Zakopane Tours and Tickets

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).