Hostels in ZAKOPANE, POLAND

Zakopane – For Experiencing Polish Adventure with Serenity

Zakopane, the southern Polish town located at the Tatra Mountains’ foot is also known as Poland’s winter capital. It caters to more than three million tourists every year and is popular for its skiing and mountaineering facilities.

History
Zakopane’s history can be dated back to the 1600’s. Its popularity as a holiday destination began rising in the later part of the 19th century after the discovery of the beautiful Koscieliska Valley and Morskie Oko Lake. The discovery was done by a group of Poles during one of their trips to the Tatra Mountains. Till World War II, Zakopane had developed good facilities for offering spa and antiuberculitic treatment. The main development of Zakopane began after World War II as new hotels, residences and holiday-houses were built. Consequently, it ceased to be recognised as a spa town.

Popular Places and Attractions
The Tatras and the Podhale hills offer ideal conditions for enjoying sports like skiing and mountaineering. Other than this, the Tatra Museum is a famous attraction as well. It is Poland’s oldest ethnic museum. It offers unique insight into various natural and ethnic exhibits like clothes and lifestyle of shepherds along with the Tatra fauna. The Botanical museum is located right behind the museum. The Atma House and Willa Koliba are two other museums in Zakopane for those interested in art, music and culture.

Some other popular places in Zakopane are the Parish Church, the Church of Holy Mary, Uprising museum, Niedzica castle and the Old Cemetery where a number of famous Polish personalities are buried. Certain tombs and graves of this cemetery are now considered as national monuments.

Visitors can plan short exciting trips to places around the town as well. These half day hikes or trails would make for a real adventurous experience.

Getting Around
Trams, buses, cable cars and cars are the commonly adopted methods of transport in Zakopane but the best way of moving around in this serene town is by walking. A good guide is to keep some small notes and change handy to pay for your fares.

Places for Entertainment
Zakopane is essentially a place for those seeking entertainment the adventurous way. The area of Kasprowy Wierch, Nosal, Polana Szymoszkowa and Koziniec offer the best conditions for skiing with most of them offering chairlifts and T-lifts as well. Some other exciting options would be taking trails along the Western Tatras’ ridges and the National Park of Tatra for cyclist trail enthusiasts. Trails in Tatras are nicely marked with colour stripes and plates. Winter hiking is another adventurous experience that one can opt for although expert supervision is recommended.

Other than this, Zakopane also has good restaurants, pubs and discos.

Accommodation
Custom-built holiday-houses can be found in Zakopane that are probably the best option for staying in. One can also opt for hotels although they just might be little expensive. For the budget travellers you can stay in bed & Breakfast, motels, guesthouse, youth hostels, inns Budget hotels,

Currency
The currency used in Poland is the Zloty. Visitors are recommended to get their currencies exchanged for the Zloty as even Euro is not so popular in Zakopane. International ATM card holders can use their cards for taking the Zloty. Check the news and internet for the latest exchange rates.

Zakopane group accommodation | Cheap hostels & budget hotels