Things To Do in Zakopane
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Zakopane Attractions
Krupówki merits about an hour's stroll, end to end. Toward the northern end of Krupówki (downhill), follow Koscieliska to the left for a couple of blocks to see two of the town's most interesting sites. One is a tiny wooden church, the Church of St. Clement; the other is the adjoining cemetery, with some of the most ornately carved wooden headstones you're likely ever to see. Look especially for the highly stylized totem pole that marks the grave of Stanisaw Witkiewicz, the architect who first set off the local craze for all things wooden.
Exploring the High Tatras
The real joy of any fair-weather visit to the Tatras is the chance to get out into the mountains. Even though Zakopane can get pretty crowded, it doesn't take long to put the throng behind you. One good out-and-back hike of about 4 hours of moderate to heavy exertion and some awesome views begins from just behind the Hotel Belvedere, about 2km (1 1/4 miles) from the center. Begin by following the yellow-marked path that cuts through the Biaa Valley (Dolina Biaego). After about a 90-minute ascent, turn onto the black trail, following the signs for Stazyska Polana, and returning to Zakopane via the red trail along the Stazyska Valley. The walk will leave you about 3km (1 3/4 miles) from the center. Be sure to take along plenty of water, some snacks, sunscreen, boots or walking shoes, and rain gear (you never know what kind of weather you're going to get). A less-demanding walk, and one that is very popular with the masses, follows the red-marked trail to Morskie Oko, the largest of the Alpine lakes, in the far southern corner of Poland's share of the High Tatras. Many travel agencies in town offer packages that include transportation to the trail head to the east of Zakopane, but once you get off the bus, you'll have to walk or take a horse-drawn cart the 9km (5 1/2 miles) uphill to the lake.
Zakopane Shopping
Krupówki is jammed wall-to-wall with souvenir shops, gold and silver dealers, and outdoor outfitters, all competing for your attention with a jumble of cafes, restaurants, pizza joints, and refreshment stands. Just about everything you might need, you'll find along this busy 5 or 6 blocks. Most of the gift and souvenir stores peddle in the same sorts of imported, mass-produced junk -- wooden toys, T-shirts, hats and scarves, and mock traditional clothing -- that sadly have little connection to Zakopane. For something more authentic, try looking in at Cepelia, with two locations on Krupówki (nos. 2 and 48; tel. 18/201-50-48). Here, you'll find locally produced carved wooden boxes, animal pelts, leather goods, and the odd knickknack or two. Art Gallery Yam (Krupówki 63; tel. 18/206-69-84) is about as funky as it gets in Zakopane. Check out the rotating exhibitions of contemporary Polish painters, some riveting modern Tatra landscapes, and other works that draw on the absurdist visual style of Polish art in the 1970s and '80s.
One souvenir you won't be able to miss are those little rounds of sheep's milk cheese, oscypek, that you see everywhere around town. The recipe apparently goes back some 500 years. The salty cheese goes great with beer.
