My new years resolution is to learn a little of the Polish language. Why? Because the culture, food and language of Poland, has pretty much intrigued me as soon as I stepped off the plane in Krakow. But this post is not about Krakow, but rather, it is about somewhere a little further south – in the Tatra Mountains and a delightful walk I took through a town called Zakopane.
It has been well over a year since I walked through Zakopane, in Poland. Yet the memory of that day still haunts me in the very best way. [And I am still learning Polish.]
Zakopane is a town in Southern Poland, about a two hour drive from Krakow, lying close to the Slovakian border, in the Tatra Mountain range. Communication between Zakopane and other towns was difficult for many years due to the mountainous terrain, and so the locals developed their own dialects, songs, architecture and traditions.
If you are a fan of gabled timber architecture, you’ll have come to the right place. Come and walk with me down the main street of Zakopane.
If you are too tired to walk, there is always a horse and wagon option that will take you to the Funicular station.
Cafes in Zakopane feature seating carved with traditional designs from Lower Silesia.
I found plenty of things to tempt me to open my purse in Zakopane and prices a pleasant surprise.
If you didn’t want trinkets, you can always try some of the delicious local foods from the many street vendors along the way. A specialty in this region is Sheep’s cheese.
If you have ever tasted Haloumi cheese, the Sheep’s cheese has a similar texture, but also a delicate smoky flavour. So very delicious. I could eat it every day if I could. Yum!
Norm’s Thursday Doors fans would appreciate the work in this door along Zakopane’s main street.
Walk through the door to gawk at the ornately decorated church, clearly loved by the community.
Poised above the town of Zakopane is the summit of Gubałówka. This is my next stop.
That Yellow are in the photo below is the summit and we are going to get there in a mountain cable car. You can find the entrance to the funicular at the end of the main street.
Especially lovely in Summer, the summit lookout is frequented by skiers in winter as Zakopane is a hugely popular ski resort. Here I am enjoying the breathtaking view over the Zakopane Valley.
Time to explore more at the top of the mountain.
The return cable car journey gave me a different perspective on the Zakopane valley.
Ready, Set, Here we go.
Linking to Jo’s Wonderful Monday Walks
