Things to Do in Zakopane: Tatra Mountains, Ski Slopes and Highlander Culture
Zakopane is Poland's main mountain town, about 100 km south of Kraków, at the foot of Giewont and on the edge of Tatra National Park. In the late 19th century the highlander village became a fashionable health resort, and the painter and critic Stanisław Witkiewicz developed the Zakopane Style here — a national architecture based on Podhale's wooden houses. Today the pedestrian Krupówki street, the Gubałówka funicular, the Wielka Krokiew ski jump and the Kasprowy Wierch cable car are the classic sights, while valley trails start within walking distance of the centre.
Below you will find our ten picks for a first visit, one- and two-day itineraries, practical notes for winter 2026/27 — skiing, short days, icy trails and mountain safety — and the full list of Zakopane attractions in the tripto.pl catalogue. Opening hours and prices are on each attraction's page; before any hike, check the Tatra National Park trail report and the weather forecast.
Why visit
- High mountains start at the edge of town: you can walk from Krupówki to the Strążyska Valley, and the cable car from Kuźnice reaches 1,959 m in about 20 minutes.
- You can see the Zakopane Style first-hand at Villa Koliba (1892–1893), the first house Stanisław Witkiewicz designed in it.
- In winter there is skiing on Kasprowy Wierch, on the floodlit and snow-making slope of Gubałówka and on Nosal — all close to the town.
- Wielka Krokiew is Poland's largest ski jump (HS140), and a chairlift takes visitors to the top even when there is no competition.
- On rainy days the Tatra Museum, the old wooden church and the Pęksowy Brzyzek cemetery tell the town's story.
Top 10: what to see first
Our picks for a first visit — each with a short reason why.
Mountains & peaks
Kasprowy Wierch
Zakopane
Kasprowy Wierch (roughly "KAS-pro-vy VEERH", 1,987 m / 6,519 ft) is the most accessible high peak in the Polish Tatra Mountains and one of the most visited summits in Poland. It rises on the Polish–Slovak border above the mountain resort o…
1. A 1,987 m summit on the Polish–Slovak border with views of the High and Western Tatras. Note that the cable car is closed for maintenance from 19 October to 6 November 2026.
Lakes
Morskie Oko Lake
Zakopane
Morskie Oko ("MOR-skyeh OH-koh," meaning "Eye of the Sea") is the largest lake on the Polish side of the Tatra Mountains and the most visited spot in Tatra National Park. Sitting at 1,395 m (4,577 ft) beneath sheer granite walls, close to…
240–300 min2. The largest lake in the Polish Tatras, at 1,395 m. From Palenica Białczańska it is about 8 km on a paved road; the park suggests allowing at least 7 hours for the round trip.
Old towns & squares
Krupówki Street in Zakopane
Zakopane
Krupówki is the backbone of Zakopane: more than a kilometre of pedestrian street climbing steadily uphill from the junction with Nowotarska and Kościeliska streets to ul. Zamoyskiego and al. 3 Maja. Cars – and even bicycles – are banned. I…
Free entry3. The car-free main street, over a kilometre long, running uphill from the Holy Family church (1896). Expect crowds at weekends; weekday mornings are quieter.
Mountains & peaks
Gubałówka
Zakopane
Gubałówka is a long, largely treeless ridge above Zakopane with a view of the entire Polish Tatras and, in good weather, the Pieniny, Gorce and Żywiec Beskids as well. Since 1938 visitors have ridden up on a funicular built in just 168 day…
4. The ridge above town (1,123 m), served since 1938 by a funicular that takes about 3.5 minutes. The classic view of Giewont, Kasprowy Wierch and the Red Peaks.
Nature
Strążyska Valley
Zakopane
The Strążyska Valley (Dolina Strążyska, stron-ZHIS-kah) is the classic easy hike from Zakopane and one of the best things to do in Zakopane if you want to step into Tatra National Park without serious mountain gear or experience. A wide fo…
5. The easiest first walk in the national park: about 40 minutes to a meadow below Giewont's north face, then 15 minutes to the Siklawica waterfall. Bring microspikes in winter.
