“I don't like rudeness and highlander music”, this is what we usually say when we want to express disapproval of someone's behavior. However, when we get to Zakopane, we can hear highlander music everywhere and most of the time it doesn't bother us at all. It can even be said that this is where the presence of highlander music and the highlander dialect puts us in a good mood.
Krupówki and the Tatra park
Is it worth choosing Zakopane, and in particular the Tatra Mountains, for a holiday stay?
The answer to this question is not simple. Some choose to stay by the sea or a lake, others in the mountains. Today we will focus on Zakopane and our Tatra Mountains.
We have many possibilities here. You can spend time walking around the city or put on good shoes and hit the trail in the mountains.
Photo: Wojciech Sobieski. A good map is essential.
There are so-called essential points of the program, i.e. places that basically everyone must or should visit. So we have Gubałówka. It is a hill with a height of 1126 m above sea level. We can get to its top, e.g. by funicular railway or we can simply go on foot. Gubałówka is the most visited mountain in Poland, from which we can admire the beautiful panorama of the Tatra Mountains.
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Undoubtedly, a walk along the most important street in Zakopane, i.e. Krupówki, is a must. This is definitely the most colorful street in the city. Basically, everything we find there is aimed at and for tourists. There you will find stalls with souvenirs and points selling the famous oscypek cheese with cranberries. Krupówki is full of pubs, restaurants and highlander taverns with delicious regional food. It is a street full of shops, restaurants, cafes and service outlets. Krupówki Street is also an important meeting and walking place for tourists visiting Zakopane. This picturesque street is known for its distinctive architecture, traditional wooden buildings and the unique atmosphere of a mountain resort. It is on Krupówki that the social life in the high season is vibrant every day until late.
In Zakopane, you can also visit the Oscypek Museum, the Municipal Art Gallery or the Kornel Makuszyński Museum.
The most frequently and frequently visited places in the Tatra National Park
However, for many, staying in the Tatras is not mainly associated with Krupówki, but with the greatest attractions that our Polish mountains give us. The Tatra Mountains are also very popular with tourists from all over the world. The most frequently and most visited places in the Tatra National Park are Morskie Oko, Giewont, Kasprowy Wierch and Kościeliska Valley. These places are very popular and often very crowded on sunny holiday weekends. The cable car ride to Kasprowy Wierch is a very popular attraction in Zakopane, so sometimes it can be associated with some waiting. At the peak of the tourist season, especially on weekends and during the holiday season, the queue can be quite crowded, leading to longer waiting times. Giewont is a mountain that can be reached on foot, and the most popular trail leads from the Mała Łąki Valley or from Kasprowy Wierch. It is such a popular place that it happens, especially on weekends and during the holiday season, it will take us a lot of time to get to the top because of the large number of people.
Tatra marmot - endemic marmot subspecies occurring in the Tatra Mountains. Photo: Wojciech Sobieski
Tatra Mountains for everyone
For those who are looking for more space and are ready to cover a longer distance, the Tatra Mountains offer many picturesque trails. Importantly, by buying a good map with current routes, you can easily plan the length of the hike and the degree of difficulty. Various applications can also help with this. Please note that the planned trip should not end after dusk. When hiking in the mountains, you must always remember to follow the rules of the Tatra National Park, after all, we are only guests there. The best source of information for tourists visiting the Tatra Mountains is the website tpn.pl. There you will find up-to-date information about the weather in the mountains, regulations and available parking lots.
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Hiking in the mountains is often a way of spending free time. You can often meet experienced hikers on the trail. A walk in our Tatra Mountains is undoubtedly contact with wonderful nature. It should be added that this activity also helps improve physical and often mental condition.
A shelter at Morskie Oko. Photo Wojciech Sobieski
The undescribed photo is a view of the Szpiglasowa pass from Szpiglasowy Wierch, 2172 m above sea level. Photo: Wojciech Sobieski
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