Opole: Music, City History and Green Spaces

If you’re looking for a hotel in Opole, start by considering the reason for your trip: would you like music and culture to shape your stay, are you interested in the city’s history, or would you prefer to spend time outdoors? Opole offers specific points of interest for all these different interests.

Music and Polish Song

The Krajowy Festiwal Piosenki Polskiej has been held at the Amfiteatr Tysiąclecia since 1963. This long-standing cultural tradition makes music a defining theme for a stay in Opole. The Muzeum Polskiej Piosenki is also located in the amphitheatre. Its exhibition gives an overview of the history of Polish song from the 1920s to the present day.

A visit to the museum also includes a musical experience of your own: you can record a song in a recording booth and have it sent to you by email as a souvenir. The museum also hosts meetings with artists, concerts, museum lessons and educational activities for the youngest visitors. Concerts are held at the Narodowe Centrum Polskiej Piosenki throughout the year. This offers several ways to explore the subject of music, from a historical overview and making your own recording to attending concerts.

Museums and Historic Buildings

The Muzeum Śląska Opolskiego also explores a range of periods and subjects. A model shows Opole in the mid-18th century, alongside finds from the prehistoric settlement at Ostrówek in Opole. The collection also includes Tułowice porcelain and works by Jan Cybis. The museum thus brings a city model and archaeological finds together with porcelain and art.

Zamek Górny is part of the city’s medieval history: the castle stood within the medieval city walls and close to Brama Gosławicka. The Wieża Piastowska in Opole is another example of defensive architecture and a historic building counted among the oldest of its kind in Poland. A guided tour of the tower takes about 40 minutes and includes the climb. The museum collections and buildings therefore offer different ways to explore the city’s history.

Walks and Outdoor Activities

Wyspa Bolko is a good option for outdoor activities. It has been a city park since 1910 and is suitable for walking, cycling, inline skating and running, as well as other outdoor activities. Pedestrians and cyclists can reach the island from Wyspa Pasieka by crossing a bridge over the Odra.

Opolska Wenecja also offers opportunities to spend time outdoors. It runs along the Młynówka Canal, which separates Opole city centre from the villa district of Wyspa Pasieka. The boulevards along Opolska Wenecja extend for about 1.3 kilometres and provide a route for cycling, running and Nordic walking. While Wyspa Bolko offers several ways to exercise in a city park, the boulevards also have an approximate route length.

Zoo Opole on Wyspa Bolko

Zoo Opole, founded in the 1930s, is also located on Wyspa Bolko. Its facilities include a giraffe house, a gorilla enclosure, a pool for California sea lions, a lemur island and an amphibian pavilion. Kraina Bioróżnorodności is an exotic greenhouse with a bird aviary. Animal feedings are offered to visitors, including those for gorillas, California sea lions and pelicans. Children can enjoy playgrounds, a mini climbing park and a mini zoo. Zoo facilities may change over time, so check the latest information about areas and activities before your visit.

For the main travel overview: Oppeln.