Zakopane - Zakopane

Zakopane is a city in Poland in the southern voivodeship Lesser Poland. The Polish capital of winter sports is located in the Tatra Mountains between the main ridge of the High and Western Tatras and the Gubałówka massif.

getting there

plane

Zakopane is close to the big city Krakowwhere the nearest international airport is located.

train

Zakopane is located at the southern end of the railway line from Krakow to Zakopane.

bus

There are bus connections via Krakow and Slovakia to Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Regional buses run to Krakow and the surrounding areas.

road

Zakopane is at the south end of the Zakopianka from Krakow to Zakopane.

mobility

The place is easy to explore on foot, by bike or by horse-drawn carriage. There is a large pedestrian zone in the center. To the more remote parts of the city and to the entrances to the Tatra National Park you can come by coach, bus or taxi.

Tourist Attractions

Zakopane and the surrounding area are known for the folk art of the Gorals. The international festival of mountain folklore takes place there in the last week of August every year. In the city there are still numerous wooden Gorals houses around the famous pedestrian street Krupówki. The architect Stanisław Witkiewicz based himself on this traditional style and combined it with Art Nouveau elements. From the end of the 19th to the beginning of the 20th century, he designed numerous houses in the Zakopane style that he influenced. Villa Koliba at ul. Kościeliska 18, restored a few years ago, houses a Zakopane-style museum by Witkiewicz. Witkiewicz also redesigned the Tatra Museum at 10 Krupówki Street. It shows handicraft products and traditional costumes from the region as well as exhibitions on flora and fauna. The son of the famous architect became an even more famous writer, philosopher and painter. To distinguish himself from his father, Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz nicknamed himself Witkacy. His avant-garde plays are still performed today in the Witkiewicz Theater in Zakopane. The theater has a good reputation that extends far beyond the region.

activities

In the past, numerous international competitions have taken place in Zakopane, including world championships in ski jumping and biathlon as well as world cup races in slalom.

For skiers there are slopes of different difficulty levels, some with snow cannons and night operation. The most famous and highest one begins on Mount Kasprowy Wierch (1984 m). The ascent takes place with a cable car. The Sonnenbergalm on the 1123 meter high Gubalowka can be reached by funicular. There is one there too Ski Area with numerous lifts. There are the following larger ski areas in the municipality:

• Kasprowy Wierch ski area
• Nosal ski area
• Gubałówka ski area
• Polana Szymoszkowa ski area
• Harenda ski area

Other sports in Zakopane include snowboarding, ice skating and paragliding. Several indoor pools and an outdoor thermal pool are available to holiday guests. If you want to be comfortable, you can go out by horse-drawn sleigh.

shop

There are many exchange offices in Zakopane that you shouldn't necessarily use, as the exchange rate is usually worse than in Krakow. A visit is recommended for shopping Nowy Targs and especially Krakow, as the selection of boutiques is greater there. In Zakopane and Nowy Targ you can buy leather goods and sheep's cheese very cheaply.

kitchen

Food and dining out are cheaper in the surrounding villages (Bukowina Tatrzańska, Bialka, Chochołów etc.).

nightlife

Zakopane offers the richest après-ski in Poland. The scene focuses on the street around Krupówki in the pedestrian zone.

accommodation

In Zakopane there is a very wide range of accommodation options, from mountain huts, hostels and monastery cells to five-star hotels.

trips

There are some lovely old villages in the area. Most famous is Chochołów, northwest of Zakopane. There are still more than 30 beautiful wooden farmhouses and a modern thermal bath.

• Bukowina Tatrzańska, east of Zakopane, likes to call itself the highest village in Poland and offers good winter sports conditions. The highest parts of the Polish High Tatras belong to the municipality. There are numerous ski lifts all around. There is also a thermal bath here.
• Białka Tatrzańska, northeast of Zakopane, has numerous ski areas and a thermal bath.
• Kościelisko is located west of Zakopane at the foot of the Western Tatras. There are several ski areas here.
• Jurgów and Czarna Góra are already in the Zips and own ski areas with numerous slopes.
• Szaflary, north of Zakopane, is best known for its hot springs and two thermal baths.
• Nowy Targ lies north of Zakopane on the edge of the Tatry. A large weekly market takes place here every Thursday, offering regional goods. In the nearby town of Dębno Podhalańskie there is a very interesting wooden church from the 15th century, the interior of which has been completely painted. It was recently recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
• Ludźmierz Next to Nowy Targ is the central pilgrimage site of the region with a medieval Cistercian monastery, which is dedicated to the settlement of Podhales deserved.

literature

See article too Poland.

Web links

• http://www.zakopane.pl/ - Zakopane official website