be a bit more expensive in this case).

Generally in newer buses and trams, you will hear a voice or you will see an electronic sign

inside the bus that is indicating in which bus stop are you or which will be the next one to be

ready to get off. But in older buses or trams you will only have a signal with the last stop and

no voice will be indicating you where are you, so the best option would be asking somebody (if

you are lucky you will find somebody who can speak English) where you are or counting the

bus stops until the one that you have to get off. Please be careful with the N/Ż stops, the driver

will only stop if you press the stop button!

List of prices of KZK GOP:

one city or 15 minutes from the moment you introduce the ticket inside one of the

machines that are located inside the bus (1)– 3,20 PLN (reduced (2) 1,60)

two cities or 30 minutes since you introduce the ticket inside the machine – 3,80 PLN

(reduced 1,90 PLN)

three and more cities or one hour since you introduce the ticket – 4,80 PLN or 2,40

reduced.

24-hours: 18 PLN, 9 PLN reduced

48-hours: 28 PLN, 14 PLN reduced

5-days: 44 PLN, 22 PLN reduced

7-days: 50 PLN. 25 PLN reduced

14-days: 88 PLN, 44 PLN reduced

monthly: 174 PLN, 87 PLN reduced

3-months ticket (only for Katowice): 322 PLN, 161 PLN reduced (3)

3-months ticket (two and more cities): 376 PLN, 188 reduced.

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(1)- Inside buses you will find some machines where you can introduce the ticket. The conductor

will check the ticket to check if you have introduced it into the machine. If you don’t have the ticket

or you haven’t introduced it inside the machine you will be fined with 200 PLN, to be paid

immediately in case of being a foreigner.

(2)- You will have to show the conductor a valid document (Legitymacja Studencka).

(3)- Only valid inside the municipal terms of Katowice.

Useful vocabulary:

You will be able to find KZK GOP website in English, German and Russian besides Polish, but at bus

stops you will find only indications in Polish. Generally, timetables will be different at weekends

than on weekdays or even the bus will not do the route at weekends.

-Codziennie: from Monday to Sunday

-Robocze: From Monday to Sunday (without including festive days)

-Od Poniedziałku do Piątku: From Monday to Friday

-Sobota: Saturday

-Niedziela: Sunday

-Dni Wolne: Free days

-W Sobotę i Niedzielę: On Saturdays and Sundays

-W Ferii I Wakacji: Festivities

-N/Ż (Na Żądanie): Under request (you will have to press stop button if you want the driver to stop

in that stop)

-Nie kursuje w Sobotę i Niedzielę: the bus won’t do that route at weekends.

-Nie kursuje na zmień czasu: the bus won’t go through that bus stop when you change the hour

(applicable to night buses)

-Kursuje jak dni Wolne od xx:xx : the bus will do the route as a free day from a determinate hour

(mainly on festivities or special events)

-(Number of the bus)N: night bus.

-T(Number): Tram

-Kierunek: destiny

-Przystanek: stop

-Następny przystanek: next stop

-Wyjście: Exit

-Wejście: entry

-Imieniny: Day of…

-Drzwi: door

How to ask for a ticket (bilet)

-Poproszę bilet normalny/ulgowy za 4,80/2,40 (cztery osiemdziesiąt/ dwa czterdzieści) : Please, a

normal/reduced ticket for 4,80/2,40

-Można bilet? - May i have a ticket?

-Cały/Normalny/Ulgowy: Normal/Reduced

-Dziękuję: Thank you

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Koleje Śląskie – Travelling through Silesia by train:

Koleje Śląskie is the local company that operates in Silesia. With this company you can travel

from Katowice to other interesting cities located in Silesia, like Gliwice (40 min – 1 h), Bielsko-

Biała (2 h), Częstochowa (2 h) and Pszczyna (30 min) among other ones and sometimes, the

only way possible. You can buy the ticket at the station desk or directly inside the train from

the conductor (in little villages, it will be the only way because the station is closed). You can

check timetables here: http://www.rozklad-pkp.pl/bin/query.exe/pn?

On the other hand, besides the trip can be more comfortable than travelling by bus, it is a bit

slower because the train will stop in each train stop.

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Polish language:

Polish language can be a bit different from English native-speakers (and for those who are used

to learning English). It has seven cases and three genders, and in each case the ending of

words is different (declensions) depending on their function on a sentence.

On the other hand, if you are motivated to learn Polish (you are working or studying in Poland,

you have Polish friends…) everything will be a bit easier and step by step you will be

maintaining conversations in Polish before you realize!

