Bielsko-Biała & Beskid Silesia: Where Outdoor Adventure Meets Elegant Architecture

The Beskid Śląski Mountains in southwestern Poland and the not-too-small town of Bielsko-Biała at its foot are a hidden gem that is still not well known to tourlists outside of Poland.

It is a great place for outdoor enthusiasts, especially those who love hiking and mountain biking.

This is a record of my visit to this hidden gem.

1. Why did I decide to go?

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It all started when I heard about " The Loop ," a 250km long loop trail course that started in recent years and as the name suggests, it literally starts and ends in the same place.

The Loop connects existing tourist routes in the Beskidy Mountains, and there are schronisko (Polish mountain huts) and towns along the way, so you can tackle it with peace of mind.

The trail aims to become a leader among famous long-distance hiking trails such as Scotland's West Highland Way and France's Corsica GR20.

It would be impossible to walk the entire Loop in our given days, but we decided to walk part of it and visited Bielsko-Biala, the starting point.

2.Bielsko-Biała

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2.1. Beautiful cityscape known as "Little Vienna"

Bielsko-Biala is nicknamed " Little Vienna" (Mały Wiedeń) due to its elegant European architecture and historical background.

The city, formerly part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, features significant Viennese architectural styles from the 19th and early 20th centuries.

The old town is lined with Art Nouveau buildings, classical theaters, banks, and mansions, giving you the feeling that you are on a street corner in Vienna.

This compact city is beloved by tourists and architecture enthusiasts for its rich culture, history, and art.

Since it is a small city, you can get around quite easily on foot, and it is less crowded than Vienna, making it a fun place to walk around.

2.2. The history of the merger of two towns into one, Bielsko-Biała

Located in southern Poland near the border with the Czech Republic, Bielsko-Biała is literally a city formed by the merger of two towns .

Bielsko is a town in the Silesia region that has developed since the Middle Ages due to the textile industry, while Biała is in the Galicia region and has developed independently since it became part of Austria in the 18th century.

The two towns face each other across the Biała River and have historically belonged to different nations at times.

After the Second World War, the two cities were officially merged in 1951 to form "Bielsko-Biała".

2.2.Birthplace of the Polish national animation "Bolek i Lorek"

Every Polish person knows the cartoon "Bolek i Lolek".

This is a television animation series that began production in Poland in 1963 and is a series of short animated films depicting the adventures of two brothers .

There is almost no dialogue, and the story progresses solely through movement and facial expressions, making it a work that is easy for children all over the world to relate to .

The studio that produced this animation, Studio Filmów Rysunkowych, is located in Bielsko-Biala.

Bronze statues of anime characters can be found all over the city.

2.3. If you want to eat Polish food, try Bar Pierożek

This is the restaurant that a local friend took me to.

Bar Mleczna opened in 1977.

The most famous are pampuchy (Polish steamed dumplings), which come in a variety of fillings, including minced meat and mushrooms, as well as strawberries and blueberries.

2. Hike in the Beskidy Mountains

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The Beskids are a section of the Carpathian Mountains, which extend from southern Poland through Slovakia and Ukraine, bordering the Czech Republic.

The highest peak on the Polish side is Mount Babia Góra at 1,725m, and the region is characterized by gentle mountain ranges and vast forests .

Because it is not a rocky mountain like the Alps, it is also a popular route for mountain biking, and there are facilities where you can rent mountain bikes.

As mentioned at the beginning, we walked part of “The Loop.”

The good thing about this region is that you can walk with your dog, and along the way we met lots of other dogs.

You can also safely enter the mountain huts along the way with your dog.

2.1. Polish mountain hut "Schoronisko"

Poland has many mountains and mountain climbing and hiking are very popular activities.

If you are hiking in Poland, one accommodation option worth knowing about is the Polish mountain hut " Schoronisko" .

It is a simple lodging facility located on or near the summit, but it is better equipped, cleaner, and more comfortable than mountain huts in Japan in my opinion.

There are many private rooms as well as dormitory-style rooms, and the prices are relatively cheap compared to hotels and private lodgings you can find on booking.com.

In many places you will need to bring your own sleeping bag.

You can also use the restaurant and bar without staying overnight.

The great thing about staying in a mountain hut, not just at Suhoronisko, is that you can see the beautiful sunrise.

The sun rises early, especially in the summer, so we were able to wake up to the orange glow of the morning sun and start our hike early in the morning.

Schoronisko is not listed on major booking sites like booking.com , so we recommend searching for "the name of the hiking area + Schoronisko."

The downside is that many places do not accept online reservations, so you may need to make a reservation by phone.

There are numerous schoronisko in "The Loop" and they are listed on the website .

2.2. Hiking Route

Here are the exact routes we hiked:

Photos of each route are posted on AllTrails.

Day 1: Bielsko-Biala to Ustron

Day 2: Ustron to Střec

Day 3: From Střec to Wisła

Hope you have a great time too!

For more about Bielsko-Biała, check out my friend Asia's blog—she's a local hiking and running enthusiast.

https://asiaprosto.pl/category/gory/beskid-slaski-i-zywiecki/