The Town Where Cartoon Characters Came to Life: A Trip to Bielsko-Biała in Poland

I love discovering new places, and I’m always so grateful for every trip I get to take. I believe beauty can be found almost anywhere, and that every town has its own unrepeatable charm. Our latest trip took us to Poland, specifically to the fascinating town of Bielsko-Biała. It’s often nicknamed “Little Vienna” thanks to its gorgeous historic buildings from the Austro-Hungarian era, designed by prominent Viennese architects. It’s just a short hop from the Czech border, about 40 kilometres from Český Těšín.

The drive from Jihlava and cheap accommodation

From Jihlava, we had a journey of roughly 320 kilometres ahead of us. We travelled with family, in two cars. With stops for coffee, a stretch of the legs and a snack break, it took us around five hours. The drive went pretty smoothly, but by the time we arrived, we were all quite tired from the long ride. 🚗

We found accommodation on Booking, on the edge of Bielsko-Biała, in apartments on Bliska Street 33. We needed parking for two cars and a good price, and we managed to find exactly that. The location was incredibly quiet, and a huge plus was the private parking right at the property, included in the price. We checked in, had dinner, and didn’t go anywhere else that evening, mostly because the grandparents were travelling with us too.

Exploring the town centre

The next morning, after breakfast, we wanted to head into the town centre. The weather wasn’t exactly sunny, but that didn’t bother us at all, since cooler weather is actually ideal for exploring new places. To avoid having to drive into the centre and deal with finding parking, we took a Bolt. It’s incredibly cheap in Poland – two cars arrived within minutes and dropped us right in the heart of the town, so we could head straight off to discover its beauty.

The first thing we saw was a truly tall church with a huge tower. It’s the Cathedral of St. Nicholas (Katedra św. Mikołaja), whose tower rises to over 60 metres.

The Cathedral of St. Nicholas, the landmark of Bielsko-Biała

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From there we walked to the main square (Rynek), where an old stone well immediately caught my eye. It looks mysterious, with a wrought-iron grille over it. That well isn’t just there for decoration – it was discovered by a team of archaeologists during excavations and dates back to the Middle Ages, when it served as one of the main water sources for the old town. 💧

The main Rynek square with its old well and fountains

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A town of fairy tales, where cartoon characters come to life

As we walked through the town, all sorts of interesting statues on every corner started to catch my eye, and I kept wondering what it all meant. It was only later that I discovered the wonderful story behind it. Bielsko-Biała is actually the birthplace of Polish animated film. In 1947, the famous Studio Filmów Rysunkowych (Animated Film Studio) was founded here, where the best-known Polish cartoons were created – the ones that entertained generations of children right across Europe. Like the famous characters Bolek and Lolek.

The town created a wonderful Fairytale Trail (Bajkowe Bielsko-Biała), so as you stroll around you keep running into familiar characters right there in the streets. The first one we met was the dog Reksio by a fountain. A little further along by the water, we were amused by Hunter Pampalini, the famous character from the cartoon about the bumbling animal hunter, caught in the act of talking a bronze hippo round.

The dog Reksio and Hunter Pampalini from the Fairytale Trail

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In a little square with a fountain, we couldn’t miss a funny statue of a frog in a tailcoat, playing the flute with one foot propped on a barrel. Right next to it sat another frog holding an umbrella. They’re not there by chance – they stand right opposite the famous Art Nouveau building Kamienica pod Żabami (House Under the Frogs), which used to house a well-known wine bar. 🐸

The frog statues by the fountain opposite the Kamienica pod Żabami house

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What caught my eye a little further along was the Wawel Dragon with chef Bartolini, from the famous fairy tale The Kidnapping of Baltazar Gąbka. It stands right next to its little steel car, one you’d love to hop straight into. Nearby, you can even sit down on a bronze bench right next to Lechosław Marszałek, who was the studio’s chief director and the spiritual father of the dog Reksio. And next to him, a film reel is embossed on the bench too. 🐶

The Wawel Dragon with chef Bartolini, and the bench with Lechosław Marszałek

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A silver book in the park, and the town’s great story

Besides the fairy tales, a little further into the park we came across something incredibly interesting – a giant silver book lying on the ground, which at first glance looks like an unfolded historical document made of metal. This memorial statue lies there as a tribute to the town’s residents and commemorates the huge technical and human progress made in Bielsko-Biała in the second half of the 19th century and the early 20th century. It describes how the local people introduced gas, electricity, a water supply, one of the most modern telephone networks of its time in the region, and even an electric tram. It’s a touching monument to everyone who believed in progress and human effort.

The memorial silver book and the peaceful park by the water

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And when you add the gorgeous large-scale murals on the buildings, like the huge black-and-white mural of a Gorale couple with a sheep, you realise just how much art this town holds.

A mural of a Gorale couple on a house gable

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I loved Bielsko-Biała – it has a wonderful atmosphere, history, and its own fairytale charm. 🙂

And where did we head off to on our trip the next day? You’ll find out in the next article. 😉