For more than 100 years, the Polish people have regarded Zakopane as their
country’s winter capital, on a par with alpine resorts as an upmarket winter
sports and leisure centre.

Many tourists are also appreciative of Zakopane in the summer months. While some
go hiking in the mountains, most are content to admire the scenery from the
windows of their cable cars gliding to the summit of Mt Kasprowy Wierch or from
the funicular railway ascending Mt Gubałówka. Later in the day, many of the
tourists gather in Krupówki, the town’s central pedestrianized area, which is
lined with cafés, restaurants, exclusive souvenir shops and art galleries.

Walking down Krupówki it is impossible to resist the market near the funicular
railway station. On sale can be found leather kierpce 
(traditional highland moccasins), woollen highland pullovers, wooden ciupagi  (highlanders’ sticks with decorative axe-like
handles), and also bryndza  and oscypek 
(regional cheeses made from sheep’s milk).

Villa Atma , the wooden house where the composer Karol
Szymanowski lived from 1930 to 1936 now houses a museum dedicated to this
eulogist of the Tatra Mountains. It is worth a visit since it is in typical
Zakopane style.