Green Pearl of the Beskids: Enchanting Wisła and a Chocolate Statue

On the second day of our trip around Poland, we decided to head to the town of Wisła. It’s about 40 kilometres by car from Bielsko-Biała. Wisła won us over right away with its incredibly green nature, fresh air and wonderfully relaxed atmosphere.

The main street and the Avenue of Sports Stars

As soon as we parked, we found ourselves on the main pedestrian zone (1 Maja Street). It’s a long, lively street full of cosy restaurants, souvenir stalls and local specialities.

The main pedestrian zone of 1 Maja Street with stalls and restaurants

As we strolled along, we noticed bronze plaques set into the ground. It turned out we were walking along the Avenue of Sports Stars (Aleja Gwiazd Sportu). These plaques commemorate famous Polish athletes and their historic achievements. And since Wisła is home to winter sports, there’s naturally a plaque dedicated to the legendary ski jumper Adam Małysz, a local-born national hero. ⛷️

The Avenue of Sports Stars with Adam Małysz's plaque

A giant wheel, ski jumps and a chocolate statue

As we walked a little further, we spotted the centre’s landmark – a large observation wheel. And right behind it, a ski jump towered on the hillside. 🎡

The observation wheel and ski jump in the centre of Wisła

We already knew in advance that there was a real rarity to see in the centre – a statue of Adam Małysz made entirely of chocolate! We headed to the Dom Zdrojowy building, where this attraction can be seen on the ground floor, completely free of charge. The statue stands over two metres tall and looks incredibly realistic. So how come it doesn’t melt in summer? It’s kept in a specially air-conditioned glass case that maintains a stable, cool temperature. 🍫

The chocolate statue of Adam Małysz at Dom Zdrojowy

Stone bear cubs and an unconventional amphitheatre in the park

From the chocolate legend, our steps led us to a beautiful green park (Park Kopczyńskiego). Here we were thoroughly amused by adorable bear cub statues – the bear is actually a symbol of Wisła, and you’ll find several of them in the park. 🐻

Bear cub statues in Park Kopczyńskiego

Following the river, we reached the town swimming pool (Baseny Wisła), where a gorgeous historic mural on the building caught our eye, along with an unmissable modern statue of a bear made of metal triangles above it. Just a little further stands an impressive covered amphitheatre with very unconventional architecture, where various cultural festivals are held.

The mural and modern bear statue by the Baseny Wisła swimming pool, and the amphitheatre

A free Miniature Park

A lovely surprise for us was the Miniature Park, set right out in the open in the park. It features beautifully crafted stone and mosaic models of castles and palaces from across Poland. Strolling among them and admiring the scaled-down monuments completely free of charge was a great experience. 🏰

Mosaic miniatures of Polish castles and palaces in the Miniature Park

On our way back, we took another walk through the park, where we came across some beautiful wooden statues. After our walk, we returned to the centre for an excellent lunch. Along the way, we also spotted a tourist train that takes visitors round the town’s most beautiful corners.