A Day in Zakopane: The Best One-Day Itinerary from Kraków

2026-09-22 · 7 min read

Zakopane sits about two hours south of Kraków, at the foot of the Tatra Mountains, and it's easily one of the most popular day trips from the city. Here's how a well-paced day typically comes together.

Morning: the drive down

The road to Zakopane runs through rolling countryside before the mountains come into view — worth staying awake for, even after an early start. A private transfer takes around two hours from central Kraków.

Chochołów: a highland village first

Many day trips start with a stop in Chochołów, a village of traditional wooden log houses that gives a sense of highland architecture before reaching the busier town centre.

Midday: Krupówki and the town

Krupówki, Zakopane's main pedestrian street, is the centre of the action — shops, food stalls, and the place to try oscypek, the local smoked sheep's cheese, often grilled and served with cranberry sauce. It's touristy, but that's part of the charm.

Afternoon: Gubałówka

A funicular railway climbs from the edge of town up Gubałówka hill, and on a clear day the view back over Zakopane toward the Tatras is one of the best in the region. It's a short ride, and there's usually time to walk along the ridge before heading back down.

Along the way: the ski jump

Zakopane's large ski jump, visible from several points around town, is worth a look even outside of competition season — the scale of it is hard to judge from photos alone.

Free time

A well-planned day leaves some unstructured time — for browsing Krupówki's stalls, a coffee with a mountain view, or simply sitting somewhere with the Tatras in front of you.

How long it takes

Including the drive both ways, a full day trip to Zakopane typically runs seven to nine hours, with plenty of that spent in the town itself rather than in the car.