The highest peaks of the Tatras, Europe’s easternmost alpine mountains located in southern Poland are populated with mountain goats. Zakopane is a good base to begin your great adventure in the Tatras and the Podhale region – the city is an attractive mountain resort and a popular centre of sports and tourism. It is also a convenient starting point for hikes along the 300 km long tourist trails, which are well-marked and represent different levels of difficulty. Everyone will find here something to suit them. Beginners will learn to enjoy and love the mountain adventure. More experienced hikers will certainly choose the more demanding trails along the ridges, sometimes reinforced with safety chains and iron steps.
All seasons are suitable for hikes in the Tatras. Regular hikers favour summer and early autumn. Skiers prefer February. The climate of the Tatras is very special – it may happen that you will experience the weather of all seasons during just one trip. One can always find shelter or overnight accommodation in one of those mountain refuges which have their own special homely and Spartan atmosphere. On their way down the mountain, hikers can sample ewe’s milk cheese manufactured by mountain farmers and made to a recipe known for generations.
