The best places to live in Silesia
Text from 2019. Laws, rates and prices may have changed since then. Ask an agent
There are many misconceptions about Silesia, yet it is an attractive region to live in. It has excellent roads and a large job market, is well connected with the rest of the country and, contrary to popular belief, is very green. So where is it best to live in Silesia?
• Voivodeship capitals outside the top group• The highest quality of life in Silesia is in Tychy
• Gliwice is also a good place to live
• It is worth living in Rybnik or Jastrzębie-Zdrój
Voivodeship capitals outside the top group
For years the weekly "Polityka", in cooperation with academics, has compiled a ranking of the quality of life in Polish cities. In the latest edition, Tychy ranked highest among the cities of the Silesian Voivodeship. It placed in the top ten, while Katowice and the seats of the former voivodeships, Częstochowa and Bielsko-Biała, came in around 40th place.
The highest quality of life in Silesia is in Tychy
Tychy lies in the central part of the voivodeship, within the Upper Silesian-Zagłębie Metropolis (GZM). It is a relatively young city, as it received town rights only in 1951. It is commonly associated with the Książęcy Brewery and the famous Fiat factory. The city is home to a subzone of the Katowice Special Economic Zone, which generates plenty of well-paid jobs, thanks to which Tychy can boast record-low unemployment. A strong local economy has meant that in recent years the city has carried out such spectacular projects as building an aqua park, a media library and a new football stadium, and revitalising the leisure centre by the lake in Paprocany.
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Tychy is a very good choice as a place to settle. The city has a lot to offer its residents and, in addition, neighbours Katowice, whose proximity further increases the opportunities for spending free time.
Gliwice is also a good place to live
Gliwice also holds a high position in the quality-of-life ranking. It too lies within the GZM, but on its western edge. Like Tychy, it has a highly developed economy owing to the presence of a KSSE subzone. It is also the second-largest academic centre in the region, as it is home to the Silesian University of Technology, the fourth-best technical university in the country.
Gliwice is excellently connected with the rest of the world thanks to two motorways (A1 and A4) and the Drogowa Trasa Średnicowa, which links the largest cities of the GZM, while the local station is served by Pendolino express trains offering a quick journey to Warsaw. In recent years the city has renovated its medieval old town and built a huge arena that can rival Katowice's Spodek or Kraków's Tauron Arena. Residents have at their disposal, among other things, four indoor swimming pools, a palm house, several city parks and various cultural venues. The "Polityka" ranking rightly points to Gliwice as one of the better places to live in Poland.
It is worth living in Rybnik or Jastrzębie-Zdrój
In Poland, sheet-metal and brick garages are the most popular. Wooden models are also quite popular. Metal structures are most often delivered ready-made to order. Putting them up yourself is not very cost-effective. Metal garages are among the cheapest and simplest structures.
Rybnik and Jastrzębie-Zdrój also came ahead of Katowice in the ranking. Both cities are located in the Rybnik Coal Area (ROW), which is the second most urbanised area in the voivodeship after the GZM. The former took a very high 4th position in Poland in the "Life satisfaction" category, while the latter came as high as 3rd in terms of income. Both Rybnik and Jastrzębie-Zdrój still rely to a considerable extent on hard coal mining, which provides large revenues to the budgets of both municipalities and to the wallets of their residents.
The two largest cities of the ROW are interesting places to live. Rybnik is the cultural heart of the conurbation. It has the Teatr Ziemi Rybnickiej and the Filharmonia Rybnicka, as well as several cinemas, including two multi-screen multiplexes. Jastrzębie, in turn, as a city with a spa past, still has a historic spa complex in the Swiss style and the Park Zdrojowy, a wonderful place for active leisure.
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Every person has different needs, so a different city will be ideal for each. The "Polityka" ranking suggests where it is good to live, but the most important thing is that the place you live suits your individual preferences. That is why, besides analysing tables, it is worth simply visiting individual cities and feeling their atmosphere for yourself. REMAX Gold has a rich catalogue of properties in Silesian cities. Our agents will be happy to present the best locations available in the region.
