Best things to do in Zakopane

Zakopane's Absolute Essentials

Zakopane serves as Poland’s premier mountain destination, defined by the rugged peaks of the Tatra National Park and the distinct Zakopane Style of wooden architecture. This selection features the high-altitude summits of Kasprowy Wierch and Gubałówka, accessible by cable car and funicular. Cultural highlights include the Villa Koliba and the Jaszczurówka Chapel, showcasing the region's heritage. The central Krupówki street offers a hub for local commerce, while the Pęksowy Brzyzek cemetery provides a resting place for the town’s historical figures amidst artistic wooden tombstones.

Zakopane's Absolute Essentials — Map

Jelka Pekolj / CC-BY-SA

A

Krupówki

The central pedestrian boulevard of Zakopane, lined with traditional restaurants, shops, and regional markets. It serves as the town's primary commercial and social hub.

Krzysztof Szymański / CC BY 2.5 pl

B

Gubałówka

Gubałówka is a mountain in the Gubałówka Range, above the Polish town of Zakopane.

Sygic Travel User / CC-BY-SA

C

Kasprowy Wierch

Kasprowy Wierch is a peak of a long crest in the Western Tatras one of Poland's main winter ski areas.

Agnieszka Baranowska / CC BY 2.0

D

Museum of Zakopane Style at Villa Koliba

The Museum of Zakopane Style at Villa Koliba is a division of the Tatra Museum in Zakopane, and a museum of Zakopane style.

Dariusz.Biegacz / CC BY-SA 4.0

E

Villa Atma

The Villa Atma in Zakopane, Poland, is a historic chalet housing the Karol Szymanowski Museum, department of the National Museum in Kraków.

M.Bucka / CC BY-SA 4.0

F

Cmentarz Zasłużonych na Pęksowym Brzyzku

The town's oldest cemetery, established in the mid-19th century. It features unique, artistically carved wooden and stone gravestones marking the burial sites of notable Polish writers, artists, and mountaineers.

AlexKazakhov / Public domain

G

Kaplica pw. Najświętszego Serca Jezusa w Jaszczurówce

A wooden chapel designed by Stanisław Witkiewicz and completed in 1907. It is a masterpiece of the Zakopane Style, built using traditional highlander construction techniques.

Thomas.xx71 / CC BY-SA 4.0

H

Kościół pw. Najświętszej Rodziny

A Neo-Romanesque stone church completed in 1896. The interior blends traditional religious art with local highlander motifs and Zakopane Style ornamentation.

I

Kolej linowa Kasprowy Wierch

An aerial tramway operating since 1936 that transports passengers from Kuźnice to the summit of Kasprowy Wierch. It remains one of the oldest cable car systems in Europe.

Sygic Travel User / CC-BY-SA

J

Siklawica Falls

Siklawica Falls is a waterfall located in the Western Tatras, south of Zakopane, Poland, dropping a total of 24 m making it the second…

Daro998 / CC-BY-SA-3.0

K

Myślenickie Turnie

A peak in the Western Tatras rising to 1,354 meters. It serves as the intermediate transfer station for the cable car line ascending to Kasprowy Wierch.

Piotrekwas / CC BY-SA 3.0 pl

L

Galeria Sztuki XX wieku w willi Oksza

Housed in an 1894 villa designed by Stanisław Witkiewicz, this gallery displays 20th-century art, including works by Witkacy, and examples of regional craftsmanship.

M

The Tatra Museum in Zakopane

The Tatra Museum is a museum of the history, culture, nature and ethnography of the Polish Tatras; its main branch is located in Zakopane,…

Other Lists

Zakopane's Hidden Gems Majestic Mountain Peaks Caves and Underground Wonders Sacred Sites and Spiritual Heritage Zakopane Heritage Trail Polish Regional Flavors