Skiing in Poland: Inexpensive, Uncrowded, Friendly Slopes -
Poland is making a name for itself on the European ski scene for its uncrowded slopes and friendly people. Poland has six main ski resorts: Zakopane, Krynica, Lysa Gora, Szczyrk, Karpacz-Kopa, and Czarna Gora. Compared to Alpine resorts, Polish ski areas are relatively underdeveloped, but investment is slowly being made in lift systems, especially in the major resorts.
Poland’s winter capital and largest ski resort – Zakopane – is located in the Tatras Mountains. Set at an altitude of 931 metres, Zakopane has access to 50 kilometres of pistes linked by 20 lifts. The pistes are divided into two blue runs, seven red, and seven black. Skiers and snowboarders can reach a height of 1960 metres. It has long been a winter holiday destination for Poles, but is also increasingly becoming popular with international tourists. Zakopane offers a lively nightlife with plenty of apres ski options.
Zakopane is particularly popular as it caters for skiers of all abilities, with challenging runs for experts, wide gentle slopes for beginners, and picturesque cross-country skiing opportunities. The resort also offers good accommodation options, from traditional mountain chalets to family hotels and budget hostels. Zakopane is approximately a two-hour drive from Krakow Airport.
Karpacz (800 metres) has access to 11 pistes served by 10 lifts. The resort is best suited to intermediate skiers and snowboarders with its six blue runs and five red. Skiers can reach a height of 1350 metres. The skiing is relatively low altitude so snow cover may not always be reliable.
The resort of Czarna Gora (800 metres) has seven pistes and seven lifts. Up to 4350 skiers and snowboarders can be transported up the mountain every hour. The resort is well suited to intermediates with its one blue run, three red runs, and three black runs.
Szczyrk offers access to 60 kilometres of pistes connected by 30 lifts. The resort caters to a wide range of ski levels. The smaller ski resorts of Krynica and Lysa Gora are popular with beginners. Krynica has access to four pistes linked by six lifts. The lifts can transport 2600 skiers and snowboarders every hour.
The resort is best suited to beginners with its two green runs and two red. Lysa Gora has two kilometres of pistes divided into three runs and linked by three ski lifts. The resort is best suited to beginners with its one green run, one blue, and one red. Both Krynica and Lysa Gora are relatively low altitude so snow cover can be unreliable.