ZAKOPANE (TATRA MOUNTAINS): all year
 

About 100km from Krakow sits the town of Zakopane, a town which truly offers just about everything. The year-long appeal of Zakopane comes from the Tatra Mountains and the Tatra National Parks.

The winter months bring the snow and the ski slopes, offering challenges for both the novice and the experienced skier. The summer offers relaxing alternatives to the adrenaline rush of the winter in the guise of numerous walking tours. Hiking up the mountains or through the valleys is something that attracts tourists back to Zakopane, never tiring of the scenery. These walks, on specially crafted paths offering either gentle strolls or breath-sapping excursions, are equally as attractive in the Autumn months, a time when the area often experiences continued summer sun. The Tatra Mountains are inviting for tourists all year round and essentially it is for this reason that Zakopane is an increasingly popular tourist resort.

However, away from the activities in the Eastern European Alps, the town of Zakopane provides many cultural highlights as well. The town has an impressive folk music history, stemming from the artists, writers and musicians who settled there this century. The history has continued with the local authorities encouraging the art of the folk song and all its spectacular dances.

Zakopane is fast becoming one of Eastern Europe's most popular tourist resorts. Come anytime in the year and the Tatra setting and the vibrant town will make you determined to return.