One thing I've noticed whilst living in Poland, is that a lot of Poles seem to think along the same lines. So when a lot of my students told me they shunned Zakopane in favour of smaller nearby resorts, I wasn't totally surprised to find…Read More

One thing I've noticed whilst living in Poland, is that a lot of Poles seem to think along the same lines. So when a lot of my students told me they shunned Zakopane in favour of smaller nearby resorts, I wasn't totally surprised to find Zakopane quieter than usual. It was my third time in the mountain town, having been there sparing three decades (90s, 00s, 10s) - I cannot see a huge difference, other than the run-in from Rabka-Zrdroj being more built up, a dual carriageway running south of Krakow and bigger cars on the streets.

Zakopane is the one place in Poland with higher mountains and quite big slopes for skiing but other than people who know how to ski, it does tend to attract a certain amount of posers who are just happy to have their photos taken in a restaurant with rented skis, poisefully placed behind then. It's probably the only place in the mountains truly attacking a lot of foreign visitors, particularly Russians who make use of the casinos and nearby thermal spas.

Whilst the culinary options are fairly poor because restaurants don't seem to offer good quality, it is reasonably cheap and drinks are good value. If you don't find the food up to scratch then the salty sheep cheese "oscypek" sold in various forms will surely please. Traditionally served with cranberry sauce, I prefer to give that condiment a miss but love the grilled ones and usually bring back a few of the bigger ones to Warsaw.

Zakopane is easily reachable by car, train or bus. If you're travelling a long distance, you may be best off taking Polski bus because the trains are usually crowded.

Accomodation varies in price, there are plenty of budget offers in the form of private rooms and hostels. Private rooms might as little as whilst dorms can run as low as 25zl. Even at its busiest, you'll find somewhere to squeeze you in a location, a central one, is undoubtedly an important factor if you're planning on going out at night.

I'm not much of a skiier but those in the know will tell you that Polish slopes tend to be quite on the busy side, queues are quite big and many prefer to opt for Italy or Austria which is not much more expensive. Hiking trails start from around Zakopane and when it's not too snowy, you can walk in the mountains and valleys, crossing over into Slovakia and some even hike to Hungary. The mountain enthusiast might want to try their hand at climbing Rysy. While those caring for a gentler stroll might look to Morskie Oko where there's a brilliant view of a lake (it was frozen when I went but I've seen it in photos!)

Other than walking, eating or participating in the fanfare that is Krupowki, you could go to see the ski jump, take a cable car to Gobolowka or Kasprowy Wierch or buy any number of overpriced knick-knacks from the market place. Close

Right at the foot of the High Tatras and only seventy-five miles northwest of East Slovakia’s capital Kosice, Poprad is a metropolitan area of considerable size with an excellent location, set amidst a number of graceful mountain towns that may be small on geographical boundaries…Read More

Right at the foot of the High Tatras and only seventy-five miles northwest of East Slovakia’s capital Kosice, Poprad is a metropolitan area of considerable size with an excellent location, set amidst a number of graceful mountain towns that may be small on geographical boundaries but are great on unusual attractions and outlandish charm. Most of these towns are within easy reach of Poprad, the latter being an excellent transport hub characterized by exceptional bus transport that is both frequent and cheap. A good number of surrounding towns are perfect for day trips but others require more than a short-lived or hasty tour.

Day trips are usually earmarked for locations within a ninety-minute transport distance or where the majority of attractions are confined to a central zone of activity. On the other hand, places that require a lengthy transport link or where the sightseeing attractions are scattered across an extensive area are best set aside for overnight stays. Staying overnight has several obvious advantages, the top being the possibility to hunt around at leisure in an attempt to discover for oneself what tourist brochures and travel guides miss out either deliberately or through lack of first-hand information.

Seventy miles more or less east of Poprad is the well-preserved medieval town of Bardejov. Reachable by bus from Poprad with ease in somewhat more than two hours, Bardejov is a graceful place that is best enjoyed through leisurely walking, possibly without map in hand. Since walking at leisure or lingering around uses up time, it is advisable to stay more than one night, possibly two or three. This gives one the additional benefit of including a half-day side trip to the neighbouring admirable spa town of Bardejovske Kupele.

The bus from Poprad to Bardejov follows one of two alternative routes. Passengers wishing to break their journey somewhere along the route to visit an intermediate town with the intention to proceed to Bardejov later should study carefully the details of the timetable posted conveniently at each bus bay in Poprad bus station. Passengers intending to reach Bardejov directly without any intermediate stops can take any Bardejov-bound bus, no matter which route it follows.

