Zakopane Hostels - Hostel List for Zakopane, Poland

Zakopane is situated in southern Poland, about 100 km to the south of Cracow, close to the border with Slovakia. It lies in a valley at the foot of The Tatras, the highest mountains in Poland (Mount Rysy 2499 m). On the map Zakopane can be found at 48 (18 latitude and 19 (57 longitude. The centre lies at about 840 m above sea level, but some parts are even as high as 1000 m above sea level on the slopes of GubalOwka, a hill that surrounds it from the south.

Zakopane is a town commune. It neighbours on Koscielisko and Poronin villages and is not very far from the well known town of Nowy Targ anf the villages of Bukowina Tatrzanska and Czarny Dunajec.

History:

Zakopane is only four centuries old and was founded between XVI and XVII c. as a farmers and shepherds settlement. Legend says that one day a man called Gasienica came here with his sons Pawel and Jedrzej and they built a mill here. For dozens of years, Zakopane was a godforsaken village. In the middle of the XVIII c. in nearby Kuznice, a steelworks was set up to process iron ore mined in The Tatras. There was also the owners manor that received travellers visiting the mountains. Soon the beauty of the nearby sunny valley of Zakopane was discovered.

In the XIX century, Zakopane became well known as a tourist and health resort. In 1845, the first parish was set up in the small town and two years later Zakopane was visited by one of its legendary persons priest JOzef Stolarczyk. He encouraged the highlanders to rent their houses to the visitors, later on people started to build special houses for them. In 1878 the first house was built by a newcomer from lowlands called Walery Eljasz, the author of many guidebooks to The Tatras. The first hotel called Pod Giewontem was built in 1885. In 1899 Zakopane was connected by the railway, which started a new chapter in its history. The development of Zakopane is also connected with Towarzystwo Tatrzanskie (The Tatra Society 1872) and with doctor Tytus Chalubinski, who is described as Zakopane discoverer and the king of The Tatras. In 1886 the small town got the status of a health resort. It received the town rights in 1935.

Pope John Paul IIs visits to Zakopane have become the most significant events in the towns history. He has been attached to Zakopane and The Tatras since his youth. As an alumnus of the Cracow seminary he did a lot of hiking and skiing here. He did not abandon his passion for the mountains even when he became the Cracow metropolitan. His favourite places were the chapel in JaszczurOwka and KsiezOwka the holiday house of the Polish Episcopate. In The Tatras he adored the Chocholowska Valley, which he visited again in 1982 after he had become the Pope. His next visit to Zakopane and The Tatras took location in June 1997. He spent here a few days. He visited Mount Kasprowy Wierch, Morskie Oko Lake, he went to Ludzmierz along the ridge of GubalOwka. There are many souvenirs of his visit e.g. the altar, which was used by him during the mess was transported from Krokiew Hill to the gardens of Virgin Mary Sanctuary in KrzeptOwki Street

The most characteristic monuments:

Koscieliska Street. A complex of wooden buildings typical of the Podhale region, which originated in XIX century.

Stary KosciOl (Old Church). A wooden church built in 1845 1851, the seat of the first parish in Zakopane. Situated in Koscieliska St. Kaplica GasienicOw. The chapel was the first sacred building in Zakopane built in 1800 by Pawel Gasienica. Situated in Koscieliska St.

Stary Cmentarz na Peksowym Brzyzku. The old cemetery, the first cemetery in Zakopane, the location where well known writers, artists and mountaineers are buried. Situated in Koscieliska St.

Nowy Cmentarz Zakopianski. The new cemetery opened in 1907; the location where artists, mountaineers, mountain rescuers, priests and The First and The Second World Wars veterans are buried. Situated in Nowotarska St.

Willa Koliba. The mansion is the first example of Zakopane style built in 1893 according to Stanislaw Witkiewiczs design. Situated in Koscieliska St.

Willa Pod Jedlami. The mansion of the Pawlikowski family designed for them by Stanislaw Witkiewicz. It is the biggest and the most beautiful example of the Zakopane style. Situated in Koziniec St. Willa WitkiewiczOwka. The mansion in the Zakopane style designed in 1904 by Jan Koszyc Witkiewicz. In the 1930s it was the residence of Stanislaw Ignacy Witkiewicz (Witkacy). Situated in AntalOwka St. Kaplica w JaszczurOwce. The wooden chapel was built in 1904 1908 according to Stanislaw Witkiewiczs design. Situated in JaszczurOwka.

Chata Sabaly. A wooden building from the early XIX century, situated in Stare KrzeptOwki, in the western part of Zakopane.

Tourism:

Zakopane district is considered the most attractive tourist region in Poland. The Tatras, the hills of Podhale as well as the town itself are ideal places for walks or longer or shorter hikes. A walk around the town can be combined with visiting its monuments and other interesting places. Here are some of them that we would like to recommend:

* Northern part of the town: the centre of Zakopane KrupOwki St The Tatra Museum market at the foot of GubalOwka taking a tram up GubalOwka (panorama of the Tatras and Zakopane!) walking downhill along the yellow trail Droga na Szymoszkowa Koscieliska St (the old church and cemetery) the centre. About 5 hours.

