"Cool Katowice" - a viable alternative to Kraków?

Don't know how much to read into this but popular UK flight comparison website Skyscanner are recommending Katowice as an alternative to Kraków, which it says has been over-run by stag weekends... (can't post the address, you'd have to search for it)

I think Katowice definitely has a long way to go yet but it's unfair to label it as "grim, industrial, etc." Look at how Manchester has re-invented itself as the Lonely Planet/Rough Guide city of choice in the UK. Katowice Train Station has been knocked down and is being rebuilt, they've started work on a new Rynek, there's a lot going on in the city (the new museum/concert hall for example). Give it time and I think we could see more and more people visiting Kato as tourists (things can only get better).

My girlfriend and I had a brutal argument in Katowice. We made up in short order, but it kinda colored the whole Kat experience, y'know? I'll give Katowice this: They have a pretty impressive KFC restaurant. It's two stories tall!

Well, I think that Krakow is still better place to go than Katowice. I have bad experience with "Katowice natives".

Skyscanner show prices for budget airliners again do they? I dropped them many years ago when they did that, just shows what a stupid move it was.

Nobody I know wants to spend any time in Katowice, the feeling is its a place to avoid. I wouldn't say Krakow is over run with anybody, but its good for SkyScanner's business to promote other destinations.

An oxymoron...

The one on the A4? i stopped there once in the drive through and the Polish gal serving gave me two breasts of chicken for a two piece meal.......and i didn't even ask for them. Like winning a tenner on the lottery.

What are the good clubs, bars and social places to go to meet people in Katowice?

Go to Mariacka street, good few pubs around there to get you started

These are the ones I have heard of: Sofa, Lemonade (english spelling), Jazz Club and Babylon

Sofa is full of tracksuits & sluts....2nd part is a good thing :P
Lemonade you can get glassed for zero reason
Jazz Club is OK, but people don't mix and it's a good place to chill but personally I don't like to stay there for more than an hour or two. Food is nice there tho.

Babylon is a strip club :P

Biała Małpa is a great wee boozer, all kinds of mad beers.

What you get round Katowice, a bit more than in the rest of PL, are good, thriving, downscale locals bars. Definitely not trendy, but a good place for a drink.

Thanks for the info, can you recommend any other places?

Also, where can I pick up a track suit?

Anywhere. They are the national dress in some ways.

Kato, Lorneta z Maduza...actually all the bars around the Mariacka area....... except Lemonada & Cooler, they're sh!tholes
Hipnoza, the one under Hipnoza,
2b3, but it's a bit ***** to be honest,
There's a place on the wosnosci rondo,
There's a pub under the main theatre..........sorry, I'm useless with names.
There's plenty of clubs too, but I couldn't be arsed going to clubs, dance music here is god awful europop.
Skybar is nice, in Altus hotel

Here's a few lists:

inyourpocket.com/poland/Katowice/Bars-and-Clubs
katowice.dlastudenta.pl/lokale/

Good to know. Thanks!

Also, how much are drinks usually? Are there covers? I am planning to go out this weekend and I have no idea how much cash I should bring.

Anything from 3quid to 14..but usually 6 or 7 in most places.
What are covers? Entrance fee?
Yea, clubs do, pubs don't. If a pub tries tell them to shag off. No idea re: club price, late pubs are better.
Re: money, if a pint is 7, then 100 is 14 beers! Wahoo........or and don't forget to look up your bus, night buses sometimes depart from different stops.

What is that in zloty? 15 to 70 zloty? I am not from the U.K. Never used a quid before. (5 zloty to a quid?)

aye.
I'd hardly use UK money to talk about Polish beer prices lad :P
Specially since I'm not even a brit ;)