One route runs east and cuts across two small wonderful settlements that are both worth a visit. Levoca, fifteen miles east of Poprad is renowned for the intact medieval walls that surround its old quarter. Enclosed within the walls are outstanding buildings, the Gothic Town Hall and the Church of St James standing side by side on the centre of the medieval square being possibly the most remarkable. Spisske Podhradie, ten miles further east does not incorporate a medieval centre and is often left out of tourist brochures but within walking distance of the town’s peripheral zone are two old-world attractions that stand out for their uniqueness and architectural beauty. One is Slovakia’s largest and mightiest castle, a spectacular sight particularly when one considers the ridgy outcrop on which it stands. Although most of the castle is in ruins, what remains is enough to justify a visit. A stone’s throw from the castle are the ridgy valleys of the Drevenik landscape, a fertile area of caves, crags and canyons. The other, known as Spisska Kapitula is a tiny ecclesiastical hamlet that boasts a marvellous Cathedral, two Romanesque towers and a number of Gothic structures, unspoilt and untouched by time.

The first route resumes east towards the residential district of Presov, a town of considerable size only twenty miles north of Kosice. Like Poprad, Presov boasts an excellent bus station that is characterized by first-rate service to all neighbouring towns and villages, including a very frequent Presov-Bardejov connection. At Presov, the bus takes a sharp turn north plying along a winding road that cuts across the picturesque Spissko-Sarisske foothills and leads towards Plavec, a nondescript town located in close proximity to the Slovakian - Polish border. Plavec is uninspiring and featureless but it lies on the railway line that conveniently connects Slovakia with Poland and consequently, it is useful for those who want to cross the threshold into Poland at this point. The Plavec-Muszyna train connection runs at least five times daily. At Plavec, the bus takes a sharp turn east and runs for most of the way close to the Topla tributary before it reaches Bardejov.

The alternative route from Poprad to Bardejov runs north passing through the picturesque mountain towns of Kezmarok, Spisska Bela, Podolinec and Stara Lubovna. Scenic enough to be worth passing through even for those who do not intend to stop at an intermediate town along the way, it embraces mountain views lush with vegetation at eyelevel but bare and rocky as they soar further up. If you have time to stop at one intermediate town, this should unequivocally be Kezmarok. Sitting comfortably at the foot of the High Tatras, this pretty town boasts among several attractions a unique wooden church crammed with intricately carved decorations and wood paintings. Kezmarok Castle is an additional spectacular sight; the permanent exhibition inside is even better affording through numerous labelled exhibits an exceptional insight into the archaeology and history of the region.

If time is on hand, make an additional brief stop at Stara Lubovna. The attractive castle complex set within a lovely grassy estate on the outskirts of the town justifies your stopover. Stara Lubovna is only a short ride away from Plavec from where the bus proceeds eastwards to Bardejov.

The combined bus and train station at Bardejov is set within a green area enclosed by the Sibska Voda Canal, the Topla River and Ul Slovenska, the peripheral highway that leads in and out of the city. Located entirely west of the bus and train station, (that is, one has to cross Ul Slovenska to reach the centre and the spot where the action is) Bardejov is divided neatly into two by Dihy Rad, the city’s main thoroughfare. North of Dihy Rad is Bardejov’s commercial zone, an area crammed with shops, restaurants and financial institutions. Ul Kellerova, one of Dihy Rad’s northbound side streets is a pretty shortcut to the river, an ideal walkway lined on both sides with graceful villas and rustic mansions. South of Dihy Rad set on a raised zone of land lies Bardejov’s medieval town, a small remarkable place considered by many as a gem in Slovakia’s crown.

Surrounded with thick medieval walls, long stretches of which are still intact, the Old Town is indisputably the biggest tourist attraction. The highlight and the place where the majority of historical attractions are located is the old market square, an extensive piazza surrounded with forty-six distinctive and colourful facades that hide behind their elegant stonework the dwellings of the former affluent merchants who resided here five centuries ago when the city was experiencing a golden age of prosperity. Behind the monumental statue of St Florian on the north edge of the square stands Bardejov’s answer to Kosice’s magnificent Cathedral. Although Bardejov’s main place of worship has never received the status of a cathedral, it is nonetheless more impressive, embracing within its walls several original Gothic paintings and sculptures. Eleven chapels enhanced with more magnificent altarpieces and gilded statuary contain enough artworks to fill a religious art museum of considerable size.

