Zakopane

Architecture, notable people and knowledge of the Tatra Mountains

Willa Koliba was the first house built in the Zakopane style to a design by Stanisław Witkiewicz. It provides a tangible point of reference if you are interested in the architecture associated with Zakopane. Another way to explore the town’s history is through the themed walks offered by FREE CITY TOUR Zakopane. They focus on notable people associated with Zakopane. The walks are free of charge, but advance registration is required.

The Muzeum Tatrzańskie displays works of art, natural history and ethnographic objects, as well as archival and library collections. It brings together a range of subjects relating to both culture and the region. The permanent natural history exhibition in the main building provides information about the geological structure and living nature of the Tatra Mountains. If you would like to include cultural and natural history in your trip, the museum offers two distinct perspectives: the breadth of its collections and the special focus of the permanent exhibition.

Discoveries for a range of interests

The Centrum Edukacji Przyrodniczej Tatrzańskiego Parku Narodowego features the largest model of the Tatra Mountains in Poland. The Sala Odkryć is an interactive educational area for children, with games and learning activities. Its attractions therefore include both a large model of the Tatra Mountains and a discovery area designed specifically for children. For families, a visit here can offer a different focus from a museum tour featuring works of art, ethnographic objects or archival collections.

The area around Wielka Krokiew also offers an unusual perspective: a chairlift takes visitors to the top of the ski jumping hill. If you would like to include a cycling excursion in your trip, Droga pod Reglami is a named cycling route. It starts at the Wielka Krokiew ski jumping hill and ends at Siwa Polana in the Chochołowska Valley. The start and end points can help you consider this route as a separate excursion option; this does not imply a connection with any of the other experiences mentioned here.

Zakopane and the Tatra Mountains from different perspectives

A funicular railway operates year-round from Zakopane to Gubałówka. It reaches an elevation of 1,122 m in 3.5 minutes. The mountain station offers a panoramic view of Zakopane and the Tatra Mountains. The ride is therefore a clearly defined way to add a viewpoint to your stay. Kuźnice, meanwhile, is an area of Zakopane in the northern part of the Bystra Valley in the Western Tatras. Trails from there lead to Kalatówki, Kondratowa, Giewont, Kasprowy Wierch and Hala Gąsienicowa. These destinations can help you decide which excursions interest you.

Krupówki can also help you find your way around Zakopane: the street connects Plac pod Gubałówką with the southern part of Zakopane. If you plan your days around different themes, you can think of this street as separate from the nature and cultural attractions, without combining them into a single route.

Oscypek and local production

The Muzeum Oscypka at ul. Jagiellońska 28 demonstrates how oscypek is made. Visitors can also make their own cheese during short workshops. This adds a hands-on look at cheese-making to the cultural and natural history discoveries. If this experience appeals to you, you can consider it alongside architecture, museum exhibits and excursions when planning your holiday.

If you would like to explore other places, you can find their destination pages here: Ząb, Bustryk, Suche, Dzianisz, Czarna Góra, Rzepiska, Witów and Nowe Bystre.

For the broader travel overview: Tatra Mountains.