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).

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

Poland's most popular center of winter sports and summer hikes. Nicely located at the foot of the Tatra Mountains, Zakopane has well-developed hospitality and tourist infrastructure. Beside its cable car to Mt Kasprowy Wierch and the funicular to Mt Gubałówka, there are many other ski-lifts and Poland's biggest ski-jumps. Zakopane's beautiful landscape is a perfect setting for hundreds of sports and cultural events, including the annual International Festival of Highlanders' Folklore (August) which attracts throngs of tourists from the whole world. Zakopane is reputed for its still alive highlander's folklore.

Zakopane is only four centuries old. It was founded between XVI and XVII c. as a farmers and shepherds' settlement. The legend says that one day a man called Gąsienica came here with his sons Paweł and Jędrzej and they built a mill here. For dozens of years Zakopane was a godforsaken village. In the middle of the XVIII c. in nearby Kuźnice a steelworks has been 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 with Zakopane was discovered. In the XIX century Zakopane became famous as a tourist and health resort. In 1845 the first parish was set up in the village and two years later Zakopane was visited by one of its legendary persons - priest Józef 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 Tatrzańskie (The Tatra Society - 1872) and with doctor Tytus Chałubiński, who is described as "Zakopane discoverer" and "the king of The Tatras". In 1886 the village got the status of a health resort. It received the town rights in 1935.

Pope John Paul II's visits to Zakopane have become the most important events in the town's 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 Jaszczurówka and "Księżówka" - the holiday house of the Polish Episcopate. In The Tatras he adored the Chochołowska Valley, which he visited again in 1982 after he had become the Pope. His next visit to Zakopane and The Tatras took place in June 1997. He spent here a few days. He visited Mount Kasprowy Wierch, Morskie Oko Lake, he went to Ludźmierz along the ridge of Gubałówka. 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 Krzeptówki Street.

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.

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 Chochołowska) or trails in The High Tatras (from Kasprowy to Świnica, from Zakopane through Zawrat and Szpiglasowa Przełęcz to Morskie Oko, difficult trails of "Orla Perć", 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 must 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 Chochołowska and Suchej Wody Gąsienicowej, trail to Kalatówki.

The Tatras are high mountains and can be dangerous. You must 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 must 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 help 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 Góra and to the Pieniny Mountains. On such trips you can find unique monuments in the nearby villages: Chochołów, Dębno, 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.