Zakopane Diaries - notes from a trip to Zakopane

Cocktails and mountains

Its summer! That means its time to jump on a bus and head to the mountains to escape the heat and crowds of streets of Krakow. Will you be alone in this venture? Absolutely not. Especially with the school holidays in Poland commencing at the end of June. However, there is much to be savoured on a jaunt to Zakopane at this time of year which keeps on pulling me back.

Getting there

My favourite mode of transport for this escapade? The bus, hands down. Why? Because the views can be pretty breath taking. The train, on the other hand, trundles along the valley floors like it’s on a leisurely countryside stroll—which, while charming, doesn’t offer quite the same panoramic drama. Buses run frequently from Kraków’s main station, and you’ve got a few trusty options: Majerbus, Szwagropol, and Flixbus all operate on this route, with tickets available online. But if you’ve rocked up without one, don’t panic—so long as it’s not heaving, you can usually just hop on and pay the driver with Majerbus or Szwagropol. With Flixbus though, brace yourself: spontaneity might cost you, as paying onboard can be significantly pricier. 

Prices should typically come in at around £6.

For more guidance on getting to Zakopane, follow this link.

Zakopane Diaries: Day 1 – Clag, cake, and pacemaker test drive

After arriving from our 2 hour 30 minute bus journey, and settled into our Highlander haven at the Giewont Aparthotel—a two-floor dream decked out in rustic wood and mountain charm—we kicked off our Zakopane adventure with a hike that could politely be described as “ambitious" given that hubby had recently had a pacemaker fitted. Giewont is a very popular mountain which we usually avoid as it attracts crowds, who see ascending to the giant cross at the tops as a bit of a pilgrimage. However, given the pacemaker was undergoing a test drive, we thought it best to stay close to the town for our first hike.

Kondratowa calling

We began in Kuznice having jumped on one of the many minibuses from Zakopane. Cost is currently 5zl which is paid to the driver in cash when you exit the bus. Picking up the blue trail, the path led us through forested hush to the newly refurbished Kondratowa mountain hut. Here we lingered over coffee and a slice of szarlotka—a kind of apple cake. The hut was quiet, the air thick with humidity and the threat of thunder, but our spirits were high. Interestingly, if you read the history of this hut you will find out the dining area was smashed into by a 30 ton boulder in 1953. The very same boulder rests at the side of the hut to this very day.

The slog to the summit

Two hours of uphill slog followed. The trail grew steeper, the clouds claggier, and the sweat more profuse. Towards the summit, the cross loomed through the mist like a ghostly reward. The view? A bit moody, atmospheric and slightly disappointing—but in a poetic way.

The red trail descent

The descent via the red trail toward Mała Łąki Valley was where things got a bit spicy. Steep, gravelly, and occasionally exposed, it demanded full concentration and a few choice words. A small exposed scramble added a bit of drama, but the payoff came in the form of sweeping views and lush mountain meadows.

Eventually, we reached the hut in the Strążyska Valley, legs wobbling, knees pounding but hearts full. From there, it was a gentle stroll back into Zakopane proper.

Beer, buffet, and balcony bliss

We collapsed into Zabi Dwór Karczma on the route back for a well-earned beer that tasted like heaven. Too tired for a full dinner, we raided the local grocery store and assembled a picky buffet back at the apartment—cheese, bread, mystery meats, and whatever looked vaguely edible. Drinks on the balcony capped off the day, with the mountains silhouetted against a brooding evening sky. Bliss!

Zakopane Diaries: Day 2 – Cheese, caves, and crowd-surfing in nature

After the previous day’s flirtation with altitude sickness and gravel-induced trauma, Day 2 was all about taking it easy—or at least pretending to. We swapped summit scrambles for valley vibes and let Zakopane’s gentler charms do the heavy lifting.

Cheese, pancakes, and pine-scented trek

We caught a minibus from the bottom of Krupówki Street, near the market, and headed for the Kościeliska Valley—one of the region’s most beloved natural playgrounds. Before even setting foot on the trail, we made a tactical stop at a karczma near the valley head, where homemade cheese and  chocolate pancake (delicious) set the tone for a day of indulgent meandering.

Into the valley of the crowds

The sun was out, the limestone cliffs were gleaming invitingly. However, it seemed every resident and visitor in Zakopane had the same idea as us for the day. We joined the procession into the valley, surrounded by pine forests, meadows, rushing rivers, and the occasional sheep cheese-making hut that looked like it had been plucked from a pastoral postcard.

Birdsong filled the air and resurgent streams emerged from nowhere like magical plumbing. We stopped for a paddle in the cool waters, letting our feet recover from yesterday’s abuse, before ambling back to the roadhead with sun-warmed smiles and slightly pink noses.

Pilsner and Polish comfort food

Back at the trailhead, we jumped on one of the waiting minibuses back to Zakopane. Back in town we instantly rewarded ourselves with crisp pilsner pints at Karczma Bacówka—because hydration is important. Dinner was a hearty affair at Karczma Zagroda: a gloriously crispy chicken cutlet, a set of salads, and a mountain of chips that could have fed a small village.

Balcony ritual and sunset reverie

As the sun dipped behind the peaks, we returned to our Highlander-style apartment for the now-sacred balcony drink ritual. The sky turned peach, the mountains glowed, and we slipped into bed with the smug satisfaction of people who had mastered the art of the gentle adventure for a day.

Zakopane Diaries: Day 3 – Clouds, courage, and cocktails with altitude

Day 3 brought a new kind of challenge—not just for the legs, but for the heart. Quite literally. With my hubby's fresh pacemaker and a stubborn streak, we decided to test both his fitness and our sanity by hiking up the 1,987 metres of Kasprowy Wierch mountain. Why take the cable car when you can sweat your way to self-actualisation?

The green trail slog

We hopped a minibus to Kuznice again, waved dismissively at the cable car queue, and set off up the green trail. The forest greeted us with peace and birdsong, but soon enough, fellow hikers began to materialise from the trees.

The climb was a proper slog—humid, claggy, and zigzaggy in all the wrong ways. Clouds teased us with fleeting glimpses of the valleys below. However, we pressed on, lungs wheezing, legs burning, and spirits buoyed by sheer stubbornness.

Summit solitude and sour soup

At the top, we found ourselves in rare company—i.e., almost no company at all. Apparently, hiking into the clouds isn’t everyone’s idea of a good time. But for us, it was glorious. We celebrated with a hearty bowl of żurek in the summit café, a kind of sour rye soup served with smoked sausage and boiled egg bobbing about in it. Scrummy!

By the way, the view below is what we should have seen.

The descent was a shameless act of self-care, we took the cable car back down. No regrets. We’d earned our shortcut.

Rooftop revelry at Goralski Browar

The final evening was pure magic. We headed to the rooftop bar of Goralski Browar, where cocktails flowed, deck chairs beckoned, and the views were stunning. The prices were kind on the pocket, and the peaceful, warm atmosphere whilst gazing at the two mountains we had conquered on our short Zakopane trip was definitely a highlight.

After slurping a Pornstar Martini and Mojito, we descended one floor to the bistro, snagged a balcony table, and demolished a pizza with gusto. As the sun dipped behind the peaks, we toasted to resilience, the miracle of pacemakers, and the ridiculous beauty of Zakopane.

Zakopane Diaries: Day 4 – Farewell to the peaks, hello to Kraków

All good mountain tales must come to an end—and ours did with a bittersweet bus ride back to Kraków. After three days of hiking, feasting, and balcony-based sunset worship, it was time to trade pine-scented air for cobbled streets and city buzz.

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