home chevron_right Katowice (Katowice)

Silesia: 10 ideas for a rainy day

Silesia: where to go with children when it rains?

Rain outside does not have to mean boredom or staying in your hotel. Silesia, a region in southern Poland, has many good ideas for indoor activities on wet days. Here is our guide to covered and underground attractions, perfect when the weather is bad.

1. Municipal Palm House in Gliwice

Here you can feel like an explorer walking through tropical forests, Mediterranean gardens, and desert landscapes. The Palm House has exotic plants, including tall palms, pitcher plants, and cacao trees. You can also see animals such as stick insects and an ant colony, where ants carry pieces of leaves on their backs. The Palm House is inside a large warm building, so it is comfortable even when it is windy and cold outside.

Another advantage is that the Palm House is close to Gliwice railway station.

Gliwice Palm House — a tropical garden in the heart of the city

The Gliwice Palm House is one of the most beautiful and distinctive attractions in Gliwice. Feel like a traveler exploring tropical forests, Mediterranean gardens, and desert landscapes. ...

2. Guido Mine in Zabrze

Rain is not a problem underground, and the temperature stays the same all year. Guido Coal Mine is one of the most unusual tourist attractions in Poland. Visitors go deep underground and learn about the history of coal mining. What makes Guido Mine special is the chance to go down as far as 320 meters below ground. It is deeper than any other tourist mine in Europe.

Guido Mine

Queen Luiza Adit Complex - comprehensive attractions for older, younger, and even the youngest visitors. ...

3. Silver Mine in Tarnowskie Góry

The Historic Silver Mine, together with the Black Trout Adit located less than 5 km away, is the only UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Silesian Voivodeship and one of 17 in Poland. The visit is special because you walk through low, narrow tunnels and also take an underground boat ride.

Historic Silver Mine in Tarnowskie Góry

The Historic Silver Mine (along with the Black Trout Adit located less than 5 km away) is the only site in the Silesian province (and one of 17 in Poland) listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. ...

4. Silesian Museum in Katowice

The museum is located on the site of the former Katowice coal mine. The industrial style of the place has been kept, which makes the building very impressive. The museum has many rooms and exhibitions. A good place to start is the main historical exhibition in the underground part of the main building. You can easily spend several hours here.

The museum is suitable for visitors with strollers and for people with disabilities.

Silesian Museum in Katowice – a journey into the heart of Silesian history.

The museum’s new home stands on the grounds of the former Katowice coal mine. The decision to keep the site’s industrial character makes a strong impression. ...

Exhibition Light of History: Upper Silesia through the Ages, Silesian Museum in Katowice

5. Kolejkowo in Gliwice

Kolejkowo in Gliwice is one of the largest model railway exhibitions in Poland. It has a day and night cycle, a storm with lightning, and even a floating ship. You can see models of Gliwice landmarks, such as the radio tower, the market square with the town hall, and the railway station. There are also models of Będzin Castle, Silesian mines and townhouses, plus many fun scenes like a Native American village and the Wild West.

Kolejkowo Gliwice: A tiny world of adventure for everyone, not only rail fans.

Kolejkowo in Gliwice is the largest model railway exhibition in Poland. You can see Gliwice landmarks such as the Gliwice Radio Tower, the Market Square with the Town Hall, and the railway station, plus the castle in Bedzin, Silesian mines, and historic townhouses. ...

6. Planetarium in Chorzów

This is the oldest and largest planetarium in Poland, opened in 1955. It has a huge 23-meter dome and a modern science park. The observatory has the largest working refractor telescope in Poland, 300 mm, which can be used to observe the Sun and the sky.

Silesian Park in Chorzów, Silesian Planetarium

7. Głęboka Cave

Głęboka Cave is located in the Góra Zborów Nature Reserve, near the small village of Podlesice. It is the only karst cave in the Silesian Voivodeship open for tourist visits. The temperature inside the cave is about 7 degrees Celsius all year. During the tourist season, Głęboka Cave is usually open from April to October.

Deep Cave

The Deep Cave is located in the Zborów Mountain Reserve in the small town of Podlesice and is the only cave available for tourist visits in the Silesian province. ...

8. Freedom and Solidarity Centre at the "Wujek" Mine in Katowice

In Katowice, in the heart of Silesia, there is the Silesian Freedom and Solidarity Centre. It is located in a place that played an important role in Polish history. This interesting museum explains the communist period in Poland, from World War II to the fall of the system. With interactive elements and engaging exhibitions, it is a good place for a family visit with older children and teenagers and a way to understand this difficult part of Polish history.

The exhibition covers several floors and takes about 3 to 4 hours to visit.

Silesian Center for Freedom and Solidarity in Wujek Mine

In the heart of Silesia, Katowice, a place that played a significant role in Poland's history, you'll find the Silesian Center for Freedom and Solidarity. This unique museum brings you closer to the era of communism in Poland from World War II until the fall of the system. ...

9. Bobolice Castle - a Polish Disneyland?

Bobolice Castle stands on a steep rocky hill. Only a few decades ago, it was a ruin, similar to many other castles on the Trail of the Eagles' Nests. After reconstruction, it became one of the most attractive castles in the Kraków-Częstochowa Upland. However, the reconstruction is controversial among historians and castle lovers. Tourists can visit the castle rooms and the museum inside.

Bobolice Castle

Located on a steep, rocky hill, the castle in Bobolice was just a ruin a few decades ago - today it is undoubtedly one of the most attractive castles of the Krakow-Częstochowa Upland ...

10. Będzin Castle and the Mieroszewski Palace

This medieval castle was built during the rule of King Casimir the Great. Inside the castle there is a museum where you can learn about the history of the town. The castle has one of the largest collections of cold weapons and firearms in Poland. You can also climb to the top of the tower and see views of Będzin, the Czarna Przemsza Valley, and the nearby Dorotka Hill. Near the castle there is also the Mieroszewski Palace, which has another exhibition open to visitors.