Things To Do in Jelenia Gora

This is the largest town in the vicinity of the Karkonosze Mountains and is a good jumping-off spot for exploring the mountains and Karkonosze National Park because of its decent lodging and dining options. The town's history goes back some 900 years. The focal point is an impressive medieval square, the Plac Ratuszowy, surrounded by baroque- and rococo-facaded burghers' houses and with the town hall, the Ratusz, in the middle. There's not much in the way of traditional sightseeing options, though the burghers' houses deserve closer inspection. In the town's heyday, these were occupied by the wealthiest citizens, and many are still marked with the signs of the traditional guilds. Today, the intact baroque arcades serve mainly to shield the customers of the many cafes and pubs that line the square. If you get a rainy day or have a few hours to spend in town, walk about 500m (1,640 ft.) south of the square to the Karkonosze Regional Museum, a good primer on the park's history and natural bounty.

Karkonosze National Park/Karpacz/Szklarska Poreba

Most visitors to Karkonosze National Park choose to base themselves at one of the mountain resorts of Karpacz and Szklarska Poreba, where the best hotels, restaurants, and tourist information offices are located. In truth, there's not much difference between the two. Karpacz is a little smaller and more remote than Szklarska Poreba, lying farther from a main highway. On the down side, the ski facilities here are slightly inferior, and in summer, the mountain-biking infrastructure is not as built up as in Szklarska Poreba. Either resort is fine if you're just passing through for a couple of days to go walking in the mountains. Aside from the beautiful nature, along with hiking, biking, and skiing, there's not much here in the way of traditional tourist sites. If you get a rainy day, both resort centers are suitably picturesque and filled with little souvenir shops and diversions. Karpacz has two modest tourist attractions: A sports museum and a transplanted Norwegian church that's certainly worth seeking out.