Zakopane

Many full-day tours depart from nearby Kraków. Some excursions combine a tour of the town of Zakopane—including sights such as Krupówki Street, the Sacred Heart Chapel, and the Bukovina thermal baths—with active exploration of southern Poland’s national parks, on foot, by boat, or on a snowmobile. Alternatively, head straight to the slopes for a day of skiing or snowboarding—lessons are available.

• Many Zakopane attractions are accessible to wheelchairs, including the Gubałówka funicular railway and the Kasprowy Wierch cable car.

• Some tours include admission fees; otherwise, there’s a small charge to enter Poland’s national parks.

Zakopane is around two hours from Kraków, with regular bus service connecting the two cities. The train takes a little longer, but affords good views as it winds its way through the valley. If you’re driving, keep in mind that Zakopane is pedestrianized, so you’ll need to leave your car in a garage or outside the town.

Though Zakopane is best known as a winter wonderland, the area’s summer sights are by no means inferior. In fact, Zakopane’s mild summers are ideal for hiking, cycling, and water sports, with several tours dedicated to exploring the lush valleys and green slopes of the Tatras.

A must-try for first-time visitors, oscypek is a smoked cheese made of sheep’s milk, and a product of the Podhale region dating back to the 15th century. The shops along Krupówki Street often sell their own versions of the spindle-shaped cheese. Or, learn how to make it yourself at the Oscypek Museum.

The main attractions in Zakopane include Tatra National Park, a hiker’s paradise; Kasprowy Wierch and Gubalowka, mountain peaks that can be reached by cable car and funicular; Krupowki Street, the main shopping street with many great traditional restaurants; and many beautiful examples of wooden Highlander architecture.

That depends on your interests. Zakopane has earned the nickname of Poland’s “winter capital” for skiing and winter sports, so coming between December and March is a great choice. However, if you prefer hiking and want to visit Tatra National Park, it's best to go between June and September.

There are several ways to get between Krakow and Zakopane. If you drive, following the DK47 takes around two hours. Alternatively, for public transport options, you can travel by train from Krakow’s central station or by bus, such as the FlixBus service, in around two to 2.5 hours.

In Zakopane, outdoor activities include hiking in the vast Tatra National Park, mountain biking, skiing, dog sledding, and snowboarding in winter. There are also quad biking adventures, cable car rides, and river rafting down the Dunajec River Gorge if you have time to travel 1.5 hours away.

In Zakopane, you can experience traditional Polish culture by going to the Tatra Museum, which explains the Polish Tatra area's ethnography, history, and culture. You could also visit the Muzeum Oscypka to learn about the history of local smoked cheese or one of the many traditional restaurants on Krupowki Street.

The best local foods to try in Zakopane include oscypek (smoked sheep cheese), which tastes particularly good with cranberry sauce and can be found at street stands; pierogi (traditional Polish dumplings), and placki ziemniaczane (potato pancakes). Also, don’t miss delicious desserts such as sernik (cheesecake) and szarlotka (apple pie).