Zakopane

The largest tourist center in the Polish mountains.

Zakopane has a population of 27,000 (2017), but receives over 2 million visitors per year. it is a popular base for hiking and mountaineering in summer and for skiing in winter. Hikers must stick to the trails which can be (over)crowded in summer.

By train

Trains run every couple of hours or so from Kraków , taking 2-3.5 h. Five of these come direct from Warsaw (4.5-7 hours), with Sleeper trains every night. Other destinations usually involve changing in Kraków but there are direct trains daily from Gdynia via Gdańsk , Bydgoszcz and Łódź , from Szczecin

via Poznań and Katowice , from Poznań via Wrocław .

The

railway station is 500   m (1,600   ft) east of town centre.

By bus

Several bus companies run from Kraków via Nowy Targ to Zakopane, taking two hours, so there's price competition and buses at least hourly. The main carriers are Majer Bus and Szwagropol . Flixbus run direct from Warsaw, 7 hr.

By car

From Kraków take Highway 7 to Rabka and then 47 to Zakopane, 90 min but longer on fine weekends and holidays when everyone heads into the mountains.

On foot

You can use the long-distance hiking trails which cross the border with Slovakia .

PKS buses according to schedule.

Mini bus — There are a lot of privately owned vans (called mini bus ). Most have fixed routes and rates, no schedule. Often there is the possibility of negotiation (route, price, time). Note a driver's telephone number if you think you may need transport later .

Taxi

Tatra Mountains .

Morskie Oko lake

The Gubałówka Hill Funicular .

Kasprowy Wierch Cableway .

Cemetery of the Distinguished at Pęksowy Brzyzek ,

ul. Kościeliska, by the old church .

The oldest cemetery, dating from the 1850s. A burial place of distinguished people connected to Zakopane and the Tatra Mountains. Most of the tombstones are real works of art made of wood, stone and metal.

2 zł .

( updated Jun 2025 )

Teatr im. St. I. Witkiewicza ,

ul. Chramcówki 15 ,

+48 18 20 00 660 .

Ski

Kasprowy Wierch

Gubałówka

Nosal

Białka Tatrzańska

Bukowina Tatrzańska

Butorowy Wierch

Polana Szymoszkowa

Hike

Climb .

Paraglide .

A 15-minute flight as a passenger costs 250 zł. There are a couple of day courses in paragliding as well.

Many of these activities are outside of Zakopane. However, minibuses, leaving when full, depart from different points in Zakopane all day. Most minibuses leave from the front of the train station. The same system works to return hikers/skiers to Zakopane. Expect to pay about 3.50 zł each for the minibus (around €1).

Additional things to explore:

Murowaniec hostel in Gąsienicowa valley

Morskie Oko valley

Kasprowy Wierch ( mountain ), 1985 metres. Tatra view point. Restaurant. Skiing area. Cable railway runs from

Hike

It's worth buying a map of the area if you're going hiking. Most likely you will be hiking in Polish Tatra National Park , or perhaps the Slovakian Tatra National Park . Be aware that as it is a National Park special rules apply—don't be loud, leave any garbage or disturb animals. Maps are sold by the tourist office (17 Kosciuszki St., telephone: 01820 12211), down the hill, on your left, just before getting to the bus stop and cross roads (Krupowki St. and Kosciuszki St.) in the centre of town. They'll also give suggested routes, based on the latest weather forecasts and your fitness and equipment. Entrance fee of 4 zł (2 zł for students and school kids).

The maps are very tourist-friendly, with the "difficulty levels" for different paths marked: possibly slightly patronising for seasoned hikers. The pram symbol for the 'easy' paths is taken too literally - people have been seen trying to get prams up steep paths from Zakopane into the mountains. All the paths marked on the map are well maintained by the government.

Whichever route you plan to take, it is advised you dress warmly and bring spare waterproof clothes and water. Put the clothes in a plastic bag in your backpack to keep them dry in case of rain. Even midsummer it can hail for a whole day in the mountains! Remember you are already at 1000m, although it doesn't feel like it.

See also: Hiking from Zakopane to Giewont

Maps

Tatry i Zakopane by Demart. ISBN 9788379124787. Scale 1:20,000. Laminated. Covers the Polish Tatras only (not Slovakia) and includes a 1:15,000 map of Zakopane.