Basic useful expressions:

Cześć – Hello / bye

Dzień dobry – Good morning

Jak się masz? – How are you?

Dobrze – Fine

Jak się nazywasz? – What’s your name?

Nazywam się … - My name is…

Jestem Hiszpaniem – I am Spaniard

Jestem z Hiszpanii – I am from Spain

Skąd jesteś? – Where are you from?

Ile masz lat? – How old are you?

Mam… lat – I am … years old

Miło mi (się poznać) – nice to meet you

O która godzina? – What time is it?

Pięć po pierwszej – Five past one

Poproszę bilet do Krakowa – Please, a ticket to Cracow

O która godzina będzie pojechał pociągiem do Katowic? – At what time does the train

departure to Katowice?

O której będziemy w Katowicach? At what time will we be in Katowice?

Lubię Polskę – I like Poland

Potrzebuję doładować telefon za dziesięć złotych – I need to top-up my telephone for 10

zlotys.

Lubię cię – I like you

Kocham cię – I love you

Czy chcesz tańczyć? – Do you want to dance?

Poproszę jedno piwo – One beer, please.

Do której pracuje sklep? – Until what time is the shop open?

Chciałbym zwiedzić Katowice – I would like to visit Katowice

Do widzenia – Good bye

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Commercial and entertainment centers in Katowice.

Recently there have been constructed several commercial and entertaining centers in the city

center and nearby districts. The possibilities to find whatever you want (technology, clothes,

products at supermarkets, fitness centers, places to eat something…) are high and it give a

higher attraction for visitors and inhabitants of Katowice.

Galeria Katowicka:

Located at 3go Maja street, this commercial center started to work one year ago and has

become one of the most transited places of the city. This center has four floors and there you

can find a supermarket, a cinema, some places to eat, several clothes shops of international

brands and shops related to technology. It opens from 9 AM to 9 PM.

Silesia City Center:

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Located in Dąb district, you can go there by tram from the tram stop located at the Rondo. You

can use any tram that go to Chórzow. Like in Galeria Katowicka, you can find a big supermarket

called Tesco, clothes shops, a fitness center and several restaurants and buffets and a cinema.

Trzy Stawy:

You can go here by taking buses number 674, 672 or 910 from Dworzec PKP. Here you can find

a fitness centre and shops like Leroy Merlin and Mediamarkt, besides a big shoping mall, cafes

and pizzerias.

Katowice Punkt 44 Cinema City:

Located at Gliwicka Street, you can access there by taking trams 7 and 20 from Rynek and

getting off at Załęże Póspiecha. Here you can find a cinema and an entertaining centre with

bowling, billiards and arcade machines.

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Striptease clubs:

You are with a couple of friends (in case all of you are men, because girls are not allowed to

enter inside) walking by a crowded street in Poland, searching for a club to have a drink. A girl

with a pink umbrella is getting close to you step by step and offers you something very

tempting for tourists: sexy girls as company, drinks, and dancing private sessions (sometimes,

even insinuations about having sex with the girls). In cities like Cracow or Zakopane, very

tourist-oriented, public relationships can be even annoying with tourists by offering them

these flyers or just by offering you an initial drink for 15-20 PLN. But the price of drinks inside,

on the other hand, is much higher than the promised initial drink.

On the internet you can find testimonies of foreigners that have been scammed by these kinds

of clubs, by discovering on the following day that they have several zeroes less on their bank

accounts, card transactions they did not remember about, and of course without remembering

what happened on the previous night inside the club, maybe because the effect of drugs or an

excessive quantity of alcohol inside their bodies.

So, if a girl with a pink umbrella is offering you a really tempting promise related to girls and

drinks, you just can say a “no” as a polite answer and search for another kind of club to spend

your night in!

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Places for leisure:

Mariacka Street:

Mariacka Street is located five minutes on foot far away from the Train Station and a bit more

from Bus Station. This street is full of pubs that can offer cheap drinks to tourists, and in

summer the atmosphere becomes much bigger due to the beer gardens that each pub

constructs on the street. You can have half a liter of beer for just 4-5 PLN. It can be a good

option if you are searching for a place to start your evening party or just a place to spend a

smooth evening.

In this street you can find places like Pijalnia, Wódki I Piwo: decorated as an old-style place,

offers beer for 4 PLN and different typical Polish dishes for 8 PLN. It can be said that this place

is opened almost 24h, so you can go at any moment of the day to spend some time there.

