Articles

The Tatras

The Tatras are the highest part of the Carpathian mountain range, and for centuries they were Poland's natural border in the south. Arriving in…

The Eye of the Sea

Morskie Oko is arguably the most beautiful of the Tatra lakes, and it is certainly the largest. It covers about 35 hectares in all, stretching some…

Go Skiing in Zakopane!

First off, how's the sound of the town? There's hardly a better ski town than Zakopane. When it comes to the sights, sounds, smells, sips and…

Zakopane Nightlife

On the one hand Zakopane is a relatively small provincial town, on the other it's Poland's premier mountain resort. As such you can find the good…

Gubalowka Hill

At the northern end of Krupowki street you can stroll on through the market to Gubalowka Hill. At its summit you will find the starting points of…

Ski & Snowboard Lessons

Because not everybody was born in the mountains... You made it to the beautiful, pristine Tatra Mountains. You've enjoyed the heck out of the quirky…

Chocholow

The village of Chocholow lies seventeen kilometres east of Zakopane, and it represents the most complete survival of an old gorale village. The…

The Sleeping Knight

Giewont is by far the the most distinctive of the Tatra peaks, and it has been revered by the Highlanders since time immemorial. It's silhouette has…

Niedzica Castle

The prospect of Niedzica castle, which is best enjoyed from the ruins of Czorsztyn on the other side of the lake, is amongst the most picturesque in…

Museums

As the former 'cultural capital' of Poland during the late nineteenth century, Zakopane has a surprisingly rich clutch of museums to explore. So if…

The Old Graveyard

If there is anywhere in Zakopane where you can feel the spirit of a hundred years ago, it is at the Old Graveyard. A certain Jan Peksa gave this land…

Zakopane Town

Zakopane is nestled in a valley between the Tatra Mountains in the south and Gubalowka Hill to the north. Like most places in Poland, the town is in…

The Wladyslaw Hasior Gallery

Wladyslaw Hasior (1928-1999) was one of the foremost Polish artists of the postwar era, and he maintained strong bonds with the Podhale region…

Wooden Wonders

The wooden churches of Southern Poland are jewels, and their acknowledgment by UNESCO in 2003 was a richly deserved tribute. Five churches in…

Amongst the Carpathian foothills

Podhale, which means under the mountain meadows, is Poland's southernmost region. To the Poles, the area is synonymous with a rich and patriotic…

Zakopane's Oldest Church

When work began on this church in 1847, Zakopane was really no more than a hamlet - an unknown place in the wilderness. St. Clement's was her first…

Zakopane's Eccentric Godfather

The Fin-de-Siecle was a time when the old European order was losing it's grip, and it was not short of a few louche Counts. However, the character of…

Avalanches

We've all seen the cartoons. A scimpy scallywag decides to sing a song and abracadabra - down comes enough snow to bury the pyramids. Of course…

Grab A Piste Of The Action

Once you've zipped into Zakopane, keep an eye out for the Zakopane Life logo in shops and bars around town. Our loyal friends the highland gnomes…

Spisz, the Pieniny and beyond

If you are inspired to negotiate the local bus system, or have the opportunity to jump in a car, there are some very rewarding days out in the region.