Museums
Tatra Museum (Main Building)
Zakopane
The Tatra Museum (Muzeum Tatrzańskie) in Zakopane is the best place to understand Poland's favorite mountain town before you head into the hills. Its main building on Krupówki (kroo-POOF-kee), the town's busy pedestrian street, tells the s…
6. The main Tatra Museum building on Krupówki, with highlander culture, the resort's history and Tatra nature. In 2026 open Wed–Sun 10:00–18:00; permanent exhibition free on Thursdays.
Other
Wielka Krokiew Ski Jump
Zakopane
Wielka Krokiew (VYEL-kah KRO-kyef, "Great Krokiew") in Zakopane is Poland's largest and most famous ski jump, and one of the top things to do in Zakopane even if you have never watched ski jumping. In January it hosts a World Cup weekend w…
7. The Stanisław Marusarz ski jump, opened in 1925. The chairlift to the top runs from 9:00, until 15:00 in December and January; ticket 25 PLN (as of October 2026).
Landmarks
Villa Koliba, Zakopane
Zakopane
The landowner Zygmunt Gnatowski wanted to build an ordinary highlander's cottage in Zakopane to house his ethnographic collection. Stanisław Witkiewicz talked him into something new. The result, built in 1892–1893, was Villa Koliba, the fi…
8. The very first Zakopane Style house (1892–1893) on Kościeliska street, home since 1993 to the Museum of Zakopane Style, a branch of the Tatra Museum.
Hidden gemNature
Gąsienicowa Valley
Zakopane
Gąsienicowa Valley (roughly gon-sheh-nee-TSOH-vah) is one of the most rewarding day hikes in Poland's Tatra Mountains, rising above the resort town of Zakopane inside Tatra National Park. At its heart lies the high pasture of Hala Gąsienic…
135–300 min9. A high valley with the Murowaniec mountain hut and the Czarny Staw lake below Kościelec. 4.7 km and about 2 h 15 min from Kuźnice — for fit walkers, in winter only in good conditions.
Zoos
Tatra Educational Park in Zakopane
Zakopane
Below the Wielka Krokiew ski jump, at ul. Piłsudskiego 38, you can see an Alpine marmot up close without setting foot on a trail. The Tatra Educational Park is a 1.5-hectare enclosure home to 14 species of animals, from red deer and fallow…
10. A small educational park below Wielka Krokiew where children see marmots in burrows filmed by cameras, Carpathian goats, deer and foxes. Plan at least two hours.
Top sights on the map
Open the full map1-day itinerary
Morning: up Kasprowy Wierch
Take one of the first cable cars from Kuźnice; a return ticket gives you 1 h 40 min at the top. If the line is stopped by wind, walk the Strążyska Valley to the Siklawica waterfall instead (2–2.5 hours).
Places: Kasprowy Wierch Cableway Kasprowy Wierch Strążyska Valley Siklawica Waterfall (Strążyska Valley)
Midday: Tatra Museum and Krupówki
Allow 1.5–2 hours for the permanent exhibition (closed Mondays and Tuesdays), then stroll up Krupówki for lunch.
Places: Tatra Museum (Main Building) Krupówki Street in Zakopane
Afternoon: Kościeliska street
Just off lower Krupówki: the wooden Old Church, the Pęksowy Brzyzek cemetery and Villa Koliba are a few minutes' walk apart.
Places: Old Church in Zakopane Pęksów Brzyzek Cemetery in Zakopane Villa Koliba, Zakopane
Sunset: Gubałówka
Ride the funicular from the square next to the market for the panorama of the Tatras at the end of the day. Check the operator's timetable for the last ride down.
Places: Gubałówka
2-day itinerary
Day 1: town, Zakopane Style and the ski jump
Tatra Museum and Krupówki
Start at the museum when it opens at 10:00, then walk the length of Krupówki. Staying longer? A weekly ticket covers all branches of the Tatra Museum.
Places: Tatra Museum (Main Building) Krupówki Street in Zakopane
Wooden Zakopane
The Old Church, Pęksowy Brzyzek and Villa Koliba, then — if you like architecture — follow part of the Zakopane Style Trail of more than forty buildings.
Places: Old Church in Zakopane Pęksów Brzyzek Cemetery in Zakopane Villa Koliba, Zakopane Zakopane Style Trail
Wielka Krokiew
Ride up the ski jump — in winter before 15:00. With children, add the Tatra Educational Park nearby or, in winter, the snow maze at Snowlandia below the jump.
