By bicycle in Upper Silesia

The scenically diverse region of Upper Silesia offers plenty of opportunities for fans of “two wheels”. We recommend two routes, different from each other, on which cyclists from both mountain and road teams will find what they are looking for!

Route I. In the mountains

Our hosts from Istebna are avid cyclists who were attracted to this area by the sensational conditions for mountain biking. The Silesian Beskids region is truly a dream place for bicycle tours – although the altitudes can be demanding, the views reward any hardships, and the vast forests let you forget about the existence of civilization.

We suggest a bicycle loop, during which you will see the most interesting places around Istebna. You will visit the local spruce museum, where you will learn about the history of the local subspecies of this tree – Istebna Spruce, which is distinguished by its unusual slenderness, you will reach the tri-junction of the Polish, Czech and Slovak borders. You can also visit the Jerzy Kukuczka Memorial Chamber – the tragically deceased Polish Himalayan mountaineer, the world’s second conqueror of the Crown of the Himalayas, with family ties to Istebna.

Length: 31 km

Riding time: about 5-6 hours

Total climbs: 1300 m

Difficulty level: intermediate

More information

Route II. On the road

If you prefer road bikes to mountain ones and are not fond of too steep climbs, we recommend the Vistula Cycling Route. The well-marked red trail stretches along separated paved roads along the embankments in the upper part of the Vistula River. On the route you will be able to see the town of Wisła, where Adam Małysz comes from and where the ski jump named after him is located, the “Rotuz” peat bog in Chybie or the artificial Goczałkowice Lake, which supplies water to the Upper Silesian metropolitan area.

Length: 78 km (but can be shortened)

Total climbs: 280 m

Difficulty level: easy

More information