Zakopane Travel Guide

Travel to Zakopane - Winter Capital of Poland

Ratings:

3.86 out of 5 (7 votes)

Reviews:

Be the first to write a review

The earliest documents mentioning Zakopane date to the 17th century. For the next two centuries it was a small mining settlement. In the 19th century Zakopane became very popular among Polish artists and officially became a spa town. The 20th century brought further developement with the rising popularity of skiing and mountain climbing.

Attractions in Zakopane

Apart from the obvious lure of the mountains you can admire the local folklore and local timber houses built in a very specific way called the 'Zakopane style', developed in the beginning of the 20th century.

Zakopane district is considered the most attractive tourist region in Poland. The Tatras, the hills of Podhale, as well as the town itself are ideal places for walks or longer or shorter hikes. A walk around the town can be combined with visiting its monuments and other interesting places.

Zakopane is also a great base for longer trips in the area - to the Gorce Mountains perhaps, or to Babia Góra, or to the Pieniny Mountains. On such trips you can find unique monuments in the nearby villages of Chochołów, Dębno, Orawka and Zubrzyca (a heritage park).

Activities in Zakopane

In summertime, hiking, biking and mountaineering are popular pursuits, whilst winter sports provide the action when the snows arrive. A week could easily be spent walking trails around Zakopane.

For hikers, the trails in the Tatras are well marked with plates and coloured stripes. In difficult areas there are special buckles, chains and even ladders. However, to use them you must not be afraid of heights, need to be fit and have good health. For inexperienced mountain walkers, taking a local guide would be a sensible option.

Another popular activity is rafting along the gorge of the Dunajec River in the Pieniny Mountains, which has been popular for over 150 years.

Details of walking routes, timings and transport links are available locally, once in Zakopane, from the local tourist offices. Alternatively, for those keen to pre-plan, expert local activity operators have an excellent knowledge of the best trails and routes, and can pre-book private guides.

Relaxing

Krupówki is regarded as one of the top five streets in Poland when it comes to eating out or relaxing in a choice of restaurants/bars - many of which are very alpine in style and decor, serve very traditional Polish foods, and offer live traditional music. A very atmospheric setting, particularly in the depths of winter!

Getting Around

Zakopane is situated in southern Poland, about 100 km to the south of Krakow, close to the border with Slovakia. Driving from Krakow takes around 2 hours along national road number 95. Zakopane has a railway connection. It can be reached by train from all the major cities of Poland. The nearest major junctions are Chabówka, Sucha Beskidzka and Krakow.

Zakopane is best explored on foot. Taxis are available in town, but ideally private transport will allow the greatest flexibility for exploring the surrounding area. Visitors, however, are recommended to leave their cars at the car parks and use the public transport. By using buses and private minibuses you can get everywhere quickly and cheaply.

Zakopane Reviews

Why not be the first and add your review below?