Places: Wielka Krokiew Ski Jump Tatra Educational Park in Zakopane Snowlandia in Zakopane
Evening: sleigh ride
In winter, horse-drawn sleigh rides (kulig) with a bonfire and highlander music usually start after 15:00 and last 3–4 hours; book with a local operator.
Places: Sleigh ride (kulig) in Zakopane
Day 2: into the Tatras
Option A: Morskie Oko
About 2.5 hours each way from Palenica Białczańska, passing the Mickiewicz Waterfalls. The trailhead car park operates from 1 March to 30 November and must be booked online.
Places: Morskie Oko Lake Mickiewicz Falls (Wodogrzmoty Mickiewicza)
Option B: Kasprowy Wierch to Hala Gąsienicowa
Ride up, then — in good conditions — walk down the yellow trail to the Murowaniec hut (about 1 hour) and on to Kuźnice. In winter the slopes carry avalanche risk; check the TOPR bulletin first.
Places: Kasprowy Wierch Cableway Hala Gąsienicowa Czarny Staw Gąsienicowy (Black Lake)
Option C: the western valleys
Quieter valleys just west of town: the Kościeliska Valley (about 1.5 hours from Kiry to the Ornak hut) or the long Chochołowska Valley, where dogs are allowed.
Getting there
From Kraków: Zakopane is about 100 km away. Trains, coaches and minibuses run from Kraków. The nearest major airport is Kraków Airport (Balice); the simplest option is to continue to central Kraków and change there for Zakopane.
By car: there is no free parking in the centre. Private cars cannot drive to Kuźnice (Kasprowy Wierch cable car, trails to Hala Gąsienicowa) — park in town and take a minibus or taxi. The car park at Palenica Białczańska for Morskie Oko must be booked online with the national park and operates from 1 March to 30 November.
Getting around: the centre is walkable. Local minibuses go to Kuźnice, the Strążyska Valley, Kiry and Palenica Białczańska.
National park tickets: 11 PLN, reduced 5.50 PLN, 7-day 55 PLN (as of October 2026), sold online, via QR codes at the entrances or at ticket booths. Dogs are not allowed on park trails, with exceptions such as the Chochołowska Valley.
When to go
Winter 2026/27: skiers can choose the Goryczkowy and Gąsienicowy bowls on Kasprowy Wierch, the Gubałówka slope, Nosal and Polana Szymoszkowa; the PKL season pass for 2026/27 covers Kasprowy Wierch and Gubałówka among others. Opening dates depend on snow and had not been announced as of 9 October 2026. The Kasprowy Wierch cable car is closed from 19 October to 6 November 2026, and the Wielka Krokiew chairlift closes at 15:00 in December and January.
Ski Jumping World Cup: the FIS 2026/27 calendar lists Zakopane on 16 January 2027 (team event) and 17 January 2027 (individual). Confirm the programme and tickets with the organiser; traffic around the hill is heavy on competition days.
Mountain safety: days are short and valley trails are often icy, so carry microspikes and poles. Higher up there is avalanche risk in winter — read the TOPR avalanche bulletin and the national park trail report before you go. Mountain rescue (TOPR): 985 or +48 601 100 300, or 112. From 1 March to 30 November walking on park trails is banned between dusk and dawn.
Summer and early autumn are best for Hala Gąsienicowa, Czarny Staw or Giewont. September and early October often bring the clearest air and fewer people than July and August.
FAQ
How many days do you need in Zakopane?
One day covers Krupówki, the Tatra Museum, Kościeliska street and either Gubałówka or Kasprowy Wierch. With two days you can add Wielka Krokiew and one longer hike, such as Morskie Oko or the Kościeliska Valley.
How do I get from Kraków to Zakopane?
Zakopane is about 100 km from Kraków and is served by trains, coaches and minibuses. From Kraków Airport, the simplest route is to reach central Kraków first and change there.
Do you have to pay to enter Tatra National Park?
Yes. In October 2026 a one-day ticket costs 11 PLN, reduced 5.50 PLN, and a 7-day ticket 55 PLN. Children under 7 enter free. Buy online, via the QR code at the entrance or at the ticket booth.
Where can you ski in Zakopane?