On the other hand, if you are searching for an alternative atmosphere, you can go to Kato or

Katofonia. The last one offers different varieties of beer than the usual ones that you can find

in bars and from time to time offers live music and concerts.

In Ambassada Sledzia, you can try many different fish tapas and dishes. From time to time,

cultural events are celebrated at this place.

City Pub:

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Located in 3go Maja, this pub is usually crowded on Fridays and Saturdays with people who

wants to dance, cheap drinks and parties. With a valid document, like a student card, you can

obtain some discounts. On weekdays, you can go to learn some latin dances, like bachata or

salsa... and lessons are provided for free, so you just can try!

On the other hand, if you like watching football games, you can go to watch a Champions

League match and the atmosphere is quite nice, but you should reserve in advance or be at

least 30 minutes before the game starts to find a good place.

Rajzefeber:

Located also in 3go Maja and very near from City Pub, you can get here to dance. You will find

here cheap beer, a nice atmosphere. You will be able to dance funk and rock music here, eat

something and spend a nice party time.

Carpe Diem:

Located in Plac Wolnosci, you can come here to dance any kind of music (you can discover

many popular Polish songs when people becomes crazy on the dancing place). Oriented to

students, you will find some interesting offers on Mondays.

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Pomarancza:

Located next to Plac Wolnosci, this is a famous disco in Katowice. Similar discos called the

same can be found in Cracow and Bielsko-Biala.

There are two floors: in the ground floor is located the main room and on the second floor you

can find a R&B room, so if you feel bored with the same music that every disco plays, you can

go upstairs!

Bavitto:

It is located in Plac Miarki and it is famous for the different and wide kind of shots you can

drink there. You can just lay down on a sofa and drink or you can dance at the stage until 4

AM, you choose.

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Nikiszowiec and Giszowiec.

Nikiszowiec and Giszowiec are two little neighborhoods constructed 100 years ago as a place

where miners that were working in nearby mines could live with their families. Some shops

were also opened in order to cover the basic needs of the new inhabitants of Nikiszowiec and

Giszowiec. The unique architecture brings these two places a special atmosphere.

Nikiszowiec:

You just can have a walk through the streets of Nikiszowiec, visiting the Saint Anne church and

going to the touristic office where you can also see life conditions of a typical family of the

beginning of the 20th Century and you will be offered a little map and a route you can follow

through the settlement. Nearby you can find also one art gallery where you can find all kind of

old objects and drinking a beer outside. And if you want to spend some time of relax, you can

go to the cafes and try a Pączek or drinking a beer. If you want to follow the news and events

that are held there, you can follow their Facebook Fanpage, called Nikiszowiec – Magiczne

Miejsce (In Polish).

An interesting art gallery, called Szyb Wilson, is near to Nikiszowiec, and you can go there from

Nikiszowiec after a little walk of 10 minutes. Inside, you can find some paintings from Polish

and international painters and other kind of exhibitions. These exhibitions are changed from

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time to time, so it would be worthy to visit more than once if you decide to stay in Katowice

for a long time.

Giszowiec:

Giszowiec is located 2.5 km far away from Nikiszowiec and it is a bit bigger than this one. Here

you can have a walk through its streets to discover the particular architecture of the houses,

very different from the one you will find in Nikiszowiec, and having a drink on a café. Next to

the settlement you can also find a lake and a water tower to spend some time there. For

example, Pod Lipiami can be a nice place to try some Pierogi Ruskie (dumplings with potatoes

and cheese).

You can go to Nikiszowiec by the following buses:

-From Aleja Korfantego: 30 (Szyb Pułaski bus stop), 76 (Janów Oswobodzenia bus stop), 920

(Nikiszowiec Kosciół)

-From Dworzec PKP: 930 (Nikiszowiec Kosciół), 674 (Szyb Pułaski)

You can go to Giszowiec by the following buses:

From Dworzec PKP: 674 (Giszowiec Kosciół)

From Aleja Korfantego: 920 (Giszowiec Kosciół)

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Park Slaski:

Yes, this is a giraffe.

This park is located between Katowice and Chórzow and it is the biggest amusement park in

Europe. If you want to visit it, you have to take a tram at the Rondo (T7, T11 and T19) and get

off at WPKIW Wejscie Glówne (where you will see what everybody here calls a “giraffe”).

.

Silesia Stadion

In this park you can find a zoo, an attraction park, the Silesia Stadium, the Planetarium, the

GKS Stadium and the ethnographic park, among many little beer gardens where you can stay

for a while, enjoying the moment.