Standing alone in the centre of the square is the Old Town Hall, an architectural wonder of Gothic and Renaissance features. Its interior houses a modest Museum of History that contains more religious art and church-related artefacts. If your time in the city is limited, you can skip this museum and concentrate on the excellent Museum of Icons located on the southern edge of the square. This is perhaps Bardejov’s most striking and most interesting display.

Churches and museums apart, Bardejov is not just a world heritage site of old-world attractions and ecclesiastical artworks. To soak in the true fairy-tale atmosphere of cobbled streets and isolated passageways, to feel the magic that enshrouds the medieval quarter, to experience the enchantment that the city transmits through its unpretentious ambience, one has to explore in solitude Bardejov’s back streets and its irregular layout of unexpected corners and quaint hideaways. As sunset approaches, the area in the neighbourhood of Ul Stocklova, Ul Postova and Ul Veterna turns into a sanctuary of dimly-lit houses and candle-burning restaurants, a cloistered spot where the echo of footsteps adds to the eerie ambience.

Before you pack your bags to leave, find time to walk along the picturesque embankment of the Topla River. Secluded, secretive and quiet beyond the least disturbance, it is a grassy place where one can rewind and revitalize before resuming one’s trip. The most scenic section lies west of Ul Kellerova. The three-star red-coated hotel you meet right in front of the river is Hotel Bardejov, an immaculate retreat that is clean, cheap and utterly romantic.
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Nestled at the confluence of two picturesque valleys, Zakopane is Poland’s most convenient base for hiking in the Tatras. Besides a host of central hotels, Zakopane is flooded with holiday homes that accommodate the thousands who descend on the city every year. In addition to…Read More

Nestled at the confluence of two picturesque valleys, Zakopane is Poland’s most convenient base for hiking in the Tatras. Besides a host of central hotels, Zakopane is flooded with holiday homes that accommodate the thousands who descend on the city every year. In addition to cheap lodging, Zakopane boasts excellent and frequent bus transport that penetrates deep into the most popular valleys and climbs up the most outstanding mountain sides of the region. These two worthwhile benefits are perhaps enough to justify why so many mountain trekkers choose Zakopane as their seat of lodging.

Those in the know however are aware that the atmosphere in Zakopane has evolved into one of day-and-night street partying which at times becomes tiresome and is too much to withstand. Although first-time visitors may be fascinated by the air of celebration and euphoria that hangs out along Ul Krupowki and its neighbouring side streets, it must be said that unless one finds accommodation away from the central zone, it is utterly impossible to find moments of nonchalance and tranquillity. Consider coming back to dine and sleep after a full day of trekking on the peaks or skiing on the pistes and you encounter high-volume street music or noisy street entertainers performing non-stop right under the window of your hotel room. Not even double glazing can prevent the disturbing ferment from reaching you.

To avoid the incessantly uproarious atmosphere of Zakopane, trekkers familiar with the place do not use Zakopane’s hotels or private rooms as their base to the mountains. Those coming down from towns further north, particularly from Warsaw or Krakow, usually terminate their journey at Nowy Targ, fifteen miles north of Zakopane. This subdued mountain town sitting on the intersection of the White and Black Dunajec rivers is not geared towards tourism and consequently accommodation is scarce, although the business of private rooms seems to be stepping up like lightning. Located on the main traffic route between Krakow and Zakopane, Nowy Targ is well connected by bus with all neighbouring towns and villages. An extra bonus is the westbound bus that travels to Zubrzyca Gorna, a small urban settlement that boasts the greatest outdoor folklore museum in the region. Using Nowy Targ as one’s base to the mountains may not be as handy as Zakopane but one is undoubtedly assured of a good night’s sleep away from the persistent bustling atmosphere of Zakopane’s shindigs.

Only a quarter of the Tatra Mountain region is Polish territory, the rest and the most off-the-beaten track belonging to Slovakia. The Slovakian Tatra Mountain range embraces the highest peak of the Carpathian chain and the deepest and most picturesque valleys and glacial lakes in the entire Carpathian region. The rugged mountain crests, bare and snow-capped for most of the year are reachable via funicular railways or chair lifts or a combination of both. Below the mountain crests, the lower sloping sides are carpeted with pine and spruce while further down, the fertile alpine valley sides offer a striking variety of terrain, characterized by extensive patches of grassland and smaller plots of shrubs and blossoming plants.

