2. From Krakow: Zakopane Tour with Gubalowka Funicular & Museum
Visit the popular winter resort of Zakopane on a full-day private sightseeing tour from Krakow and discover Poland’s most popular resort for skiing, rock climbing, rafting, trekking, cycling and paragliding. Begin your exploration of the area by visiting the highlander’s cottage and tasting the traditional highlander cheese known as oscypek. Then, continue your tour in the Koliba Villa, the Museum of Zakopane Style.
After the visit to the museum, you will take the funicular railway to Mount Gubałówka for eye-popping views over the granite and limestone peaks. Return to the oldest part of Zakopane and wander the characterful main street of Krupówki to immerse yourself in Zakopane culture. Listen to the Podhale dialect - a language only spoken by the highlanders of the Tatra Mountains - admire beautiful handmade outfits, hear traditional music and peek into the workshops to see how the local art is made.
Before World War I, Zakopane was widely regarded as the art and culture capital of Poland, a status it earned thanks to the many artists, writers and musicians who settled there. Among them was the painter Stanislaw Witkiewicz, who established a unique mountain cottage style of architecture known as “Zakopane Style.” You can learn more at the Tatra Museum. Having returned to the oldest part of Zakopane, you will have a chance to visit the enormous regional market and have lunch in a regional restaurant serving local specialities while enjoying your free time.