Tatra by Kompass. ISBN 9783991541783. Scale 1:25,000. Not laminated. Includes Polish and Slovakian Tatras, from Zakopane in the north west to Nova Lesna in the south and Tatranska Kotlina in the east.

Tatry Wysokie i Bielskie (High Tatras and Bielskie Mountains) by Expressmap. ISBN 9788383558066. Scale 1:30,000. Laminated. From Zakopane to Mlynica. Covers Zakopane as far west as the Narodowe Sanktuarium Matki Bożej Fatimskiej w Zakopanem.

Nearby hikes

Mount Rysy 2499-metre, 4-hour hike from Morskie Oko valley

A local speciality is Oscypek , smoked sheep's milk cheese.

There are many good eateries within Zakopane. Look for authentic-looking wood huts. Avoid ones with colourful lights and multi-coloured lamps. Good "Bacówkas" include "Bąkowo Zohylina Wyźnio and Nizino" right off of Krupowki. Chata Zbójnicka on Jagiellońska is also good for authentic food (and experience). You can also try the fried fish eateries anywhere in town for a quick, cheap meal. Trout is the speciality in this town.

There is a cheese market every day. It's probably best to come early in the morning while the produce is still fresh, but it's fine to eat whenever it's purchased.

Budget

Meta Seta Galareta ,

Mariusza Zaruskiego 2 .

( updated May 2022 )

Chatka Puchatka - Obiady Domowe ,

Krupówki 35 .

( updated May 2022 )

Bar Górski ,

Weteranów Wojny 2 .

( updated May 2022 )

Bar Mleczny Nowotarska 4A ,

Nowotarska 4A .

( updated May 2022 )

Mid-range

Regional Restaurant Nosalowy Dwór ,

Balzera 21d .

The choice of meals from both regional and international cuisine.

( updated May 2022 )

Restauracja 'U Wnuka' ,

ul. Kościeliska 8 ,

+48 18 2064167 .

First restaurant in Zakopane, opened around year 1850. Obviously they have the traditional highlander cuisine.

( updated May 2022 )

Willa Widokowa Wojnar ,

6 Pardałówka Street .

Daily .

Home-style and regional cuisine, all meals prepared onsite.

( updated Oct 2025 )

Cafe Piano ,

ul. Krupówki 63 ,

+48 18 201 21 08 .

Daily 15:00—24:00 .

Full of surprises, strange sculptures, lamps made of (fake) amber. And the best thing is that there are swings in place of bar stools!

Budget

Camping 'Pod Krokwią' ,

ul. Żeromskiego ,

+48 18 201 22 56 .

Place for tents and campervans as well as small wooden houses and rooms.

Good Bye Lenin Hostel ,

ul. Chłabówka 44

( ca 2 km from the centre ),

+48 18 200 13 30 .

Wooden house, reputed to be 100 years old. Clean, but noisy and mostly occupied by foreign tour groups, Thefts and fights have been reported.

Dorms from 35/40 zł, double 120/130 .

Target Hostel ,

ul. Sienkiewicza 3B ,

+48 18 207 45 96 .

In the centre.

Mid-range

Plenty of private rooms . Tourists coming by train or bus will often find private landlords waiting for them at the stations. Negotiate the price. Board often available. Ask to be shown the location on a map. Many locations are outside Zakopane city (which may be an advantage).

Splurge

Villa Vita ,

ul. Krupówki 2 ,

+48 18 200 06 00 .

5-min walk from a cable-lift to Gubałówka. From the windows you can admire a beautiful view over Krupowki and Tatra Mountains.

Nosalowy Dwor Resort and Spa ,

Balzera 21d ,

+48 18 20 22 400 .

Two hotels of the Nosalowy Dwór Resort & Spa complex are situated at the foot of Mount Nosal in Zakopane. There is 3* regional style hotel Nosalowy Dwor and 4* Hotel Grand Nosalowy Dwor.

Aries Hotel and Spa ,

Mariusza Zaruskiego 5 ,

+48 18 544 44 44 ,

[email protected] .

Rather new upscale hotel in the former building of Dom Turysty, the former main budget accommodation provider of Zakopane. Now it is a rather luxurious hotel with spa.

starting at 440 zł .

Many shops at Krupówki promenade.

• Warsaw — Poland's capital city, with world-class museums and historic Old Town
• Kraków — the medieval royal capital and Poland's top tourist destination
• Gdańsk — beautiful Baltic port city with a stunning Old Town