A further 25km south of Pszczyna, at the foot of the Beskid Śląski range, lies BIELSKO-BIAŁA, two formerly separate towns, united in 1951. Now forming one seamless whole around the River Biała which formerly divided them. Both towns flourished in the late nineteenth century, thanks to their high-quality textile products, and the cityscape today, like its northern English counterparts, is dominated by the imposing buildings of that period. Still overwhelmingly industrial, it's far from being one of Poland's most handsome cities, and its appeal largely lies in its proximity to the Beskid mountains, which rise suddenly from the city's southern outskirts. In addition there are easy bus connections to both the mountain resort of Szczyrk and market town of Cieszyn, either of which might make a more attractive place to stay than Bielsko-Biała itself.