There's no better way to enjoy a lingering Winter than taking a 5 hour bus ride down to Zakopane where the south Poland border touches Slovakia. Seeing the beautiful Tatra Mountains, hiking through the trails to find the frozen waterfall - couldn't have asked for more!
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| Standing on the Poland-Slovakia Border! The Tatra Mountains are the highest range of the Carpathians Mountains and they stretch across the Polish Slovakian Border. A quarter of the range is Polish, and it was formally declared the Tatra National Park in 1955. Traditionally, the lands behind here belonged to Hungary, but by the mid-17th century, the Ottoman Empire (Poland's traditional enemy) had managed to creep up to the Tatras. As the Empire crumbled, the Hungarians moved back in, and they regained a friendship with the Poles. Today, it is the Slovakians who live behind the mountains. The highest Polish peak is Mount Rysy, which rises to 2,499 meters above sea level. There is also the cross-topped summit of Giewont, which is affectionately known as the the 'Sleeping Night'. The lower and middle parts of the range are covered in forest. It's not unusual to see some wildlife such as seder, wild boar, lynx, and brown bears. The Tatras also boast a number of caves. This is a very popular aspect of the Tatras, and steeped in legend. The region was once inhabited by outlaws - the famed 'zbojnicy'. Another popular feature of the range are the lakes, the most famous being Morksie Oko (the 'Eye of the Sea'). A cable car ride will take you up to the summit, where you can stand with one foot in Poland and one foot in Slovakia. Excerpt taken from the Academic Programs International, Krakow-Poland 2013 Student Handbook |
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| Zakopane is at the northern foot of the Tatras. It is considered the most famous mountain resort, and it attracts about one million tourists per year. However, the resort wasn't always this popular. The village wasn't "discovered" until the late 19th century when the famed doctor Tytus Chalubinkski visited and began making use of the healing properties of the climate as part of this therapy. Soon after the village became one of the country's prime tourist hot-spots. The resort served as sort of the Mecca for artists and writers who were inspired by the magnificent scenery and the riche 'goral' (highlander) culture. The best known are the composer Karol Szymanowski and the artist and playwright Witkacy. The after of the latter, Stanislaw Witkiewicz (1851-1915), was inspired by the traditional local architecture and created the so-called "Zakopane style" of wooden architecture. Some of the buildings he designed are still standing. Excerpt taken from the Academic Programs International, Krakow-Poland 2013 Student Handbook |
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| By the 1920s, Zakopane had evolved into one of the most popular holiday destinations in the country, and it is a haven for skiers an duikers. The resort offers a mixture of commercialism and folklore, which is clearly evident when you take a stroll down the main street called Krupowki. This only adds to the character of the place, and above all, Zakopane is palace where people come to have fun. Excerpt taken from the Academic Programs International, Krakow-Poland 2013 Student Handbook |
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| Avalanche level 2! Look out for bears?! Uh-oh! But check out the vintage style hotel below! Cool-ish fact: the hotel isn't vintage on purpose….it literally hasn't been updated for years... |
Thick wool socks! And what the town is also known for: smoked sheep cheese with raspberry jam
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