Tatry Mountains and Zakopane Town

Tatra Mountains, Known as ‘Polish Alps’, and the Town of Zakopane, Poland’s Ultimate Mountain Resort.

Tatra Mountains, or the Tatras (Tatry, in polish), is the highest range of Poland mountain lying on the border with Slovakia. It’s just two hour drive from Krakow to find stunning views and mountain nature as well as the best skiing in winter and hiking, rock climbing, cave exploration, cycling, paragliding, through the rest of the year. You won’t suffer from lack of entertainment here as tourism has been the area’s main business for over a century.

The Tatra Mountains rise to the greatest elevation in the entire northern half of Europe, with the 2655m (8711ft) Gerlachovsky Stit (Gerlach) in Slovakia and the 2499m (8198ft) Rysy peak in Poland. The range is 53 km long and takes up 785 sq km, the bulk on the Slovak territory. But a bit is still on polish side – and definitely it’s worht visiting.

Visitors to the Tatras largely head for Zakopane, the biggest mountain resort in Europe north of the Alps. The town of 28,000 receives about two million holiday-makers a year. Due to its central location on the verge of both the High Tatras and the Western Tatras, and its accessibility, Zakopane is the best gateway to the whole area. The town also abounds in varied hotels, inns, and boarding-houses, restaurants and cafes, shops and art galleries, sport facilities and nightclubs. Zakopane is a major center of winter sports of all sorts.

The townsfolk take pride in their own brand of the traditional Polish highlander culture–Poland’s highlanders are as emblematic to other Poles as Scotland’s to the British, albeit more colorful by far.

Must see:

The Morskie Oko (“Sea Eye”) lake with its more elevated twin, the Czarny Staw lake–for great views, hiking and climbing. The Kasprowy peak (1985m) (Kasprowy Wierch) – for cable railway, great views and skiing. The Koscieliska Valley – for great views, easy hiking and wildlife. Dolina Pieciu Stawow (“Five Tarns Valley”) – for hiking. Hala Gasienicowa – for hiking. The Rysy peak (2499m or 8198ft)–for the exclusive view on hundred peaks and twelve major lakes after an exciting climbing up the Polish highest mount and the most visited one in the all Tatras. The Orla Perc (“Eagle Ridge”) trail–for the thrills of quite demanding if amateur climbing. The Chocholowska Valley–for easy hiking and wildlife. The Regle dales (when you are in Zakopane town) – for relaxed hiking, wildlife, and accessibility.

Weather in Zakopane and in the Tatry Mountains.

The Tatras’ mountainous climate is cold due to high altitude, with much precipitation. What might produce superb ski conditions for many months–most of the year, actually, on some elevated slopes – proves unwelcome to non-skiers. Anyway, even in foothill Zakopane allow for a drop in temperature of 2C to 5C vis-a-vis lowlands, and the higher the colder. Fierce rainstorms or snowstorms all of a sudden are common, as gales.

Tatra mountain and Zakopane town is the best place to spend Christmas, New Year, Easter, Polish national holidays, or during school recesses, or on any weekend December through September. You just have to remember two things. For one – to book months in advance, especially is you want a better hotel or private pension. Second – way to narrow route to Zakopane causes many delays both in car and train transport – so, be patient.

The region is also known for local snack – oscypek, a piece of smoked sheep cheese, as well as local way of dressing and regional peculiar accent.

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