Poland Ski Resorts
| Vertical Drop: |
929m |
| Top Elevation: |
1,960m |
| Lifts: |
20 |
| Total Runs: |
30 km |
| Cross Country: |
50 km |
|
Founded
as a settlement for lumbermen in the 17th century, today Zakopane
is a bustling mountain resort situated in Polish Tatra mountains,
with a number of good quality hotels, restaurants and a vast apres
ski offer. In fact, Zakopane is Poland's winter capital, countries
oldest mountain resort offering a host of winter activities, including
skiing, mountain hiking and a number of leisure possibilities.
Here, one can easily acquire culture of Polish highlanders, try
original cuisine, buy traditional products and, finally, have
a great evening and night in multiple bars and clubs. Being Poland's
winter capital, Zakopane is the best starting point for everyone,
searching for a great Tatra experience.
Your first steps should be to Krupowki - Zakopane's longest and
most famous street. Restaurants, bars, cafes, shops can be found
on every corner. It is essential to try local salty cheese
oscypek
sold from stalls as well as traditional cottage cheese
bryndza.
Local products available in the town include also: traditional
calf skin shoes kierpce, wooden sculptures and traditional woolen
clothes.
Skiing areas in Zakopane are spread around the town. Poland's
largest skiable mountain
Kasprowy Wierch is 3 kilometers
away. There you can ski on two treeless bowls
Hala Gasiennicowa
and
Hala Goryczkowa, and, what can be considered as a
great tourist attraction, use almost 80-year old gondola to get
to the top. FIS-certified slalom slope
Nosal is situated
almost in the very town centre. Another skiing spot is
Gubalowka,
which can be easily reached from Zakopane's major street - Krupowki.
However, not only skiing is possible in Zakopane. Mountain hiking
is another very popular activity in the area. Most popular hiking
trails from Zakopane are to the Koscieliska Valley (
Dolina
Koscieliska) and to a beautiful mountain lake
Morskie
Oko, which you can reach on foot or take a sleigh and enjoy
a great ride.
On balance, Zakopane is a perfect base for winter holiday for
everyone. Skiers shall be satisfied, hikers will definitely be,
gourmands will find their food paradise here, while everyone shall
meet some time in the evening on the
Krupowki promenade
for an unwinding drink and some dance in local bars and clubs.
