Metropolis GZM
Discover the Upper Silesia, a region composed of numerous cities
Cooperation between cities
Katowice is located in Upper Silesia, a region composed of numerous cities linked not only geographically, but primarily through identity and culture. Hence, it is impossible to comprehend Katowice in isolation from the cities surrounding them. Upper Silesia is united, and the inhabitants of Katowice frequently travel to Bytom, Gliwice, Sosnowiec or Chorzów to take part in interesting events, especially since in each of the cases the journey does not take longer than an hour.
You can find everything in Metropolis GZM: Panorama of the Silesian Beskids | Photo: Jerzy Opioła, CC BY-SA 4.0
Cooperation between cities and the unification of the region were facilitated by the official creation of the Metropolis GZM (Upper Silesian-Zagłębie Metropolis). The name emphasises the scale of 41 connected cities and municipalities, for which administrative boundaries are rather conventional, as together they form a coherent entity like the world’s largest metropolises. Due to well-organised public transport, you can freely travel by buses, trams, trolley buses and trains within the Metropolis GZM area. Thanks to this, communication between cities is easy, allowing visitors to explore attractions in the area while staying in Katowice. Those who prefer to travel on their own can use metropolitan bikes. Using a free application, city bikes can be rented for a symbolic fee from characteristic yellow and black stations located in the most important points of Katowice and neighbouring cities.
What can we find in Metropolis GZM? Everything. The atmosphere of a big city, historic castles, vast forests, mountains and even a desert. Tourist spots are marked on the interactive map: VisitGZM.
