The climate of this voivodeship is formed under many condition's influence, among which the latitude, distance from sea, altitude above the sea level, presence of warm or cold sea currents and the landscape play the main roles. The Silesian Voivodeship, as well as the whole Poland, lies in the temperate latitudes.

 

The Silesian Voivodeship possesses many tourist attraction, the biggest of which is the Beskidy mountain range. Ustron, Wisla or Szczyrk are the places, where one can surely find something for oneself.

 

The Beskidy Mountains are the skiers' paradise. Over 150 ski lifts and 200 km of ski routes. Szczyrk is the most famous ski centre, with the chairlift to Skrzyczne and many other, smaller lifts. Other mountain tourism and winter sports centres are Brenna, Korbielow, Ustron, Wisla and Zwardon.
Rocks of the Jura Krakowsko-Czestochowska are very picturesque and interesting. One may find here numerous, typical health resorts, like Goczalkowice Zdroj, Jastrzebie Zdroj or Ustronie.

 

3 gondola lifts, 150 ski-lifts, 200 km of ski routes and over 2 thousand km of tourist routes, varying as far as the difficulty level is concerned, are placed in the Beskidy. They lead through the unique mountain and forest landscape, with prevailing spruces, beeches, larches, maples and ashes.

 

Jura Krakowsko-Czestochowska, with its rich flora, numerous preservation areas, marvellous landscapes and historic monuments, is also an attractive recreation place. In rich forests' complexes, the hunting areas were designated.

 

The monastic complex of Jasna Gora - one of the most well-preserved sacred object in Poland, is the most willingly and often visited place in this part of the voivodeship. Every year, approximately 5 millions of pilgrims come here to pray before the painting of the Black Madonna.

 

The Silesian Voivodeship is the terrain with many preserved historic architectural and artistic medieval monuments. These include: romanesque Rotunda in Cieszyn, from the turn of the XIth and XIIth centuries, the old Cistercians' abbey in Rude, from the XIIIth century, St. John Church in Siewierz and the Szlak Orlich Gniazd (the Eagles' Nests Route) - a complex of old strongholds and castles in Jura Krakowsko-Czestochowska, dating back to the XIVth century.

 

The complex of several wooden churches, located in different parts of the voivodeship belongs to the unique monuments of sacred art. Churches in Ksiezy Las (XVth century), Poniszowice and Grzawa (XVIth century) are the oldest and most precious examples.

 

Technical monuments are represented above all by the former silver ore mine, and the Black Trout Adit in Tarnowskie Gory and the Maria-Luiza mine in Zabrze.

 

The former residences, castles and aristocratic and industrialists' palaces complexes in Pszczyna, Promnice, Plawniowice, Swierklaniec, Brynk, Naklo Slaskie, Rybna and Sosnowiec are especially interesting architectural elements of the region.

 

Many cultural, recreational and sporting institutions operates in the Silesian Voivodeship. These include 59 museums, 64 art galleries, 3 philharmonics, 14 theatres, the Silesian Opera in Bytom, the Polish Radio National Symphonic Orchestra, House of Dance and Music in Zabrze, 23 folk bands, with the 'Slask' Dance and Song Band, as a prime example, 75 open and 40 indoor swimming pools, 11 artificial ice rinks, 58 water-sports centres, 30 equestrianism centres, 3 aeroclubs and over 4670 km of tourist routes.

 

The possibility of sight-seeing the Prince's Brewery in Tychy, together with the Brewery Museum is a big attraction not only for beer lovers. The history of beer, reaching 1629, is shown there in a modern way, and every trip ends with the degustation.