When planning a vacation in Zakopane, it is not worth limiting yourself to urban attractions. The surroundings of the capital of the Polish Tatra Mountains are equally interesting for tourists, and some must-haves points of a visit to Podhale are even several dozen kilometers away.
MORSKIE OKO AND RYSY
Buses from Zakopane always run to Palenica Bialczanska, from where you can go on foot or on a horse-drawn carriage to Morskie Oko – the famous highest lake in Poland. The highest peak of the Tatra Mountains lies on the Polish-Slovak border and can be reached the fastest from Morskie Oko. People who are afraid of a steep approach from the Polish side can use the trail from the Slovak side. It is much more comfortable, and you can go out with older children.
TRADITIONAL RAFTING DOWN THE DUNAJEC RIVER
Dunajec river is another attraction to see during a visit to Zakopane. It is also a fragment of the border between Poland and Slovakia because, in its most interesting section, Dunajec is a river separating these two countries. You can get to the river by public transport or use one of the travel agencies to get round-trip transportation, but rafting can also be accessed by getting to the marina in a more original way, e.g., on quads.
330,000 – so many tourists came down the Dunajec River in 2016. It was a record in the history of rafting.
GUBALOWKA MOUNTAIN AND TATRA MOUNTAIN VALLEYS
Tatra valleys are easy even for the youngest tourists. The entrance to the Koscieliska Valley is located in the village Koscielisko, from which its name comes. The entrance point to the Chocholowska Valley may be a bit confusing, it is located in Witow. Koscielisko, Witow, and Chocholow are very close to Zakopane and are very interesting but often neglected by tourists. Here you can also plan a trip on foot, by bike, or by quadricycle.
WATER PARKS
Those who like water can take advantage of the Aquapark in Zakopane, but this type of attraction can also be found in Bialka Tatrzanska, Bukowina Tatrzanska, Chocholow, and Szaflary. They can be used all year round, and in some cases, after leaving the sauna instead of going under a cold shower, you can jump in the snow.