Zakopane Tours and Tickets

There are plenty of ways to experience Zakopane. Looking at ratings and reviews previously given by customers, these are the best tours available right now:

• Krakow–Zakopane: Cable Car, Chocholow Baths, Cheese, and Vodka

• Krakow to Zakopane: Funicular, Tasting, and Thermal Baths Day Trip

• Krakow: Zakopane Tour, Thermal Springs, Cable Car, and Hotel Pickup

• Krakow: Zakopane and Hot Springs Tour with Cable Car (Hotel Pickup)

• Zakopane and Tatra Mountains Tour from Krakow

It’s free to visit Zakopane, as it’s a town in southern Poland; however, you may want to come here on day trips for extra convenience. Full-day shared sightseeing tours from Krakow start at US$52, whereas snowmobile and thermal bath trips are usually upwards of US$117.

Yes, Zakopane is definitely worth a visit. This beautiful resort town near the Tatra Mountains has so much to offer—from hiking trails, to highlander architecture, to thermal bath complexes nearby. It's also Poland's winter capital, with opportunities to go skiing, snowboarding, or on a snowmobile ride. Consider booking a comprehensive tour from Krakow to save the hassle of figuring out logistics. These tours often include round-trip transfers and admission along the way.

Per one customer who booked the Krakow–Zakopane: Cable Car, Chocholow Baths, Cheese and Vodka, "We absolutely loved our trip to Zakopane and the thermal spa. If you're visiting Krakow, this trip is an absolute must!! Convenient pickup, great itinerary, beautiful views, and a great way to see outside the city. We shared cheese and vodka, saw the mountains, went to the spa, and saw so many other parts of Poland on the way there and back. Our guide, Mirek, was the best. A wealth of information, friendly and funny (he had the whole bus cracking up), he really made the experience even better. Would 1000% recommend this trip, and well worth the money. Thanks, Mirek, for the best day."

The main attractions in Zakopane include Tatra National Park, a hiker’s paradise; Kasprowy Wierch and Gubalowka, mountain peaks that can be reached by cable car and funicular; Krupowki Street, the main shopping street with many great traditional restaurants; and many beautiful examples of wooden Highlander architecture.

That depends on your interests. Zakopane has earned the nickname of Poland’s “winter capital” for skiing and winter sports, so coming between December and March is a great choice. However, if you prefer hiking and want to visit Tatra National Park, it's best to go between June and September.

There are several ways to get between Krakow and Zakopane. If you drive, following the DK47 takes around two hours. Alternatively, for public transport options, you can travel by train from Krakow’s central station or by bus, such as the FlixBus service, in around two to 2.5 hours.

In Zakopane, outdoor activities include hiking in the vast Tatra National Park, mountain biking, skiing, dog sledding, and snowboarding in winter. There are also quad biking adventures, cable car rides, and river rafting down the Dunajec River Gorge if you have time to travel 1.5 hours away.

In Zakopane, you can experience traditional Polish culture by going to the Tatra Museum, which explains the Polish Tatra area's ethnography, history, and culture. You could also visit the Muzeum Oscypka to learn about the history of local smoked cheese or one of the many traditional restaurants on Krupowki Street.

The best local foods to try in Zakopane include oscypek (smoked sheep cheese), which tastes particularly good with cranberry sauce and can be found at street stands; pierogi (traditional Polish dumplings), and placki ziemniaczane (potato pancakes). Also, don’t miss delicious desserts such as sernik (cheesecake) and szarlotka (apple pie).

There are tons of fun things to do when you're done visiting Zakopane. According to travelers, these are some of the top attractions in Poland:

• Wieliczka Salt Mine

• Rynek Glowny

• Chocholow

• St. Mary's Basilica

• Wawel Royal Castle

View Viator's guide to all the best attractions in Poland.