Tips for walks in Zakopane

Tips for walks in Zakopane

So how to spend a nice day without wasting time on trips?

As we already mentioned in the text “Plan your stay and do it smart” when planning walks and trips, it is good to avoid covering the long distances between the objects that we want to visit. It is particularly important at the peak of the summer and winter season, when going anywhere, by car or by bus, we are most often forced to stand in traffic jams. Reasonable planning of time is the more important the shorter our stay is.

Below are suggestions that those who do not know the topography of Zakopane and the surrounding area should help plan a nice day or a few more. The city plan will be useful anyway, we strongly encourage you to use this “archaic” invention. The more that in Zakopane the Internet does not work everywhere and it may turn out that it is impossible to use Google maps. Here we want to share routes – tested in practice. They can of course be modified and we give different variants in this case.

Route No. 1 – Harenda and Gubalowka

Route No. 2 – Lower Zakopane, Krzeptowki, possibly Gubalowka

Route No. 3 – Upper Zakopane and Kuznice

Route 4 – Kuznice and its surroundings

Route No. 5 – Around Antalowka

Route No. 6 – Cyrhla and its surroundings

Route No. 7 – scenic trips around Zakopane

Route No. 8 – Zakopane – center

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Route No. 1 – Harenda and Gubalowka

Harenda is known to lovers of skiing as one of the more demanding slopes. However, in the summer, and maybe especially in the summer, this peripheral district of Zakopane has a lot to offer. It is worth going there not too late to manage to combine several attractions. If we have a car at our disposal, we must head from Zakopane towards Cracow, Harenda is located at the foot of the slope of Gubalowka on the left side of Zakopianka. However, we recommend a bus ride, to not to be embarrassed by the car and the need to return to it. If you are going by bus, at the station, take the Poronin, Suche, Bialy Dunajec route description, and first of all make sure that the driver’s will let us out at the Ustup or Guty bus-stop. Getting off at the first of them, head slightly back to the pedestrian crossing and after crossing it, go right, leaving behind the Mc Donald’s restaurant and Orlen station, towards the Lewiatan store. Behind the store, we turn sharply left, cross a stream and, while keeping to the main road, we march along a charming village street. Mountains pass through the houses on the left, on the right we pass the ski lift until we reach the Jan Kasprowicz Museum on Harenda. If we got off at the Guty stop, let’s go ahead and in a moment we will come across a signpost to the museum – after crossing the stream, we will have to climb the famous stone stairs straight to the veranda. The museum is open from 10am to 3:30 pm, every day except Mondays. Even if we are not fans of poetry and Kasprowicz – let’s go there necessarily. Seeing the highlander-intellectual house in a state, as if the hosts left and would come back in a moment, it is a real treat. We can count on fantastic guided tours, buy souvenir publications, sit on the porch by the stream, full of nasturtium in the summer. Also worth seeing is the nearby mausoleum, where the poet and his wife rest. The museum has an unusual atmosphere and charm and should not be missed. If we have little time left, let us walk on foot to the wooden church on the neighboring property full of beautiful polychromes on the wooden ceiling, as well as to the cemetery at the end of the street – not because it has something special, but for the sights. It is enough to overcome a slight difference in elevations to see the panorama of the mountains – from Havran, through Lodowy, the entire Orla Perc, Kasprowy Wierch, Giewont, to the farthest peaks of the Western Tatras. In the summer, with a bit of luck, we come across a herd of sheep, cows in the meadow and enjoy the idyllic view of haystacks.

If we have more time, let’s go back to the lift and treat ourselves to a ride to the top of the slope. First, however, let’s check if the shepherd’s hut on the left of the lift is open. There we will buy real, home-made oscypek cheese. The lift runs until 18. Why is it worth going to the top? From there we will see an even more beautiful view, because in addition to the panorama of the mountains, the whole city will outstretch below, trains like a mockup of the train set, we will be able to look at various objects with our eyes. Let’s take a walk along the asphalt road towards the mast at Gubalowka. Along the way, we pass a booth with delicious ice cream open in the summer, a nice mini-tavern with a view, where we can also arrange a sleigh ride or a bonfire in winter. From here we also have the opportunity to go down first. Follow the green walking trail to the ZNP sanatorium in Ciąglowka, on a rather steep, country road. We reach Zakopianka from the sanatorium and we are back in the city.

If we have even more time, let’s go further to Gubalowka itself. The views will still be excellent, Giewont is getting closer. On Gubalowka it is worth eating something in the restaurant “Pod Niebem”, while admiring its decor. If we enjoy fairs, of course, let’s take a look and eat ice cream, waffles and cakes. Here it should be noted that aside from high season it is a completely empty place. From Gubalowka we can go down by cable lift straight to the city center, or after passing the route of the whole fair, go further to Koscielisko and go down it along the steep Salamandra street. From there we will return by bus to Zakopane.