You can also go to the park for concerts and other kind of events. For example, the last

weekend of August there was a beer fest organized by Tyskie, a Polish beer brand.

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Ethnographic Park:

This is an enormous open museum located in Park Slaski. Tickets are 5 PLN and you will see old

cottages originally from other parts of Silesia, a church from the 18th Century. Many of these

houses can be visited, so you can discover more or less how was a typical house from the

Beskid mountains!

In summer, there are celebrated some events at the Etnographic Park, so it would be a good

idea to check out on Facebook if there is something interesting there!

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Sosnowiec:

Sosnowiec is a neighbour (and rival) city of Katowice, and jokes among inhabitants of both

cities are common. The easiest way to go there is by taking a bus from Moniuszki Street (buses

805, 807, 813, 810 and 40). Trip approximately takes 25 minutes from Katowice.

In Sosnowiec you can study at the Faculty of Philology, which belongs to the University of

Silesia and you can rent a room at the student residence located in Pogoń district. Next to the

train station, constructed on the 19th Century, you can find some places to have a drink.

Interesting places:

Schon Palace:

This palace was constructed in the 19th Century and it is surrounded by a park (Schon Park). It

offers exhibitions, cultural events and conferences. It can also be used as a chapel for

weddings.

From Katowice you can go to this palace by the buses mentioned above and you have to get

off at Pogoń Akademiki bus stop. By following the signs, you can get to the palace in 20

minutes by walking.

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The entrance is free on Saturdays but if you want to go other day you will have to pay 7 PLN (4

PLN reduced ticket with a valid document).

Pszczyna:

Pszczyna is a village located 30 minutes far away from Katowice and you can go there by a

Koleje Slaskie train. Tickets are between 7-9 PLN.

Interesting places:

Pszczyna Castle / Zamek w Pszczynie:

The castle was constructed on the 12th Century, when the Piast dynasty ruled the region.

Promnitz and Von Pless families were also the owners of this castle, transformed into a palace.

After the ending of World War II, it was re-converted into a museum.

Inside the museum, you can find that rooms are decorated with original objects from 18th and

19th Centuries that belonged to the previous owners of the castle, or palace.

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Bison Farm:

Next to the castle you can find the bison farm and see what is called “the king of the forest”,

besides other animals, like deers and local fauna. Tickets cost 9 PLN and it is really worthy to

spend some time there.

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Gliwice:

Gliwice is the second biggest city in Silesia and it is located one hour far away from Katowice.

You can take either buses 6, 840 and 870 (4,80 PLN) and getting off in Plac Piastów or a train in

Dworzec PKP (5 PLN), that will be a bit more comfortable.

Worthy places to visit.

Radio Station:

The Radio Station is located in a park next to the city center and you can take a bus from Plac

Piastów and getting off at Radiostacja bus stop. Then you have to walk straight for five minutes

and you will be there. You just can simply stay at the park for free and admiring the radio

tower, made of wood, being the biggest wood tower in the world. Nowadays is used as an

antenna by mobile phone companies.

The other option includes also a visit to the museum. The ticket is 5 PLN and you can visit the

facilities of the original radio station and watching a film about the radio station. It could be

said that the Second World War started here, so maybe it could be worthy to watch the film.

You can ask also the employee about a leaflet which includes a complete guide about Silesian

places that may be worthy to visit during your stay in this region.

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Rynek:

Located next to the Post Office and a touristic information centre, you can stay for a while

admiring its beauty. It is a small market place in comparison to other ones, but it is really

worthy to spend some time there and eating or drinking something.

Park Chopina:

In this park you can spend some relaxing time. Here is located Palm House, where you can find

a lot of different tropical plants, trees and animals beside palms, of course!

In conclusion, Gliwice can be worthy to visit for a morning, spending some time next to the

impressing Radio Station and doing some sightseeing!

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Smierklaniec Park, a not so-well known treasure in Silesia:

Smierklaniec Park is located near to Tarnowskie Góry. From Katowice you can go there by

taking bus nº5 in Plac Wolnosci and the trip more or less lasts one hour. The access to the park

is for free.

In the park you can find an old palace that nowadays is a little hotel and restaurant where you

can ask at the reception (also in English without any problems) about some information about

nearby places in the park or how to get back to Katowice. If you decide to explore a bit more,

you can find a big lake, a mini-zoo composed by statues of different animals, a sports center

and a church. You can also drink something at the beer gardens that you can find next to the

lake and get relaxed or go jogging throughout the park.