This attractive expanse of mountainous terrain located south of the Polish - Slovakian border can be reached from Zakopane by a special bus operated by a private company known as Marian Strama Transportowe. Popularly known as the Strama bus, this convenient public vehicle runs five times daily between Zakopane and Poprad in Slovakia and back, covering the whole one-way trip in somewhat more than two hours. The ticket price for the entire journey is twenty-two zlotys, less if one stops along the way. The cheap price combined with the comfortable air-conditioned Mercedes buses that ply the route makes the trip a worthwhile option, particularly when one considers that the bus cuts across scenic mountain landscape all the way.

From Zakopane, the bus climbs uphill along a steep busy thoroughfare to the small mountain village of Poronin, making its first halt at the Dom Kultury stop. From here, it proceeds eastwards along a secondary road towards Bukowina, another tiny village located within a picturesque forested valley setting. Leaving Bukowina, the bus makes its way towards Lysa Polana, a quasi-uninhabited border village located deep within a fertile ravine from where the rising views of the nearby enclosing mountain topography are superb. Lysa Polana is still characterized by the surviving border-crossing gates which have been out of operation since 2007 when Poland joined the Schengen zone.

Out of Poland into Slovakia, Lysa Polana’s twin sister is Tatranska Javorina, a nondescript village that sits comfortably at the foot of the Belianske Mountains. The journey from here to the small town of Zdiar is amazing, the bus pulling along high-gradient forested slopes from where the snow-capped peaks of the High Tatras are almost within touch. Soon after leaving the last Zdiar stop, the bus takes a sharp turn south towards Tatranska Kotlina passing en route alongside stretches of dense pine forest, bubbling river tributaries and grassy lake shores. After stopping at the minuscule mountain hamlet of Kezmarske Zlaby, the bus proceeds further south towards the highest peak and most scenic spot along the route. Called Tatranska Lomnica, this is Slovakia’s most equipped ski centre offering besides hotels, restaurants and other essential services, a sufficient number of cable-cars and chair lifts that render the highest peaks within easy reach. Even if you do not intend to trek or ski, stopping here for a day to use Europe’s most risky suspension cable-car to Lomnicky peak is definitely a highly rewarding experience.

Tatranska Lomnica is followed by another ski resort called Stary Smokovec. Although this is the oldest mountain settlement in the High Tatras, it is not as resourceful and equipped for skiing as Tatranska Lomnica. The cable-car to the Hrebienok peak however offers views that are equally amazing all the way up.

The last fifteen-minute section of the route is a sharp drop from the soaring altitude of the mountains in Stary Smokovec to the sub-Tatra region of Poprad. The descent along a winding country roadway offers more views over fertile valleys, sweeping meadows and rushing streams that drain the surplus water from the mountains into the Poprad River. The bus stops at Poprad bus station where the majority of travellers terminate their journey. However, it has to be noted that Poprad bus station is not the end stop because the bus runs further east to Poprad Aquacity, a modern spa resort equipped with saunas, massage rooms and all water-sports facilities one can dream of.

Apart from Poprad’s spa resort, the city is an unappealing monolith of residential blocks and does not draw any sightseers but its proximity to the High Tatras and its excellent transport options make it East Slovakia’s most ideal location from where a number of quiet graceful mountain towns and villages can be reached with ease.

Only a thirty-minute bus ride eastwards from Poprad is Levoca, a town small in size but utterly rich in history and natural charm. Set amidst lovely undulating hills at the foot of the Levocske Mountains and cut across by the Levocsky tributary, it is a sanctuary of seclusion and peacefulness, distinctively quiet, noiseless and secretive. Walk along the steep streets on the south edge of the medieval town and presumably you will walk alone; climb up to the town’s central square where most of the historical attractions are located and you will not encounter more than a dozen visitors. "Where are the locals?" I kept asking myself. But, needless to say, there was nobody on the street to answer back.

Levoca’s bus station is out of the way on the southern outskirts of the town, a twenty-minute uphill walk to the medieval quarter. But this laborious walk is as a matter of fact a feather in one’s cap rather than a drawback because it gives one the opportunity to walk along a lengthy stretch of the city’s immaculate medieval bastions and observe the architectural beauty of the arched gateways and projecting turrets that grace this double-walled structure.

