Zakopane is Poland's premier mountain resort town, perched at 850 metres in the Tatra foothills near the Slovak border. It has drawn Polish artists, writers, and holidaymakers since the late 19th century and remains enormously popular in both winter (skiing) and summer (hiking). The town is a mix of traditional wooden Highlander (Góral) architecture, souvenir stalls, and ski lifts — lively and a little kitschy, but a genuine base for some of the best mountain scenery in Central Europe.
The Tatry National Park begins at the edge of town. The most famous route is the five-hour round trip to Morskie Oko, a glacial lake ringed by cliffs at 1,395 metres — Poland's most visited mountain destination. Rysy (2,499m), the highest peak in Poland, is a full-day scramble from Morskie Oko. The valley of Dolina Kościeliska, west of town, is beautiful and less crowded, with a stream canyon and a cave system. Kasprowy Wierch (1,987m) is reached by cable car from Kuźnice and has good ridge walking in summer and reliable skiing from November to April.
The Krupówki pedestrian street in the centre is the main promenade — lined with restaurants, cafes, and shops selling oscypek (local smoked sheep's cheese, eaten grilled with cranberry jam) and Góral crafts. The Zakopane Style architecture developed by Stanisław Witkiewicz around 1900 — wooden villas with elaborate carved decoration inspired by Góral folk art — is visible throughout the town in churches, hotels, and private houses. The Villa Koliba, now a museum, is the first and most important example.
Zakopane is 2–3 hours by bus from Kraków.