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In conclusion, if you are planning to spend some time in the middle of nature and you would

like to try something different than Park Slaski, you can come to Smierklaniec and discover

how is it going there by yourself!

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Czestochowa:

Czestochowa is located 64 km far away from Katowice. You can go either by train (2h) or by

bus (PKS Czestochowa). The city is famous because of Jasna Góra Sanctuary, a very important

place of worship for catholic people in Poland, and nowadays, a destiny for pilgrims of

different nationalities. It can be a good one-day trip from Katowice to spend the day.

Jasna Góra:

It is very easy to arrive: from the train station you must go right until you arrive to the biggest

avenue of the city, the Holy Virgin Mary Avenue, turn left and going straight. The access to the

basilica and the rest of the sanctuary is free.

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The famous painting of the Black Virgin can be seen during mass celebrations, but due to

overcrowdings, it is necessary to go to the first rows as soon as possible, because the wardrobe

where it is stored is closed after the mass.

You can also enter inside the tower and go upstairs to observe the whole city from a bird’s eye

view.

Rub Zelaza:

This museum is located very near from Jasna Góra. Ticket costs 8 PLN and you can use it to visit

other museums without paying extra money. The museum simulates the conditions of a mine

and shows tools used by miners. Recommendable to spend half an hour there.

You can also visit the Sacred Family Archicathedral. This church, made of bricks, was

constructed on early 20th Century and it is one of the biggest ones in Poland. Another

important church you can find is Saint Zygmunt, located at the other side of the Holy Virgin

Mary Avenue.

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Bielsko-Biała:

Bielsko-Biała is located in southern Silesia, next to the Slovakian and Czech borders and just

one hour far away from Katowice. You can go there by train through Koleje Slaskie, just consult

the timetable at the website. This city is an important touristic place in Silesia because of

winter sports and hiking, so it is an ideal place to be visited at every time of the year!

Town Hall

The city centre is full of historical buildings and monuments and it has been compared with

Wien because of their architectonical style (for example, the Town Hall is an example of this).

For example, you can spend some time at the Rynek (or Market Square, in English) to eat or

drink something, due to the nice atmosphere you can find there or walking by the streets.

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Rynek

So if you are interested in winter sports, hiking or just doing some sightseeing… Bielsko-Biała

can be a nice place to spend one day!

The Cathedral

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Cieszyn – Cesky Tesin

This village, located at the border with Czech Republic, is located 65 km far away from

Katowice. The town is divided into the Polish and the Czech part (Cesky Tesin).

You can go there either by train or by a micro-bus that you can take at Katowice Dworzec PKP,

on Plac Andrzeja side. One-way ticket is 14 PLN and you can buy it from the bus driver and you

can check timetables here: http://busbrothers.pl/. The travel lasts approximately 90 minutes.

If you are going to spend one day there, take into account that the last bus back to Katowice

will be at 18.50. There is another one at 20.50, but it will go only to Żory.

Interesting places to visit:

Rynek:

Called also “little Viena”, you can find here a touristic information office. From time to time

you can buy something at the market stalls that are located there.

Castle tower:

This tower is the only remaining construction of an old castle from the 12th Century. You can

access by paying 6 PLN (3 PLN with a discount card) and admire the views from the upper side,

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where you can also spot the Czech part of the village. Next to this tower you can take a look to

the Rotunda, an old Medieval chapel.

Cesky Tesin:

By crossing Olza river, you will be in Czech Republic. Through its train station, it is a cheaper

way to go to nearby cities like Ostrava (40 min) or Olomouc (1h 30m) than going directly by

bus from Katowice, but it will take much more time and it is much more expensive (schedules

are available in PKP website and Ceske Drahy website (http://www.cd.cz/en/)). Remember to

exchange into the Czech currency, Czech Crowns if you want to buy some souvenirs (people

mainly buy drinks and spirits that are not available in Poland), although it is possible to buy

also with Polish Złotys (1 PLN ~ 14 CZE; 1 EUR ~ 25 CZE)

Interesting places:

Town Hall:

Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

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Tyskie Brewery in Tychy:

If you enjoy drinking beer, you may be interested in visiting the Tyskie Brewery and discover

the history of this beer, how a brewery looks like and of course, tasting this famous beer in

Poland!

The tour is available in several languages (Polish, English, Spanish, French, German and Italian)

and lasts for two hours. You will be able to discover which beers are brewed in the Brewery

besides Tyskie, the process of brewing, the history of the brewery and the facilities. If you want

to visit this tour you should make a reservation in advance, being recommended to do it two

or three days before your visit. You can make your reservation via telephone (+48 32 327 84

30) or via e-mail (wycieczki.tyskie@kp.pl).