Several gates along the city’s ring road, Probstnerova Cesta allow entry into the medieval town but it is the Kosicka Gate on the northeast edge of the bastions that is the most impressive. A short westbound walk from here on Ul Kosicka puts you right on the central square. Unpretentious but crammed with attractions, it is the place to stay if you want to savour the history that moulded the city into the shape you see today. Levoca’s irresistible focus of attraction is the Gothic Town Hall, a graceful fifteenth-century structure that occupies central stage on the main square. Close by is the Church of St James, a gigantic building that contains a wealth of original wood carvings, its high altar being an extreme example of fine craftsmanship and elaborate artistry. A good look around the square reveals more outstanding buildings, presently used as museums or exhibition centres.
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Zakopane’s bus station is a busy stage of commotion, a single roomy hallway that incorporates ticket sales offices, a newspaper kiosk and a couple of fast food vendors and pizza joints. As one leaves the terminus and tags along behind those who are already acquainted…Read More

Zakopane’s bus station is a busy stage of commotion, a single roomy hallway that incorporates ticket sales offices, a newspaper kiosk and a couple of fast food vendors and pizza joints. As one leaves the terminus and tags along behind those who are already acquainted with the whereabouts to the opposite side, one comes face to face with teams of backpackers loaded beyond capacity with all sorts of mountain gear, manifestly anticipating days of trekking in an attempt to reach the peaks. Those less daring are not burdened with any equipment but are likewise looking forward to reach the mighty peaks, not by way of walking or climbing but with the assistance of the cable-cars or chair lifts that thrive so profusely in the area.

Once in the open, one will find oneself on the extreme edge of Ul Kosciuszki, Zakopane’s alternative tireless day-and-night promenade which regrettably functions as well as a traffic shortcut to the centre. It’s however easy to disregard the humming vehicles and concentrate on the endless rows of spectacular sights that skirt the spacious sidewalks.

Right in front of the main entranceway to the bus station on the other side of Ul Kosciuszki is Bar Fis, a basic eatery half-hidden amidst a leafy setting. Nothing to talk about back home (although the cheese pierogi I ate here were tasty and delicious beyond comparison) but the knowledgeable attendants who work inside seem to act as an unofficial information office, dishing out besides the obvious plates of fare, valuable advice about anything one needs to know concerning the city.

A walk along Ul Kosciuszki is an encounter with some of the most stylish village-type houses that characterize Zakopane. For grandness, eloquence and tradition, look no further than Hotel Grand Stamary, a magnificent Zakopane-style building that combines beautiful century-old architecture with green spaces for recreation and sports. For plain rustic architecture so typical of Zakopane, ogle the all-wood construction that accommodates the main branch of the city’s tourist office. Located only a stone’s throw west of the bus station, it is a graceful rural structure supported on thick wooden vertical posts, its triangular thatched roof sustained on a charming framework of beams and struts.

A few steps further west of the tourist office, the Bystra canal is a portrait-pretty streaming watercourse that cuts across the city, draining the excess mountain water into the narrow ridgy depths of the Dolina Strazyska and the Dolina Bialego valleys. The foaming water flow is strong enough to drive anything in its path even large woody branches and tree trunks but kids are perfectly content with limiting their casting launch to a paper boat which they observe getting out of sight in a jiffy. Those amazed by the scenic sight of the watery ambience can linger on one of the canal’s wooden bridges or if time is on hand stroll at leisure along pretty Ul Sienkiewicza, a non-pedestrianized street that runs in close proximity to the waterway.

The western edge of Ul Kosciuszki is a bustling scene of people on the move. Brimming with activity, it is the place to linger if one wants to develop a taste for trendy clothes and fashionable accoutrements. To add to the exquisite air of stylishness and panache, several renowned cafeterias and trattorias have opened a branch here. Appealing to passers-by with their glistening interiors and strong aroma of coffee, pastry and sweets, they are distinctly tempting and inviting beyond abstinence. Amidst this conglomeration of welcoming spots of coffee and confections is the Orbis-run Hotel Giewont, a good-value no-nonsense place of accommodation considered by many as Zakopane’s most traditional legendary institution of hospitality. The three-floor structure is architecturally plain and unpretentious; yet its corner location between Zakopane’s two most popular streets gives it an air of glory and impressiveness.

The westernmost edge of Ul Kosciuszki heralds the spot where the real Zakopane begins. An up-and-down glance from this vantage point at the visible stretch of Ul Krupowki is enough to bear witness to the popularity of this lengthy pedestrianized walkway. Sloping gently upwards from its northwest edge right at the foot of Mount Gubalowka, it cuts across the most fashionable part of town, terminating at a junction point where it meets Al 3 Maja, a parallel non-identical twin, soulless and featureless but time-sparing for anybody who needs to go across by car.

