Zakopane Day Tripper - The Best Guide to Zakopane and the Tatra Mountains

View of the Tatras from Gubalowka Ridge Gubalowka Ridge So, you have arrived in Zakopane want to go out and explore. Where should you go first? Really, this very much depends on your interests, levels of fitness and the time of year.  Let's assume you have arrived in the summer and want to get into the fresh air. If you have ventured onto the main drag Krupowki street, then you might be feeling a little overwhelmed by the volume of people parading up and down it. Panic not! There are some easily accessible options for you explore and get a handle on the situation of the town. Krupowki Cheese Seller The first option will not immediately extract you from the waves of hordes, but persevere, as it will, if clear, let you experience a fine panoramic view of the Tatra mountains (strictly speaking Zakopane mostly sits at the foot of the Western Tatras). It would be a good idea to purchase a map of the Zakopane area such as the one below. These have the key in various languages, mark out ...

The wonderful world of the Tatras Zakopane is badged as Poland's winter capital. Certainly it is a hub for winter sports, particularly ski jumping. There is skiing in various forms, but Zakopane first time visitors be warned, this is NOT an alpine resort in the sense of those one might visit in the Alps. It is a functional regional town so has all the shopping, admin etc that comes along with that. It is quite large also. It nestles at the foot of Geiwont mountain towards the western end of the Tatra mountains. These mountains ARE alpine in appearance but still, in a lot of areas, wonderfully wild! Being designated as a national park has helped this. GETTING THERE It is very easy to venture from Krakow to Zakopane. The easiest way is by bus from the bus station that is located right next to the main train station. The buses leave every 20 minutes or so, tickets can be bought from the driver as you board, and the journey time averages from 2 to 2 and a half hours. In su...