Zakopane is a town in Krakow and is the country’s winter sports capital. This is one of the reasons why Poland is considered to be a great host country for various international sport competitions. Zakapone is situated between the hills of Gubalowka and the fearsome Tatras. It has an impressive range of rocky cliffs, towering peaks and glacial lakes the can make Poland proud.
It is surrounded with small villages that represent the town’s traditional highland lifestyle. This is a very popular tourist destination in both winter and summer. Being the country’s premiere mountain resort, it is great for skiing during the winter and trail hiking in summer.
Much of Zakopane’s status as viewed by the world is attributed to Tytus Chalubinski. During his visit in Zakopane in 1873, he immediately fell in love with the breathtaking mountain scenery, the picturesque beauty of the place, the crisp and fresh air and even the strange locals living there. He immediately spread the good word about Zakopane when he returned to Warsaw. In about a year, this obscure town was immediately transformed into the country’s favorite spa with many visitors expecting to have their breathing ailments cured by its fresh air. Soon enough, many individuals, especially those trying to find inspiration for their work, e.g., authors and artists, have followed suit and established quarters in the town of Zakopane. Some of these artists were composers Monuiszko and Szymankowski, literary giants Witkacy and Tetmajer, and even Lenin has stayed in this town making its legend even more avant-garde.
The town’s residential population is not even 30,000, but the number of people visiting the town reaches to more than three million tourists. Visiting Zakopane is truly a worthwhile experience. It has a laidback atmosphere. You will find the streets lined with traditional wooden cottages with its own style of architecture that has intricate woodwork and delicate carved patterns distinct of Zacopane. You can have a visit at the exquisite Morskie Oko, the town’s glacial lake which is very popular among tourists. Many other holiday attractions await you in Zakopane and all you need to do is get a guided tour to ensure your memorable visit of the town.