The highest runs are on Kasprowy Wierch, in the Goryczkowy and Gąsienicowy bowls. In town there are slopes on Gubałówka, Nosal and Polana Szymoszkowa. Season opening dates for 2026/27 depend on snow, so check with the operators.
When is the Ski Jumping World Cup in Zakopane in 2027?
According to the FIS calendar for 2026/27, the competitions on Wielka Krokiew are scheduled for 16 and 17 January 2027, with a team event on Saturday and an individual event on Sunday. Check the organiser before buying tickets.
What is the emergency number in the Tatra Mountains?
Call the TOPR mountain rescue on 985 or +48 601 100 300, or the general emergency number 112. Save the numbers before you set off and keep your phone charged.
What can you do in Zakopane with kids?
Ride up Wielka Krokiew and Gubałówka, walk the Strążyska Valley to the Siklawica waterfall, see the marmots at the Tatra Educational Park and, in winter, try Snowlandia or a sleigh ride. The Tatra Museum works well on a rainy day.
All attractions (42)
Mountains & peaks
Giewont
Zakopane
You can hardly miss it from the centre of Zakopane: the limestone massif of Giewont rises above the town in an almost vertical 600-metre wall, and for generations its outline has been compared to a sleeping knight. On Wielki Giewont (1,895…
300–480 min
Lakes
Morskie Oko Lake
Zakopane
Morskie Oko ("MOR-skyeh OH-koh," meaning "Eye of the Sea") is the largest lake on the Polish side of the Tatra Mountains and the most visited spot in Tatra National Park. Sitting at 1,395 m (4,577 ft) beneath sheer granite walls, close to…
240–300 min
National parks
Tatra National Park
Zakopane
Tatra National Park (Tatrzański Park Narodowy) protects the Polish side of the Tatra Mountains, the highest range in the Carpathians and the only truly alpine landscape in Poland. Granite and limestone peaks, glacial lakes, deep valleys an…
180–300 min
Hiking & tourist trails
Orla Perć
Zakopane
Orla Perć ("Eagle's Path," roughly "OR-lah PERCH") is the most famous and widely considered the hardest marked hiking trail in the Polish Tatra Mountains: a red-marked ridge route between the Zawrat and Krzyżne passes, crossing Kozi Wierch…
Landmarks
Villa Koliba, Zakopane
Zakopane
The landowner Zygmunt Gnatowski wanted to build an ordinary highlander's cottage in Zakopane to house his ethnographic collection. Stanisław Witkiewicz talked him into something new. The result, built in 1892–1893, was Villa Koliba, the fi…
Hidden gemMountains & peaks
Nosal
Zakopane
Nosal (1,206 m) is the quickest way from Zakopane to a proper Tatra view: a green trail climbs from Kuźnice to the summit in about 35 minutes. This modest crag closes the north-eastern ridge of Kasprowy Wierch and takes its name from rocks…
Hidden gemMountains & peaks
Beskid (Tatra Mountains)
Zakopane
Beskid (2,012 m) is the easternmost peak on the main ridge of the Western Tatras and one of the easiest 2,000-metre summits to reach in Poland. A short ridge walk separates it from the top station of the Kasprowy Wierch cable car, and from…
Hidden gemNature
Gąsienicowa Valley
Zakopane
Gąsienicowa Valley (roughly gon-sheh-nee-TSOH-vah) is one of the most rewarding day hikes in Poland's Tatra Mountains, rising above the resort town of Zakopane inside Tatra National Park. At its heart lies the high pasture of Hala Gąsienic…
135–300 min
Hidden gemLandmarks
Pęksów Brzyzek Cemetery in Zakopane
Zakopane
This small cemetery on Kościeliska Street holds around 500 graves, and roughly half belong to the people who created the legend of Zakopane: writers, painters, doctors, mountain guides and TOPR rescuers. Almost every headstone is a work of…
Hidden gemLakes
Czarny Staw Gąsienicowy (Black Lake)
Zakopane
A mausoleum for the Romantic poet Juliusz Słowacki was once planned for the small, dwarf-pine-covered island in this lake — the 1909 idea was dropped after protests by nature conservationists. Czarny Staw Gąsienicowy ("Black Pond"), lying…
Mountains & peaks
Kasprowy Wierch
Zakopane