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From Katowice, you can catch MZK Tychy buses in Aleja Korfantego. You can catch either bus 1

or 4 and get off at “Browar” stop. The Brewery is located 5 minutes by walking form the bus

stop.

Prices of tickets:

15 PLN

12 PLN for groups of people (20 or more)

10 PLN with a valid discount card

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Ustroń

The town has a futuristic outlook because of a cluster of pyramid-shaped hotels. It is also the home of the Jan Jarocki Museum, which was founded in April 1986 as Museum of Metallurgy. It is housed in an old building of the former Klemens Steel Works, which was in use between 1772 and 1897.The museum collects technical tools, as well as historical and ethnographic artifacts. From Katowice, you can take a micro-bus for 12 PLN behind Dworzec PKP.

The Równica and Czantoria mountains are nearby and hikable from the town center.

Ustroń is without doubt one of the most charming towns in the Silesian Beskid

mountains, nestling attractively in the Vistula valley between Czantoria Wielka (995

metres above sea level) and Równica (884 metres above sea level). From Ustroń you

can easily get to the other towns and villages of “The Beskidzka 5”, (Wisła, Brenna,

Istebna, and Szczyrk). Czech Republic and Slovakia are also easily reachable from there.

Ustroń has gorgeous scenery, excellent accommodation and restaurants, a host of

exciting cultural and sporting events and attractions for thrill-seekers. It is an excellent

place for a break, and to participate in leisure activities.

The city is full of monuments from 18th and 19th Century waiting for you. The best way

to learn about Ustroń’s history is to visit Ustroń Museum, which is housed in the

historic building which served the directors of the Foundry. The most important

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surviving wooden buildings in Ustroń are St. Anne’s church in Nierodzim, dating from

1769, and the reconstructed farmstead in the centre of the town which dates back to

the second half of the eighteenth century. Other interesting churches are the Roman

Catholic church of St. Clement built in 1788 and the Lutheran church of St. James the

Apostle, dating from 1835. The famous Sobieski oak is Ustroń’s most important natural

monument. Legend has it that the tree was planted by townspeople to commemorate

the march through Ustroń of King John III Sobieski’s forces on their way to the Battle of

Vienna.

When you have admired the exquisite scenery it’s time to head for a waymarked walk,

hiking trail or cycle path. Why not take the new, four-seater chairlift up Czantoria? You

can walk up to the summit and enjoy the spectacular panorama from the viewing

tower, or take a ride on the summer toboggan run. If you are in good shape you can

climb Równica by taking the red hiking trail or drive up to the top. On Równica you can

enjoy the high ropes course and the attractions of the Extreme Park, where there is a

year-round toboggan run. If you would like to spend some time looking at large wild

animals and birds of prey visit the Forest Nature Park (Leśny Park Niespodzianek)

where you will see European bison, red deer, roe deer, fallow deer and mouflon, as

well as flying displays featuring birds of prey.

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Szczyrk:

Ski jumping hill

Szczyrk is a little village located In Beskid Silesia. You can go by Koleje Slaskie from Katowice

and you can check schedules on the following link:

https://www.couchsurfing.org/group_read.html?gid=2642&post=15968829

You can spend a nice day in this city if you like hiking, winter sports (skiing), mountain tourism

or just enjoying beautiful landscapes from the peaks. You can access to Skrzycne peak through

a chairlift which costs no more than 7 PLN or by hiking. This peak is very interesting for tourists

because of the landscape that it offers, and the interesting routes you can follow by hiking.

You can find also there a cottage in which you can enjoy local food or drinking something.

The city is an ideal place to be visited either in summer (hiking thorugh the ski slopes) or in

winter if you are interested in winter sports (skiing, snowboarding…). So, if you like mountain

tourism, do not hesitate to visit this wonderful place!

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Industrial Monuments Route:

Silesia is known because of its industrial and mining activity as a principal sector. As a way to

improve tourism at the region and showing the history of the region, you can visit some of

these places: old stations, mines, breweries and factories. You can go to cities like Katowice

(Nikiszowiec-Giszowiec), Myslowice, Bytom, Laziska Górne, Czestochowa, Ustron, Zywiec,

Sosnowiec, Pszczyna, Zabrze...