The northwest section of Ul Krupowki, undoubtedly visited by anybody who puts his feet on Zakopane ground is not just a showcase of outstanding restaurants, boutiques and souvenir shops but it comprises as well an accumulation of attractions that should in no case be left out of review. A few downward steps northwest of Hotel Gazda (the huge corner block facing the edge of Ul Kosciuszki), one can track down with some hunting around the quasi-hidden Museum Tatrzanskie. This multi-section display of anything one needs to know about the region includes historical artefacts related to the Tatra mountain district, collections of mineral rocks excavated from the area and heaps of flora and fauna-related material brought together and systematized over the years since the second half of the nineteenth century.

On the opposite side of Ul Krupowki, only a short distance further down from the museum is the parish church, a huge nineteenth-century stonework creation that externally appears more recent than it really is. Its exterior neo-Romanesque design, though older than a century seems fresh enough to be easily mistaken for one that is just coming out of the drawing board. Inside, no expense was spared to add the greatest and most varied collections of ornamentation possible. Every chapel is packed with statues, murals and glimmering friezes; every corner shines with a profusion of decorations intricately carved in wood, painted and gilded. Looking at the entirety of the interior at one go may seem a feast of colour, gaudiness and showiness beyond comprehension but looking into the details of a handful of preferred attractions is perhaps wiser and more insightful.

Ul Koscieliska, the street facing the church is Zakopane’s longest-standing part of town. A stroll along this untouched parading ground reveals a number of folksy wooden constructions, absolutely unusual elsewhere but definitely in place in Zakopane. Small and no longer able to cope with the number of inhabitants, the old parish church is a charming wooden rustic construction, its graceful roof framework supported on thick rafters being a masterpiece of skill and design. Behind the church, Zakopane’s cemetery contains more wood collections. Although obviously gloomy and melancholic, this burial ground is an impressive place crammed with numerous wooden tombs and an endless array of sculpted wooden niches standing on vertical posts as a timeless memorial to those laid to rest within.

The northwest edge of Ul Krupowki terminates with a bridge that spans the graceful Bialy Potok Canal. The bridge and its surrounding ground is the venue of a daily colourful open-air market where all sorts of inventive handiwork, speciality foods and carved-in-Zakopane wood items are put for sale. The soft mountain cheese wrapped in a yellowish-brown skin encrustation typical of Zakopane is everywhere, usually sold by women in colourful folk dresses. Likewise found everywhere are the hand-knitted sheep’s wool jumpers and the hand-assembled soft skin flat alpine footwear. Behind the market on Ul Nowotarska is the Mount Gubalowka funicular, a cable-car that provides access to the top of Zakopane’s most favourite tourist destination.

Go back to the intersection of Ul Kosciuszki and Ul Krupowki in the shadow of Hotel Giewont. Strolling uphill from here along Ul Krupowki is a feat of squeezing one’s way through crowds of parading hikers who come here to dine and lodge after a time in the mountains. Packed with all sorts of restaurants, basic and cheap or upmarket and expensive, this area is at times too wild and chaotic and leaves most first-time visitors exhausted and breathless. Occasionally, a section of the street is closed to pedestrian traffic and consequently the atmosphere becomes more confused and disorderly. The occurrence is merely a short-time show given by a group of street entertainers who decide to take to the middle of the street to perform.

As one proceeds uphill, Ul Krupowki becomes more appealing and captivating. The area in the neighbourhood of the Restauracja Kolorowa is needless to say more colourful and interesting, somewhat less crowded and more typical of a popular mountain resort.

The crossover of Ul Krupowki and Al 3 Maja marks the onset of Ul Zamoyskiego, a lengthy route that heads straight to a roundabout intersection (popularly called the Rondo) from where a two-mile stretch of country road leads to Kuznice. An endless procession of minivans and horse-drawn carriages ply the route for those who don’t feel like exercising their legs in excess of short distances. The twenty-minute cable-car trip from Kuznice to the top of Mount Kasprowy Wierch should indisputably be the prime reason for visiting Zakopane. The views all the way up are superb; the views from the top will leave you breathless and reluctant to leave.


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Missing out a trip to Zakopane when visiting Krakow is similar to forgetting to see the Vatican when in Rome. Who will forgive you for such a sin of omission? Visiting Zakopane from Krakow is after all an easy two-and-a- half hour bus trip…Read More

Missing out a trip to Zakopane when visiting Krakow is similar to forgetting to see the Vatican when in Rome. Who will forgive you for such a sin of omission? Visiting Zakopane from Krakow is after all an easy two-and-a- half hour bus trip that traverses through wonderful terrain of hillside groves and green pastures, a pleasure expedition that should in no case be missed.