Kasprowy Wierch (roughly "KAS-pro-vy VEERH", 1,987 m / 6,519 ft) is the most accessible high peak in the Polish Tatra Mountains and one of the most visited summits in Poland. It rises on the Polish–Slovak border above the mountain resort o…
Technical monuments
Kasprowy Wierch Cableway
Zakopane
The Kasprowy Wierch cable car is Poland's most famous mountain lift: in about 20 minutes it carries you from Kuźnice, on the edge of Zakopane, to 1,959 m (6,427 ft), just below the summit of Kasprowy Wierch in the Tatra Mountains. Running…
Museums
Jan Kasprowicz Museum at Harenda
Zakopane
Jan Kasprowicz bought the wooden villa at Harenda in 1923 from an English painter for 500 pounds, money he had earned translating Shakespeare. He lived here for only three years, until his death in 1926, but his widow Maria kept the house…
Lakes
Czarny Staw pod Rysami (Black Lake below Rysy)
Zakopane
Czarny Staw pod Rysami, the Black Lake below Rysy, lies 188 metres higher than Morskie Oko, in a rocky cirque enclosed by the Kazalnica wall and the ridge running to Rysy. A short but steep climb leads up from the mountain hut. The water l…
360–420 min
Nature
Biały Valley (Dolina Białego)
Zakopane
The Biały Valley (Dolina Białego, DOH-lee-nah bya-WEH-go) is a short, wild valley right above Zakopane, a few minutes' walk from the Wielka Krokiew ski jump. Its lower section is a narrow limestone gorge where the trail crosses a rushing s…
Nature
Strążyska Valley
Zakopane
The Strążyska Valley (Dolina Strążyska, stron-ZHIS-kah) is the classic easy hike from Zakopane and one of the best things to do in Zakopane if you want to step into Tatra National Park without serious mountain gear or experience. A wide fo…
Mountains & peaks
Gubałówka
Zakopane
Gubałówka is a long, largely treeless ridge above Zakopane with a view of the entire Polish Tatras and, in good weather, the Pieniny, Gorce and Żywiec Beskids as well. Since 1938 visitors have ridden up on a funicular built in just 168 day…
Mountains & peaks
Hala Gąsienicowa
Zakopane
Hala Gąsienicowa (roughly "HA-la gon-sheh-nee-TSO-va") is a wide mountain meadow in the Gąsienicowa Valley of Poland's High Tatras and one of the most popular hikes from Zakopane. From the trailhead at Kuźnice it takes a little over two ho…
Churches & monasteries
Jaszczurówka Chapel (Chapel of the Sacred Heart)
Zakopane
The Jaszczurówka Chapel (yash-choo-ROOF-kah), formally the Chapel of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, is one of the most beautiful wooden buildings in Zakopane and a textbook example of the "Zakopane style." It was designed by Stanisław Witkiewi…
Churches & monasteries
St John the Apostle Church in Harenda
Zakopane
The church in Harenda arrived in Zakopane by train. Built in 1710–1720 in Zakrzów near Kalwaria Zebrzydowska, it stood unused and decaying after a new church was built there, until in 1947–1948 it was dismantled, carried to the foot of the…
Old towns & squares
Krupówki Street in Zakopane
Zakopane
Krupówki is the backbone of Zakopane: more than a kilometre of pedestrian street climbing steadily uphill from the junction with Nowotarska and Kościeliska streets to ul. Zamoyskiego and al. 3 Maja. Cars – and even bicycles – are banned. I…
Free entry
Other
Sleigh ride (kulig) in Zakopane
Zakopane
Horse-drawn sleighs, flaming torches in the dark and, at the end of the route, a bonfire, grilled sausages and highland music. The kulig is one of Poland's oldest winter pastimes, and in and around Zakopane plenty of local operators run th…
Museums
Oscypek Museum in Zakopane
Zakopane
The Oscypek Museum at ul. Jagiellońska 28 in Zakopane has no display cases. Instead of an exhibition there is a 90-minute show in which a baca (a highland head shepherd) makes oscypek, the region's famous smoked sheep's cheese, from milk t…
Museums
Tatra Museum (Main Building)
Zakopane
The Tatra Museum (Muzeum Tatrzańskie) in Zakopane is the best place to understand Poland's favorite mountain town before you head into the hills. Its main building on Krupówki (kroo-POOF-kee), the town's busy pedestrian street, tells the s…