You can discover for example, how beer was brewed in Tyskie and Zywiec Breweries, how

looks like a mine (for example, you can go to Guido Mine in Zabrze or visiting the Silver Mine in

Tarnowskie Góry), how looks a miners´ settlement (Nikiszowiec and Giszowiec settlements) or

just visiting some museums who show the life conditions of miners at late 19th Century – early

20th Century.

The volunteers of Bona Fides have been monitoring the places included on this route as a way

to help to improve them and making them more attractive for visitors (for example, some of

them need to include an English section on their websites, or some explanations in English at

the museums, or just to improve the information that they offer on their websites).

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Cracow:

Cracow is one of the most visited cities in Europe and it is only one hour far away from

Katowice and you can take a bus (Uni-Bus) each 30 minutes from platform 10 at Dworzec PKS.

Price tickets are between 4-14 PLN, and you can buy them directly from the bus driver and you

will get off at Dworzec Główny in Cracow (bus and train station). Cracow is ideal for a one-day

trip or to spend one night there.

Places of interest:

Rynek:

Sukiennice

This is the centre of Cracow and here you can find a wonderful atmosphere and a place that

never sleeps. During the day you can spend some time there eating something and going

inside Sukiennice, and buying some souvenirs at the market or going to the museum located in

the underground. At night you can go partying here and on the streets located nearby. You will

find a lot of public relationships who will offer you some flyers for discos and pubs. You can

find almost any kind of music, so you just can choose where you want to go!

Here you can find also the old tower of the Town Hall and Saint Mary’s Basilica.

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Kazimierz:

This settlement, located near to the Rynek, is known because of being an important Jewish

settlement in Cracow and in Poland. You can visit it through a free guided tour which includes

English and Spanish. The tour lasts for two hours and you will visit the most important places

in this neighborhood, besides discovering the history of Kazimierz.

At night you can go to some pubs or discos and tasting Zapiekanka at the Marquet Square.

Vawel Cathedral:

Located also next to the Rynek, the Vawel Cathedral combines different architectonical styles

and it is considered as the national sanctuary of Poland and an architectonical wonder. Many

of the most important kings of Poland are buried here. Lech Kaczynski, a former President of

Poland who died in a plane accident in Russia, and his wife (who died also in this accident)

were also buried here.

Next to the Cathedral you can find the Vawel Castle, which is also impressing.

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If you decide to spend some days in Cracow, you can also visit the Salt Mines in Wieliczka, or

you can try to visit Tarnów, located 80 km far away from Cracow, or you can spend a couple of

days in Zakopane if you are interested in mountain tourism… every time you visit this city you

will discover new places and you will fall in love step by step with this city!

Oswięcim:

This town is located in Lesser Poland and it is located one hour far away from Katowice. You

can take a micro-bus from Aleja Korfantego and it will cost 8 PLN. The best moment to take it

would be at 9.30 and getting off at the train station. Last train back to Katowice is at 18.20 and

lasts for one hour. To check further changes on the timetable, consult the PKP official website.

Places of Interest:

Auschwitz-Birkenau:

Needless to say, this place is sadly known because of what the Nazis did to Jewish people and

other minorities. You can find guided tours in Polish, English, Russian, German, French,

Spanish, Czech, Serbian and Japanese and the price of a ticket is 40 PLN if you hire a guide

(obligatory for organized groups). You can hire a guide either by internet, calling to the

museum or at the reception, but on the own official website is recommended to do it in

advance due to the quantity of visitors.

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The tour lasts for three hours and includes Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II camps. In this tour, the

guide will drive you through some of the barracks and he will explain you about the history of

the concentration camp. It seems that you can visit the concentration camp without a guide,

but in this case his/her presence would be very useful to know more details about what

happened there and explain the expositions.

Rynek:

Located next to the train station, you can stay there for a while to eat or drink something.

Castle:

In Oswięcim you can find also a nice castle from the 13th Century.

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In conclusion, Oswięcim is really worthy to visit because here you can find an important part of

the history of Poland and besides that, to spend a nice day doing some sightseeing in the town.

Give it a try, it is less than one hour far away from Katowice!

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Travelling to the Czech Republic:

In Czech Republic you can find nice cities like Olomouc, Prague and Brno or interesting places

for pub crawling like Ostrava, located just 75 km far away from Katowice, so you can find really

interesting places and visit another country theoretically located just one hour far away from

Katowice… if it wasn’t because of prices or that there is not usually a direct train there and

you can spend 5 hours just to travel 80 km.

The first option can be booking a train ticket (Intercity) to Czech Republic, for example to

Ostrava, the nearest important city to Katowice. On the other hand, the direct ticket can be a

bit expensive.