When we have a car, it will not be possible to cover the entire route in one episode. After visiting Harenda, it is best to go to Poronin and there, at the great intersection, head towards Zab. In Zab, at the very top of a steep road, turn left onto the Droga Papieska(Papal Trail) and leave the car in the parking lot. We will not reach the mast at Gubalowka by car, we can only go there on foot. Or take the road to the left and finish our trip on an asphalt road towards the Harenda lift. The inn and ice cream will not miss us either. Not to mention the beautiful views. By the way, they are better than from the fair next to the upper station of the cable lift to Gubalowka, because they are not obscured by all infrastructure, terraces, flags and portable toilets. At most, a sheep or a cow poses gracefully in the picture frame.

Route No. 2 – Lower Zakopane, Krzeptowki, possibly Gubalowka

We can start this route almost at any point, depending on where we spend the night. Let’s assume that we are starting on Koscieliska Street at the tourist information point. We can visit there a gallery of handicrafts from Podhale, named Gazdus. Opposite is the Cemetery of the Meritorious in Peksowy Brzyzek, which is worth visiting, because the tombstones are unique, like nowhere in Poland, and from the cemetery we have the view of the mountains. It is open from 6 to 18, entry tickets cost a few zlotys. Then let’s head down Koscieliska Street. Unfortunately Villa Koliba, a Zakopane style museum, still doesn’t work after the renovation, as soon as it opens again, we will write about it, because the place is worth visiting. For now, we have a walk in the charming old district of Zakopane. We can at some point see the signpost to the Church “na gorce” (on the Hill), famous for the declarations made by highlanders – maintaining sobriety, f.ex. We can climb there to see a very nice, small church, or march further, to the Sanctuary on Krzeptowki. Apart from being a religious place, it is not one of those charming little churches known from Podhale. But in the summer concerts of the Organ Festival take place here and it is worth checking if we accidentally hit it. It is a trip quite far and it is possible that we will get off track when seeing one of the taverns – U Wnuka or Sopa. Both recommendable, we can count on good food and a live band in the afternoon. Along the way, we can try to catch a bus at one of the stops to save strength for further wandering, public transport also goes here. After returning to the starting point, we can go, for example, by cable lift to Gubalowka, whose lower station is right next to the cemetery, or head up Kasprusie Street to visit the Karol Szymanowski Museum at the Villa Atma, visible on the left. Above the Atma, there is the Czerwony Dwor Native Culture Center, a newly renovated building, worth visiting, which is slowly enriched by more and more exhibits of soldering, handicrafts, furniture, and recently a piano remembering Antoni Rubinstein’s time. The Czerwony Dwor hosts workshops in various disciplines of art and handicrafts, which we always write about in the calendar of events.

Returning towards the center, we can stop at the (slightly less crowded than the one on Krupowki) chain cafe Samanta with delicious cakes, and then we come back to Krupowki along Orkana street. Orkana is also tempted by a nice cafe – La Mano. Then we come to Independence Square, where the flea market is sometimes installed, in summer at 21:30 there is an open-air summer cinema every day, there are also parades, historical performances and other cultural events. On the square there are two nice pizzerias Adamo and Cristina, as well as Cinema Sokol, known not only to cinema fans but also to all lovers of the international Jazz Spring Festival. It is also the place of concert Zakopane All Souls’ Day and a traditional New Year’s concert.

We end the trip at Krupowki and if we have enough time, we can look at the city’s Art Gallery, open until 17, where sometimes concerts are also held. Or go down Krupowki to see the Church of St. Families, where also Organ Festival concerts take place. Or go up, look at the Yam Gallery, Poraj bookstore with mountain literature, or the recently opened Galeria Krupowki 40, where there are not many interesting shops, but there is a cafe on the top with a terrace with a beautiful view of the mountains. Which additionally serves great local craft beers, worth the exorbitant price, as well as large portions of meringue and cheesecake.

We can also, without reaching Krupowki, visit the Cyberiada digital entertainment center, or wait for a carter with a carriage or sleigh to appear, and order a ride around Zakopane. The carts are also waiting at down Krupowki at the Goralskie Sukiennice (Highlanders Cloth Hall). Another variant of this trip is also visiting first the main building of the Tatra Museum in Krupowki, and then heading to Atma and further down, to the cemetery and to Koscieliska or Gubalowka Street. The museum is open until 9am to 5pm, on Sundays up to 15, closed on Mondays.

