The Tatras and Zakopane

The town of Zakopane located in Zakopiańska valley at the altitude od 830 m above sea level has over 30 thousand inhabitants. It’s one of the biggest holiday destination in Europe. It’s main Polish centre of mountain sports ans capital of Polish skiing. Zakopane in of ot its kind! In no other place you can go for a mountain trip in the morning, visit one of many museums in the afternoon and in the evening enjoy walking on the Krupówki Promenade or see a play in Witkacy Theathre.

The Tatras offer great biodiversity protected by the Tatra National Park and regarded as world heritage side (biodiversity reservoir). This mountain range is the only one in the country with alpine character. In the winter time skiers can enjoy many slopes- from easy ones to very demanding where they can challenge themselves ( Kasprowy Wierch). In the summer time plenty of mountain trails and hike trails are at the disposal of tourists. You can take cable car to Kasprowy Wierch, chair lift to Butorowy Wierch or terrain cable car to Gubałówka.

Being in Zakopane you can enter the Aquapark on Antałówka hill with geothermal water or take a swim in COS (Central Sport Centre). Polana Szymoszkowa offers also an open air swimming pool with fantastic mountain view. Near to COS Sport Centre three ski jumping slopes are located: Wielka Krokiew, Średnia Skocznia i Mała Skocznia, where very often ski jumpers practise. In the summer on artificial grass and in the winter os snow. The town has also many other monumets to offer, e.g.: on Kościeliska Street: wooden church dated on 1847, old churchyard on Pęksowy Brzyzek, old highlander cottages from XIX century.

Many sport and cultural events take place in Zakopane as well, e.g.: World Cup in Ski Jumping, Jazz Spring Festival, International Festival of Highland Folclore. For the last 100 years Zakopane was famoust for it’s unique atmosphere. Atrists and politicians, people involved in culture and science have been coming to visit the town for it’s beautiful surrounding, mountain activities and still vivid fashion of simply being in Zakopane.