* Southern part of the town: the centre of Zakopane KrupOwki St Zamoyskiego St Bulwary Slowackiego St AntalOwka hill Koziniec (Dom pod Jedlami, art. Gallery) Bystre Kuznickie roundabout (Natural Museum TPN) COS Sports Centre complex (ski jumps etc.) Dolina Bialego Grunwaldzka St the centre. About 4,30 hours.

* Along the ridges of GubalOwka: ChocholOw (by bus, visiting the small town and the ChocholOw Uprising museum) Ostrysz Butorowy Wierch taking the cable car downhill. About 4 hours.

* The Tatra walk at the foot of The Tatras: the centre of Zakopane Orkana St Kasprusie St (Atma, Karol Szymanowski Museum) Strazyska St Czerwona Przelecz Przelecz Bialego KalatOwki (Albert Sisters convent) Kuznice. About 5 hours.

* Through the valleys of The Western Tatras: Gronik (by bus) Dolina Malej Laki Przyslop Mietusi Dolina Koscieliska Hala Pisana visiting Zimna cave Koscielisko Kiry. About 5 hours.

* The Tatra lakes: Kuznice Kasprowy Wierch (by cable car) Dolina StawOw Gasienicowych Karb Czarny Staw Gasienicowy Murowaniec chalet Kuznice. About 5,30 hours.

* To Morskie Oko lake: Wierch Poroniec (by bus) Rusinowa Polana Gesia Szyja Wodogrzmoty Mickiewicza Morskie Oko back to Lysa Polana (by bus to Zakopane).

Advanced tourists can take trails along the ridges of The Zachodnie (Western) Tatras (e.g. from Kasprowy Wierch reached by cable car to the west, climb up Czerwone Wierchy, around Dolina Chocholowska) or trails in The High Tatras (from Kasprowy to Swinica, from Zakopane through Zawrat and Szpiglasowa Przelecz to Morskie Oko, difficult trails of Orla Perc, climb up Rysy). The trails in The Tatras are marked well with plates and colour stripes. In difficult areas there are special buckles, chains and even ladders. However, to use them you have to be not be afraid of heights, need to be fit and have good health. In the Tatras you can also do some winter hiking. However, it requires high tourist qualifications, good equipment (clothes, boots, alpenstock and crampons) and good skills in using them. You should take your first steps under supervision of some qualified Tatra guides. The Tatra National Park has made some trails available for cyclists. These are Droga Pod Reglami, Dolina Chocholowska and Suchej Wody Gasienicowej, trail to KalatOwki.

The Tatras are high mountains and can be dangerous. You have to be always remember about the changeability of the weather even in midsummer there may be some snowfall, beautiful sunny weather may turn to thick confusing fog. Another serious danger is storms; when you see there is going to be a storm you have to be take the nearest trail down from the ridge to the lower areas. When planning climbs in the higher parts of the mountains you should ask some experienced people for advice or hire a guide. In case of an accident you should call for assist by using the international signal light or voice signals six times a minute. The injured or lost in the Tatras are rescued by TOPR which uses a helicopter if necessary. Zakopane can be a starting point for longer trips to the Gorce Mountains, to Babia GOra and to the Pieniny Mountains. On such trips you can find unique monuments in the nearby villages: ChocholOw, Debno, Orawka and Zubrzyca (heritage park).

Another attraction is rafting along the gorge of the Dunajec River in the Pieniny Mountains, which has been popular for 150 years. source: http://www.zakopane.pl/

This is the complete list of Zakopane hostels and other types of cheap accommodation such as cheap hotels, B&B s and guest houses in Zakopane, Poland which you can book online free now with Hostel Bookers.

For more information about a single hostel, you can click the the hostel link from the list below. All hostels in Zakopane are hand picked and they are proven to be backpacker friendly. Check hostel photos, read customer reviews and if you are satisfied, you can book you dorm bed or private room from our site for free.

You can sleep under the biggest wooden roof in the Europe !..

Welcome to Cyrhla Guest House on the 1080 m over the sea level, with the wonderful view of Tatra Mountains and Zakopane!..

Welcome to Install in Zakopane!!..

Welcome to Guesthouse Dom pod sarnia!..

Welcome to Guesthouse POD CZARNYM BOREM in Zakopane cheap and beautiful rooms!!..

Rooms for 1, 2, 3 or 4 peoples with or without separate bathrooms available. Fully equipped kitchen and safe parking available...

Enjoy your stay in our wooden house at the foot of the Tatra National Park. Surrounded by a private forest, we will make your discovery of Zakopane unforgettable. Live the nature!!!..

Hostel Stara Polana is located in the very centre of Zakopane. Hostel is open 24 7, breakfast included in price, spacious and well equipped kitchen with dining room awaiting you. Internet access free ..

Villa Toscana is a cozy little bed and breakfast decorated in Southern Mediterranean style...