Route No. 3 – Upper Zakopane and Kuznice

This trip can be started at various points, even in Kuznice itself, where at the beginning we will see a set of historic buildings in the park and an outdoor exhibition, and then we can go down and continue the trip. We suggest you go first to roundabout “Rondo Sw. Jana Pawla II”. From the station or other point of the city by bus, which goes to Kuznice. At the roundabout, we can start with a visit to the TPN Nature Education Center, or immediately turn into Bronislawa Czecha street to reach at left Wielka Krokiew. In addition to the ski jump, there is a bustling and crowded fair waiting for us, stops of the carriages, and in winter the Ice Palace and the snow labyrinth. This is where the Droga Pod Reglami road begins and it is worth going at least a section of this flat but nice trail overlooking the slopes of the Gubalowka. If we have a lot of time, we can even venture into one of the valleys that depart from it, like the Dolina Bialego. However, if we are focused on a rather urban walk, let’s return to Zakopane, f.ex  along the Droga do Bialego street. In the area there is an inn Zabi Dwor, which collects good opinions, as well as an elegant facility – Hotel Belvedere. We can also come back along Pilsudskiego street leading to the Oczko Wodne (Water Pond) at Krupowki. On the way we can visit the rope park, try bungee jump from a crane or hide in the charming tavern Bakowo Zohylina Wyznio or at the bottom of the street in Niznio. We can also stroll through the small streets of a quiet residential area. Alternatively, return to the main street, Zamoyskiego, and see the church of St. Cross, which is – besides liturgical – also the role of a local concert hall during the “Music on the Heights” festival in September. Right next to it is the Oksza Villa, a relic of Zakopane architecture, a branch of the Tatra Museum with collections including portraits made in unique style by Stanislaw Ignacy Witkiewicz. Interesting temporary exhibitions are also presented there. Oksza is open from 10 to 18 from Wednesday to Saturday. On Sunday from 11 to 18, and closed on Monday and Tuesday. A nice touch at the end of the walk can be a visit to the Watra brewery, where there are often concerts and dances, although you should be careful about the kitchen. In this area, we will eat better, for example, at the Mala Szwajcaria (Little Switzerland) restaurant – we wrote about this and others in the text “Zakopane – bon appétit!”. If we fancy a calmer atmosphere, let’s visit Café Kmicic, a bit off the beaten track by the park, on Staszica Street – there are often organized intimate concerts and performances. We can enjoy there a blissful calm, away from the hustle and bustle of Krupowki, while the walls often display works of art made by artists associated with Podhale.

Route 4 – Kuznice and surroundings

This route will definitely be dedicated to those who are not afraid of stony trails and climbing hills. We will not reach Kuznice by private car, only by bus. From there, we can take the cable lift to Kasprowy Wierch – we write more about the advantages and disadvantages of attractions in the text “Plan your stay and do it smart”. In addition, attractive trails start here, f.ex. to Kalatowki glade, where after about half an hour’s walk we are in a clearing with a beautiful view and a large hotel where you can eat something. There is also often a herd of sheep and an active shepherd’s hut, and in the spring carpets of crocus. In autumn, the hotel restaurant becomes a concert hall and famous jazzmen and great highlander bands perform here – as part of the Jazz Camping Kalatowki festival. Further we can go to the shelter at Hala Kondratowa, tiny, climatic, with a beautiful view of the surrounding gentle peaks and passes (and wonderful baked beans).

Without reaching Kalatowki, we can turn right onto the Sciezka nad Reglami. The path will be steep, but we will pass by rock castles and beautiful viewpoints.

From Kuznice we can also go to Nosal, an easy hill with a beautiful view, and for more advanced we recommend a trip to Hala Gasienicowa to the Murowaniec shelter. With the fact that it is already a typical mountain trip, not for everyone. Map and mountain equipment suitable for the season – mandatory.