Other option is travelling by bus. This is the fastest option (1,30 h to Ostrava, 2,30 to Olomouc

and 5 to Prague), but it is also a bit expensive if for example, you just pretend to spend just

one day in Ostrava (more oriented for partying) or Olomouc (a really beautiful city for

sightseeing).

The cheapest option would be taking a micro-bus to Cieszyn at Dworzec PKP – Plac Andrzeja

for 14 PLN and the trip would last 1.20h. In 20 minutes you can cross the border and arrive to

Cesky Tesin train station (already in Czech Republic). Once there you can take a train to

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Ostrava, Olomouc and Prague. You can find that there is a very comfortable train line from

Zilina (Slovakia) to Prague that passes through Cesky Tesin, Ostrava and Olomouc, you can

check timetables in www.cd.cz. But if you want to spend only the day in Ostrava or Olomouc,

you should take the first bus to Cieszyn at 6.10 and getting the train in Cesky Tesin at 8. And

remember that if you want to spend the day, you have to be in Cieszyn again before 18.50 to

take the last bus back to Katowice!

And when it comes to money, take into account that the currency in Czech Republic is Czech

Crown (1 EUR is approximately 25 CZE). In the border with Poland it would be good to

exchange from Polish Złoty, but in touristic places like Prague, it is much more recommendable

to exchange from a stronger currency like Euro. Depending on the exchange office, the

currency exchange can vary very much and they could discount you a fee that can be even of a

20%, something that can affect you if you decide to exchange high quantities of money.

In Prague AVOID exchanging money to people who can propose it to you on the street. They

will offer you Belarusian Rubles by telling you they are Czech Crowns. More or less one 1000

BYR banknote would be approximately 8 cents of Euro.

This banknote worths a bit more than 6 euros.

So… if you don’t mind about cash, you can take a bus. If you don’t mind about time and you

want to spend several days, take a train. But if you don’t have too much money… maybe going

through Cesky Tesin is a nice option (but at the end of the day you will be destroyed)!

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Travelling to Belarus.

Maybe you would like to visit places like Minsk or Vitebsk, or the Belarusian part of the

Białowieża Forest. Well, according to my failed experience you should follow the following

steps.

Ways to go:

By Train:

There is a line that makes a step-over in Katowice (Prague – Moskva Belorruskaya). This train

route will stop in cities like Warsaw, Terespol, Brest (Belarus), Minsk, Smolensk and Moscow.

There is another option that could be from Warsaw to Minsk/ Moscow through Terespol. The

price would be between 300-350 PLN one way. The cheapest option would be going from

Warsaw to Terespol (45 PLN), take another train to Brest (crossing the border for 11 PLN) and

then from Brest to Minsk for maybe 45,000 – 50,000 Belarusian Rubles (1 PLN – 3300 BYR).

Both ways would take more or less 15-16h.

By bus:

Eurolines has a regular bus line from Warsaw to Minsk with a step-over in Vilnius. One way

would cost 125-160 PLN and depending on the day it can take between 12-15h from Warsaw

and another four from Katowice. In total, 19h.

By Plane:

From Warsaw you can fly by LOT to Minsk.

Obtaining a visa:

Belarus has arrangements with several countries that allow their citizens (Georgia, Ukraine,

Cuba, Venezuela, and others) to travel to Belarus without any special requirement, but if you

are not from any of these countries, you should apply for a visa.

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You can check it out in the Belarusian Ambassy, but if you cannot speak either Polis hor

Belarusian, you should:

-Fill up a visa application form: besides your basic data, you should include where you are

working in Poland, where are you going to stay in Belarus and answer why are you travelling to

Belarus.

-A valid passport

-A special medical insurance for Belarus. You can ask in a travel agency about it in Katowice.

-An invitation. You can ask for it to the place you are going to be hosted and they will send a

copy to the Embassy in Warsaw.

-A work contract proof that demonstrates that you are working in Poland.

Another option could be that if you are going to Belarus by plane from a country that has not a

Belarusian embassy, they could make the procedures for the visa at the airport in Minsk.

You should hand these documents PERSONALLY in a consulate (Białystok and Gdansk) or in

the Embassy in Warsaw (they will not accept them if they are not handed personally). It will

take one week for them to prepare your visa and it will cost 260 PLN, that you can pay in a

bank entity they will indicate you. Another option could be contacting with an enterprise

specialised in visa procedures and they will do this paperwork for you. It would be a bit more

expensive but you would save some time.

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