Zakopane and surrounding attractions

Zakopane

Zakopane is a Winter sports town and the largest town in the Tatra mountain region. It is unofficially known as the ‘Winter Capital of Poland’. The administrative boundaries of the town also encompass a large part of the Tatra National Park. (From Suchej Wody [dry water] valley to Małej Łąki [little meadow] valley). The number of tourists visiting the Tatras is estimated at 2 to 3 million people per annum.
The town lays at the foot of the Tatra mountains on a plateau (the Zakopane valley). Several mountain streams run through the town to eventually join the White Dunajec river. Zakopane is the highest situated town in Poland. The borders of the town include part of the mountain range whose highest point is Świnica at 2301m (7549 ft). Aside from the National Park, the main part of the town lays at 750-1126m (2461-3694 ft). The central point of Zakopane is the crossing of the pedestrian main street, ‘Krupówki’ with Kościuszki street. To the north of the town is Gubałówka Hill and facing it towers the mighty Giewont mount to the south.

Zakopane and Polish culture.
Towards the end of the 19th century Zakopane became an important cultural centre. Several renowned Poles lived in, or visited the town. These included the writer Sienkiewicz, Władysław Orkan [writer], Stanisław Witkiewicz [Polish painter, architect, writer and art theoretician], Żeromski [novelist and dramatist], Kazimierz Przerwa-Tetmajer [poet, novelist, playwright, journalist and writer], Jan Kasprowicz [poet, playwright, critic and translator], Mieczysław Karłowicz [composer and conductor], Karol Szymanowski [composer and pianist], Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz [known as ‘Witkacy’, playwright, novelist, painter, photographer and philosopher] and others. Stanisław Witkiewicz (father) was the creator of the so-called ‘Zakopane Style’ of architecture and helped to establish tourism and mountaineering in Zakopane. In 1873 he formed the Polish Tatra Society whose aims were to propagate knowledge of the Tatras, further investigate and protect the flora and fauna of the region, encourage tourism and support development of the town. Other founding members of the society included Tytus Chałubiński [physician], Father Józef Stolarczyk and Walery Eljasz-Radzikowski [painter and photographer]. Thanks to the society, Zakopane acquired street lighting, a post office and telegraph and the impressive ‘Dwór Tatrzański’ [a large red brick villa in the centre of town – originally a library, theatre and cultural centre].

The expansion of mountaineering and consequent increase in accidents led to the formation of the Tatra Volunteer Mountain Rescue Service (TOPR) in 1909. The founder was Mariusz Zaruski.
Summer tourists, later residents also contributed to the history of theatre in Zakopane. The first recorded performances were by an amateur group consisting of guests, but in 1892 a group of professional actors played in Zakopane. The Association of Friends of Zakopane formed in 1900, initiated a full time amateur theatre and from 1904 a professional season. In Zakopane several renowned actors performed including Helena Modrzejewska, Antonina Hoffman and Irena and Ludwig Solski.
The Association of Friends of Zakopane were also responsible for erecting a monument to Tytus Chałubiński and forming the first Sports Society.

Today some of the most important historical monuments in Zakopane are the baroque wooden church and Old Cemetery (Pęksowym Brzyzku) where many famous Poles are buried. There are many fine examples of traditional wooden Highland houses and villas in the ‘Zakopane’ style, for example, Koliba, Pod Jedlami and Atma.


Museums and Art Galleries

  • The Dr. Tytus Chałubiński Tatra museum
  • Museum of the ‘Zakopane’ style in the Koliba villa
  • Tatra National Park Nature museum
  • Kornel Makuszyński museum
  • Jan Kasprowicza museum
  • Karol Szymanowski museum in the Atma villa
  • Władysław Hasior gallery
  • Town art gallery
  • Martyrs museum

There are many hotels, pensions, sanatoria and guest houses in Zakopane making this an attractive tourist destination. The main attraction is, of course, the Tatra mountains. Others include:

  • The funicular railway on Gubałówka Hill
  • The cable car to Kasprowy Peak
  • Chair lift on Butorowy Hill
  • The ski jump
  • The Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz theatre
  • A large number of festivals and folklore events (Tatra Autumn and the International Festival of Mountain Folklore).

The Grand Hotel Stamary offers its guests many other ways to actively spend free time.
Take a virtual walk through Zakopane www.zumi.pl
Explore cycle routes www.zumi.pl

In addition to one-day trips to various locations in the Podhale region as well as to Slovakia and further afield, we can offer many activities for families or other groups:

  • ‘Strama’ ski school
  • Snowmobiles
  • Tennis
  • Extreme sports.