When many people think of Poland, the envisage the vibrant cities, the complex and detailed history, the tasty cuisine, but perhaps they don’t consider the natural beauty. While this doesn’t apply to everyone, this was certainly the case for us, and many people we spoke to regarding Poland before visiting. Tucked away along the southern border of Poland is a true ‘hidden gem’ of the country.. Zakopane!
Zakopane is a town located in the Tatra mountain region along the border of Poland and Slovakia. Popular with the Polish in winter as a ski resort town, in summer the area becomes a nature and hiking paradise. Such is the beauty of the region, it should be considered on every nature lovers list for Europe! Zakopane is only around 2-3 hours south of Krakow, meaning some people consider visiting Zakopane for a day trip from Krakow. However, to really experience the natural beauty and complete the hikes, a visit of at least a few days is typically needed.
This guide isn’t a complete ‘everything to do in Zakopane’, however it aims to illustrate how beautiful the region is. We also share a few things to know for your visit, some of the top hikes to consider when visiting for a shorter period of time, and the cute ‘on the mountain’ region you need to visit via gondola.
A few things to know before you visit Zakopane:
- How to get to Zakopane: There are a few ways to visit Zakopane, the fastest is driving or via bus, which takes around 2-4 hours (pending traffic.. there is only one road in/out). You can also get a train, however this takes a little longer.
- The weather in Zakopane can fluctuate: Like many mountainous regions, Zakopane seems to have its own ‘microclimate’. The weather can be forecast as warm and dry, but it might rain. Or you can have a heavy downpour of rain for 1 hour then then sun comes out. Be prepared for all types of weather even if you visit in summer.
- There are brown bears in Zakopane and the Tatra Mountains: The brown bears do reside in the mountains here, and while they aren’t known to attack humans, it is better to be prepared. Apparently they are more scared of us than we are of them. Some locals reported that whistling or making noise when hiking might help you avoid startling them, and if you see them, to either slowly walk backwards away, or, make yourself large and make noise. We hiked for 3 days and didn’t see any, but it’s better to be prepared. We would recommend asking your accommodation host for tips about how to manage if you do see one.
- The hiking trails are well maintained: The Zakopane hikes are well maintained stone trails. They are also reasonably well signed (but not in English). Typically the trails will be colour coded e.g. “blue and white trail”, “green and white trial”, making it easy enough to follow the maps. However apps like Alltrails are perfect for this region to navigate the routes.
- You need to pay entry fees for the hikes: There are small entry fees for each of the hikes, around 10-15 PLN per trail. They often take card, but perhaps have cash just incase.
- Most of the hiking trails aren’t in the town: Hiring a car to reach the trail heads in Zakopane would be a reasonable option, however you can get there via bus or taxi (there isn’t any uber/bolt in Zakopane). Be prepared that popular routes like Morskie Oko is around 30-45 minutes away from the Zakopane main town.
- There are numerous busses in the region (public and private): There are the public busses which run to the timetable online, however there are also numerous private shuttles which run from the train station up to the hikes, typically Morskie Oko. You can stop on the way, but you need to know where you want to stop and alert the driver. There are numerous bus stops along the roads, but it isn’t an easy thing to work out if you don’t speak Polish. The ticket is typically 15-20 PLN.
- Traffic is bad in Zakopane: In the town, and the major roads leading in/out of the town, the traffic can get quite bad. They are single lane roads, and in peak periods there are lots of people visiting. Be prepared that the estimated travel time might be a bit longer than you had planned.
A few great hiking trails to consider in Zakopane
- Morskie Oko – most popular: This is easily the most popular trail, and the one that most people visiting Zakopane will do. The trail is on a paved road, takes about 2 hours each way, and you get to visit one of the beautiful lakes in the region. It is also quite busy, especially on weekends and holidays. Level = easy.
- 5 lakes valley hike – this is the hike that we did. The trail is around 22kms, starting at the Morskie Oko trailhead and winding up a few mountains. You will see the 5 lakes of the region, and it is truly spectacular. The hike is quite tough, with 1km of elevation, and it will take around 6-8 hours. If you are ‘hiking fit’ it is one that we highly recommend as the natural beauty of this hike was incredible.
- A few others to consider:
- Gesia szyja – A popular trail situated just out of the town
- Hike Polana Kopieniec (located near/opposite the Goodbye Lenin Hostel entrance)
- Hike up to the Gubalowka (located end of the main town)
Head up to Gubalowka to see the views
On the mountains above Zakopane is a little hilltop town. There are great views, adventure activities (e.g. rope courses, downhill gokarts etc), restaurants with a view and more. You can get up there a few ways, hiking, a funicular which costs (32PLN one way 39PLN return) or the gondola (23PLN one way 28PLN return). The hiking trail and funicular both start from the end of the old town, while the gondola is around 1km down the road. A good was would be to either hike up or catch the funicular, then walk the 1km along the ridge top town, enjoy the vibe and views, then catch the gondola down (down has better views than up).
Food/Coffee in Zakopane:
We didn’t visit many of the main eateries in town as the accommodation was at the base of the trails, however when we visited the town these were a few of the top picks for coffee and food.
- Coffee – La Mano in town
- Coffee – Eko chatka – slightly out of town
- Food – Schronisko Krupówki BISTRO – no frills, budget friendly, good local food, cute terrace, off main street. 40pln for big schnitzel and salads (15 aud)
Where to stay in Zakopane?
We have listed a few good options on where to stay below:
- Goodbye Lenin – a popular hiking hostel a little out of town
- Villa Adamo & Spa – charming property in Zakopane
- Czarna Willa
See more options in Zakopane below:
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