Poland - Eastern Europe - page 437

5 The Rest of Malopolska
ZAKOPANE
100km (60 miles) S of Kraków
Zakopane is a surprisingly likable, sprawling mountain village that serves as the hub
of the Polish side of the High Tatras. With its array of accommodations, including
some very beautiful hotels, restaurants, and attractions, it's a sensible base for any
exploration of the region.
Zakopane plays a role in Poland's literary and cultural history that may be unprece-
dented as far as mountain resorts go. Certainly there is no equivalent on the Slovak
side of the Tatras, where the resorts are simply resorts, and the mountains, though
lovely places to hike or ski, are still only mountains. In the 19th and early 20th cen-
turies, a swath of Poland's intellectual elite decamped here in a bid no less ambitious
than to reinvent, or at least reinterpret, Polish culture. The country's best writers,
poets, artists, musicians, and architects gathered here and found something uniquely
Polish in the unspoiled nature and solid mountain cottages of simple people.
The two world wars and the decades of Communism that followed put an end to
the Zakopane art colony, but a special, funky feeling remains. Certainly the wooden
houses here are some of the most beautiful you'll see anywhere, and in and among the
trees and the gardens—and away from the crowds—you'll find a stimulating, uniquely
Polish resort that feels very much of a different age.
At the height of the summer or winter season—when the main street, Krupówki,
is filled to bursting with vacationers—it may take awhile to find that special feeling.
After you've had your fill of the “Main Street” scene, branch off among the neighbor-
hoods, where a more relaxed and pleasing aesthetic takes hold.
ESSENTIALS
GETTING THERE Zakopane is well served by rail and bus lines. Private bus is the
easiest way to move between Kraków and Zakopane; several private lines make the trip
for about 15 z l ($5/£2.60) each way. In Zakopane, Szwagropol (ul. Ko 1 ciuszki 19a;
& 018/20-17-123; www.szwagropol.pl) offers 14 departures daily to and from Kraków's
main bus station to just in front of Zakopane's Tourist Information Center. The last
bus leaves Kraków at 8:10pm.
GETTING AROUND Central Zakopane is fairly compact and partly closed to car
traffic, so walking is really the only option for getting around. The town itself, though,
spreads out a couple of miles in both directions, so if you're staying outside of the cen-
ter (and don't have a car), you'll have to rely on taxis or local buses to get around. The
main taxi stand is conveniently located just outside the main bus and train terminals.
Bikes are another option, but ask at the Tourist Information Office, since rental agen-
cies change from season to season.
VISITOR INFORMATION You'll be a little confused when you arrive by the sheer
number of private tourist agencies offering everything from information to accommo-
dations, lift tickets, and day trips. Zakopane's small Tourist Information Center (Cen-
trum Informacji Turystycznej) (Ko 1 ciuszki 17; & 018/201-22-11; www.zakopane.pl)
can help with general orientation questions and provide maps, but that's about it. For
more hands-on service, including booking hotel rooms, walk across the street to Tourist