Route No. 5 – Around Antalowka

The easiest way to start this route is at the train station. We head up Jagiellonska Street and after a few minutes of walking on the right we pass a signpost to the Wladysław Hasior Gallery. It is definitely a place worth seeing, the artist’s works are unique, huge, imaginative sculptures-installations. The museum is open every day 10-18, on Sundays to 15. From the museum let’s continue up the street and turn for a moment on Witkiewicza Street. There is the Dom Doktora (Doctor’s House) gallery hidden in the garden, a wonderful old wooden villa full of unusual objects, souvenirs, still inhabited. We can even buy there a work of art, jewelry, oil painting, or on glass. After leaving the Gallery, let’s return to ul. Jagiellonska, and there at the Radisson hotel, let’s turn into a small footpath closed for cars. We leave at Broniewskiego Street and continue on it to the left, arching up. A beautiful panorama of the mountains opens before us. Before we reach the intersection with the Droga na Antalowke, we can visit the small Orski Gallery with interesting sculptures. At the intersection, we can go right and reach the villa “Dom Pod Jedlami”, which can be viewed only from the outside, but it is worth seeing. However, if we get there at noon during the September Music Festival on the Heights – we are lucky. The house is open then, because inside there are meetings with festival artists who will perform in the evening. Beautiful interiors are remembered, and additional thrills are caused by the fact that this is the house where the famous poet Maria Pawlikowska-Jasnorzewska lived. After leaving the villa, turn back to the intersection and this time let’s go in the opposite direction. We will find ourselves after a while on a large meadow with an amazing view of the mountains, Zakopane, Poronin and other surrounding villages. After saturating the eyes with views, we can either go down the Kasprowicz yellow trail down to Zakopianka in the vicinity of Ustup and from there return by bus to the city, or return to Broniewskiego Street and go down f.ex. to Olcza, where there is a large church, you can see exhibitions there, like jubilee of Tatra Mountains Rescuers activity for the last 110 years. On Olcza there is also the largest parrots-house that we can visit. We write more about it in the text “When it is raining. Winter (and not only) attractions in Zakopane” We can return to the center by public transport or by bus. The communication bus goes through the upper Zakopane, where along the way we can get off f.ex. at roundabout Rondo Sw. Jana Pawla II, or at Krupowki. The other way, making a circle, goes through Harenda, which we have already described.

This route can be covered by car, although of course we will not cross it through the meadow, and instead of the footpath at the hotel we have to enter Broniewskiego Street from the side of Chalubinski Street behind the gas station. The only problem is that a detour is currently being led there in connection with the renovation of a section of the road, so there are big traffic jams.

We can also end the trip by going back to ul. Jagiellonska and go to the Aquapark. And then to the restaurant – surprisingly not very crowded, though having good cuisine, which is Zakopianska, right next to Wladyslaw Hasior Gallery.

Route No. 6 – Cyrhla and its surroundings

Cyrhla itself is not a particularly attractive spot because, despite the magnificent panorama, it has no observation deck. However, there is public transport, as well as buses going in the direction of Morskie Oko. When we get off there, we can go up the trail and visit the shepherd’s hut with oscypek cheese. And then take the easy trail to f.ex. Kopieniec or Psia Trawka, although these are already mountain trips (we need to buy admission tickets to TPN). If we have no strength for trips, on the way to Cyrhla there is a Chapel on Jaszczurowka, a beautiful, old wooden church worth seeing.

Route No. 7 – scenic trips around Zakopane.

Actually many routes. About which we will mention here only briefly, because they are described in detail in the text “Scenic tours around Zakopane”. It is definitely better to go there in low season, when there are smaller traffic jams. However, if we have patience, let’s go somewhere on a sunny day. We will bring memories of the most beautiful views, certainly on the way we will find an inn with a view and regional cuisine (f.ex. in Gliczarow Gorny a viewing inn has just been opened, with a view of the entire Tatra Mountains), or maybe we will come across a festival of highlander culture, a concert, we will see wooden old churches, charming villages with herds of sheep and cows marching along the road.

Route No. 8 Zakopane – center

Paradoxically, it is the most-chosen, although in total the least interesting walking route. We start it on the Lower Rowien Krupowa, and then passing the intersection of Aleja 3 Maja and Kosciuszki Street we go straight to Krupowki Street. We can go up and down in both directions several times, including taverns, cafes and souvenir shops. On Krupowki there is also the main building of the Tatra Museum, City Art Gallery, Yam Gallery, Poraj bookstore, church of St. Families. And a lot of stores – especially sports and clothing. The city center is also the Upper Rowien Krupowa, where a large white tent of the Folklore of the Mountain Land Festival stands every summer and a large stage, as well as stalls with souvenirs and gastronomy. It is also a place for other events, such as the final of the campaign Cleaning the Tatra Mountains or Zakopane New Year’s Eve. In winter, the authorities of the city dreams of keeping cross-country skiing routes on the plain, in practice the weather often blurs these plans when it rains. The routes are also out of service for the time of construction and deconstruction of the New Year’s concert scene. From Rowien, we can go to Dom Doktora Gallery on Witkiewicza Street (description – Route No. 5), we can also go up Zamoyskiego Street (Route No. 3). From Krupowki we will reach many places – Atma, Plac Niepodleglosci, the bottom station of the cale lift to Gubałówka, the cemetery. There is a huge crowd and noise here, however, it is enough to move away a few hundred meters to experience another Zakopane, peaceful, full of attractions also outside the “main ridge of Krupowki”.

These are still not all proposals and not all objects worth seeing. It is impossible to list them in one text. However, we hope that they will be help and inspiration for your own search. You can also combine fragments of the proposed routes. So, we get the city map in hand – and let’s hit the road!

Anna Markiewicz