While Krakow is historical and cultural, Zakopane is entertaining and easygoing. This does not in any way implicate that Zakopane is short on sightseeing attractions and tempting appeal but the town is geared more towards light-hearted leisure and recreation rather than artistic enrichment and aesthetic refinement. Krakow with its majestic churches and historical buildings captivates and ensnares; Zakopane with its trendy parading walkways and scenic views amuses and pleases.

No matter how early you leave Krakow, you will not put your feet in Zakopane before 11:00 am, probably much later. Consequently, it is advisable to stay overnight and so have enough time to join the crowds of Polish hikers and strut up and down along Ul Krupowki (Zakopane’s leading promenade) late at night when the endless rows of restaurants, cafes, boutiques, souvenir shops and open-air stalls turn into one illuminated display of colour, animation and excitement. Zakopane never seems to sleep. Even a downpour of rain and snow did not preclude the swarms from persisting repeatedly in their walking procession of wonder and delight.

Unquestionably, Zakopane deserves a stay longer than a couple of days, particularly if one intends to use the place as a stepping stone to the mountains. Nestled at the foot of the Tatras right at the confluence of two picturesque valleys, Zakopane is enclosed within mountainous landscape, a rugged topography of high peaks and straight-cut ridges. Separating the alpine heights are several picturesque valleys, streaming tributaries and glistening lakes, their grassy watersides affording ideal footpaths trailed for trekking.

All this seems adventurous enough to make a stay in the city enjoyable and amusing but… in the course of the last few years, the number of visitors has multiplied to such an extent that for most of the time the demand for accommodation far exceeds the supply. Gone are the days when home owners converged on the train and bus stations with placards in hands requesting disembarking passengers to lease a room in their house. This was the state of affairs in Zakopane ten years ago when I first visited the city. I can easily think back to the days when locals swarmed the area around each bus that arrived calling out ‘pokoje’ or ‘zimmer frei’. Today’s scenario has changed from one of owners begging to one of visitors looking around in an attempt to track down a place of accommodation. Hotels and pensions in Zakopane are simply not enough to house the thousands who descend on the city in high season. And when is it not high season in Zakopane? During the winter spell and such interval starts from early December and does not end before mid-April, the city is literally overrun by skiers and mountain trekkers who come here en masse to enjoy the snow-capped peaks and snow-carpeted slopes. In summer when the day temperature goes up to the mid-twenties and sunny days are frequent (although spells of heavy rainfall are frequent as well), the city is plagued with backpackers who come here to savour the fresh air of the mountains. In other words, Zakopane has in the last few years evolved into an all-year-round resort, a destination that offers something for everyone during each day of the year. On account of the city’s prevailing demand for rooms and the concurrent shortage of hotel accommodation, most houses (if not all) along the most popular streets of the city have been turned into guesthouses, their former needy owners becoming filthy rich overnight.

During the current year, I visited Zakopane twice, each time disregarding to book ahead. In the first instance, desperate to locate a bed after a day of travelling, I pleaded for accommodation at scores of houses that displayed the ‘pokoje’ sign. I was finally fortunate enough to find a tiny room on Ul Jagiellonska in the vicinity of the train station after a two-hour non-stop search. The second time, having thought that the high season was over, I was confident that finding accommodation would be a simple straight-forward affair. Contrary to my belief however, I couldn’t locate a room no matter how intensively I tried and hunted around. My only alternative was to take lodging for one night in Hotel Giewont, an expensive option worth the equivalent of a whole week of budget accommodation in a basic holiday home.

In short, Zakopane’s tempting appeal and charisma have turned the city into Poland’s most popular all-year-round destination and so demand for accommodation has become extremely great. Visitors should keep this in mind before showing up in the city. It is therefore advisable to book months ahead if one wishes to secure an acceptable place of accommodation close to the centre.

The airline hub closest to Zakopane is Krakow’s Balice Airport, more than hundred miles north. Since no direct transport link exists between Krakow’s airport and Zakopane, one has first of all to start with a short effortless trip from the airport to Krakow’s Dworzec Autobusowy, the city’s main bus station located in close proximity to Krakow Glowny train station on the north eastern outskirts of the Old Town. The most fitting option to reach Zakopane from Krakow is to use the bus and not the train. Buses and minibuses operated by at least three different transport companies (PKS, Trans-frej and Szwagropol) run regularly every hour or even more frequently when demand cries out for more. Trains are far less frequent and cover a longer route, consequently taking about an extra hour to reach the final terminus. Over and above the extra journey time, one has to consider as well the price of the ticket which is less expensive for the bus trip than for the train.

