Zakopane - What to See in Poland's Winter Capital, Zakopane, Poland

Zakopane, also called Poland's winter capital due to the abundance of ski resorts in the region is becoming a popular tourist destination among foreign visitors to the country. It's probably because it's so close to the most famous attraction in Poland - the medieval city of Krakow. Contrary to Zakopane's nickname - "winter capital", although it's perfect for ski lovers, the area is also worth visiting during all other seasons - when the snow melts, you can enjoy hiking spectacular mountainous trails dotted with beautiful, crystal clear postglacial lakes. In this post, however, I will focus on the town itself and highlight what to see around - there are plenty of articles online about Zakopane, basically describing Tatra National park, but few about the actual town.

If you're visiting Krakow (I've described it in detail here), you'll probably spot many tour packages offered in various tourist offices. Some of them will include the town of Zakopane and the places around. I wouldn't recommend any of them. They surely will be heavily overpriced and not worth the cost at all. Also, within one day there is no way you can see the best parts of the area - and you will miss what is the most beautiful and attractive. Nevertheless, if you wish to see only the town, one day is enough and you don't need an organized tour to do it. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).