Zakopane and Tatra Mountains Day Trip from Krakow with Cheese Tasting

Chocholow, the Wooden Village of the Highlanders

Chocholow lies in the Podhale valley close to the Slovak border, about an hour and a half south of Krakow. Its main street is lined with log houses built from thick spruce and fir beams, their gable ends facing the road. Many of these houses date from the 19th century, and by local custom the owners scrub the timber with soap and water to keep it pale, so the whole village glows a soft honey colour.

The village is also remembered for a short uprising of local highlanders against Austrian rule in 1846, commemorated by a plaque and a small museum. On this Zakopane day trip from Krakow you spend about 30 minutes walking the street, photographing the carved doorways and the wooden church, and getting a first feel for the Gorale highlander culture that you will meet again in Zakopane.

Oscypek Cheese Tasting in a Highlander Hut

Next you stop at a traditional highlander hut to taste oscypek, the region's famous smoked cheese. It is made from salted sheep's milk, pressed into decorated wooden moulds that give it its spindle shape and carved patterns, then smoked over wood for several days. Real oscypek has protected European status and can only be made in the Podhale area during the grazing season, from late spring to early autumn.

The tasting lasts about 30 minutes and is included in the trip. You can try the cheese plain or warmed and served with cranberry jam, as it is sold on the streets of Zakopane, and learn how shepherds still make it in mountain huts. It is a simple, local moment that many travellers remember as a highlight, and a chance to buy cheese to take back to Krakow.

Wielka Krokiew Ski Jump and Jaszczurowka Chapel

On the edge of Zakopane stands Wielka Krokiew, the great ski jump built in 1925 on the slopes of the Krokiew mountain. Rebuilt several times, it now hosts international ski jumping competitions every winter, and the landing hill is surrounded by stands for thousands of fans. From the bottom you can see just how steep the in-run is, a striking sight even in summer, and the 15-minute stop is ideal for photographs.

A short drive away, the Jaszczurowka Chapel of the Sacred Heart is one of the finest examples of the Zakopane style, a type of architecture created around 1900 from highlander building traditions. The small wooden chapel, finished in the first decade of the 20th century, has a steep shingled roof, carved details and a slender tower set among spruce trees. The photo stop here lasts about 15 minutes.

Zakopane and Krupowki Street

Zakopane sits at the foot of the Tatras at about 800 to 1,000 metres above sea level and is often called the winter capital of Poland. It grew from a mountain village into a resort in the late 19th century, when doctors recommended its clean air and artists came to paint the peaks. Its heart is Krupowki Street, a pedestrian street lined with wooden-style buildings, shops, craft stalls and restaurants serving highlander food.

You have about two hours of free time here: enough to walk the length of Krupowki, browse the stalls for wool, leather and wooden souvenirs, and have lunch at your own expense. Local dishes worth trying include kwasnica, a sauerkraut soup, grilled oscypek and potato pancakes. Our tour leader gives you tips on where to go and a clear time and place to meet again.

Gubalowka Hill by Funicular

The funicular to Gubalowka opened in 1938 and climbs about 1.3 kilometres from the centre of Zakopane to the top of the hill in only a few minutes, and your ticket is included. Gubalowka rises to about 1,120 metres and faces the Tatra range directly, so from the summit ridge you see the whole wall of mountains across the town, including Giewont, whose outline is said to look like a sleeping knight, and Kasprowy Wierch.

At the top you have about an hour to walk along the ridge path, enjoy the viewpoints and browse the stalls. On a clear day this is the best view on the trip; in cloud the peaks may hide, which is part of mountain weather. If you are wondering how to get to Zakopane and Gubalowka without driving, this trip covers both with no transfers to arrange.

The Tatra Mountains

The Tatras are the highest range of the Carpathians and form a natural border between Poland and Slovakia. On the Polish side they are protected as Tatra National Park, with granite peaks, glacial lakes and spruce forests. The highest summit in Poland, Rysy, reaches 2,499 metres. The highlanders of the valleys below have kept their own dialect, music, wooden architecture and costume, which you see throughout the day.

This Tatra Mountains tour from Krakow gives you a gentle introduction to the range without hiking: the views come from Gubalowka and from the road. The best time to visit the Tatras for clear views is late spring to early autumn, while winter brings snow and a festive mood to Zakopane. The drive back to Krakow takes about two hours, with drop-off at your accommodation.