But on top of everything, it is the scenic route the bus follows that makes travelling by bus more advantageous, more desirable and worthier than travelling by train. The journey from Krakow to Zakopane by bus is roughly a direct hundred-mile southbound route that for most of the way passes over single carriage roads running along fertile valley corridors or mountain sides lined with vast patches of pine forest and smaller patches of grassland. Leaving behind the wonderful view of Wawel Hill, the bus soon delved south along Ul Zakopianska, a major traffic-infested thoroughfare that headed straight out of town to the outlying suburb of Libertow. Just before bypassing Libertow, the bus crossed the mighty A4 overpass whose elevated layout afforded excellent views over the neighbouring village of Opatkowice.

South of Libertow, the bus proceeded along a stretch of a dual carriageway that extended across fabulous countryside characterized by large swaths of grazing land and smaller areas of cultivated farmland. Dotting this unblemished scenery of greenery were patches of yellow glittering stars studded with prominent dark brown cores, carpets of self-poised sunflowers that seemed to be ready for harvesting. All this natural beauty glimmered for only a few minutes and soon dropped out of sight as the bus reached Myslenice, an urban settlement of considerable size located at the northern foot of the Beskid Makowski Mountains. After a short stopover, the bus started its uphill trip along high-gradient meandering roads passing on the way close to several typical mountain villages, most of which consisting of nothing more than a handful of farmhouses scattered here and there across the countryside. Dotting the trailed pathways amidst the densely forested alpine heights were tiny charming mountain refuges, convenient havens for trekkers and mountain climbers. Half-hidden in the thick of the forest but partly visible through the window of the bus were several chair lifts ideal for ramblers who wished to touch the peaks without exercising their legs beyond overindulgence.

This exciting portion of the bus trip alternating between sloping mountain roads and descending faulting depths resumed for no less than an hour until we finally reached the town of Nowy Targ, a mountain neighbourhood notorious for its ability to afford amazing riverside walks for amblers and picturesque peaks for climbers. A good number of backpackers got out of the bus at Nowy Targ bus station on the western edge of the town from where access to the mountains seemed to be an easy undertaking.

From Nowy Targ the bus started its fifteen-minute high-gradient descent to Zakopane, the first section of the road leading to the small mountain settlement of Poronin being a winding course running across hillside groves and fertile ravines brimming with flowering shrubs in yellow bloom. Extending south from Poronin to Zakopane, the road becomes pretty busy, particularly as the approach to Zakopane becomes imminent. Rows of rustic folksy wooden chalets, so characteristic of Zakopane paved the way to the town’s official boundary.
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The first time I visited Zakopane was probably in 1997, 10 years later, it's grown, prices have changed and it's much much more busier. Always popular with Germans, the Brits are now there too with the cheap flights to Krakow a popular thing. The Russians…Read More

The first time I visited Zakopane was probably in 1997, 10 years later, it's grown, prices have changed and it's much much more busier. Always popular with Germans, the Brits are now there too with the cheap flights to Krakow a popular thing. The Russians come in their droves during the winter time but it's still kept a nice atmosphere.

The main street goes down a hill and has local cafes, bars, pizzerias and restaurants as well as a couple of shops, a post office and the obvious like McDonald's. In the centre of the street, you will come across all kinds of street artists and a dog which sits and has been sitting for some years with a sign asking for sausages or money!

Pop in any of these side bars and you are bound to find a nice atmosphere, good food, local specialities like hot beer or hot wine during the winter and all at a cheap price.

Stay in any number of pensions or rooms offered by locals, just try to avoid coming at peak times such as the May Day holiday or Boze Cialo.

The Tatry mountains are beautiful and there at your disposable, follow signs and do not try anything to ambitious unless you have spoken to locals about the conditions. People will be happy to help. This is also a great base to learn skiing or explore the Tatry's in Slovakia, Auschwitz or Krakow.

Make sure you try the Placki Ziemniczane (potato cakes), cooked at the bottom of the hill, also "oscypek" - smoked sheep cheese that can be grilled on your request or taken home for relatives which is available particularly in the market area.

Zakopane is well connected to the rest of Poland by train or bus and there is a bus to Poprad in Slovakia at least twice a day.Close