Snow games

The Polish mountains are smaller and not so high as the Alpine massifs. However, they boast equally scenic landscapes and the wintertime in the Polish mountains is as much captivating as in the Alps. They may even be considered friendlier, especially for those tourists who treat the winter holidays as a wonderful recreational adventure rather than as a sporty challenge.

For such visitors, the Polish mountains are the best choice: they offer them many various attractions plus numberless possibilities of practicing different winter sports. Alpine skiing and snowboard are the most popular of them all.

Now, we invite you to the most popular winter sports centres in Poland. The unquestioned leader among them is Zakopane, which is believed to be the winter capital of Poland. It is nicely located in the mountain valley, with a beautiful view over the nearby peaks of the Tatras. The highest of them reach the altitude of 2500 metres above sea level. With its multiple slopes of different difficulty, Zakopane attracts both beginners and experienced skiers. Its unique ambience is due to the authentic highlanders’ folklore, original houses, colourful crowds of tourists on ul Krupowki, the Zakopane’s pedestrian mall, stylish and atmospheric cafés and restaurants, and jazz and rock clubs.

Winter sports enthusiasts flocked to Zakopane already one hundred years ago. The present slopes of various difficulties are well prepared and can satisfy requirements of every skier. Several dozen ski-lifts help the skiers get up the slopes. The best skiing grounds are found around the region of Mt Kasprowy Wierch. Its summit can be reached by the cable car. The route is nearly 4300 metres long and during the 20-minute journey you climb nearly 1000 metres. The slopes of Mt Kasprowy Wierch are equipped with chairlifts. There are many skiing trails to choose from and the season lasts till May.

Other attractive skiing grounds with many ski lifts and artificial snowmakers are located on the slopes of Mt Gubalowka range, Mt Nosal and on the Polana Szymoszkowa. Skiing gear for hire is available and the professional ski instructors offer their services on nearly every slope. Bukowina Tatrzanska, Bialka Tatrzanska and Poronin are popular holiday spots close to Zakopane. Their gentle slopes are equipped with many ski lifts and picturesque, well-prepared skiing trails. There are many other attractions to make your winter holiday in Zakopane a fascinating adventure. Very captivating are the hiking paths running along the valleys of the Tatra National Park, located in the close neighbourhood of the city. A bit further is the Chocholowska valley with its magnificent views over the snow-covered mountaintops.

Situated in the Silesian Beskid, Szczyrk is a real paradise for skiers. Thanks to the number of its skiing trails and their attractiveness, it is considered to be the most important winter sports centre in Poland. The skiing grounds are very diversified. They include the FIS route for expert skiers, the famous Bienkula and Golgota trails that are always well maintained and provided with sufficient amount of artificial snow if necessary, and many smaller skiing grounds designated for beginners. The nearby Salmopol Pass and Bila also have much to offer to skiers of different skills. The slopes of the mountains in the neighbourhood of Szczyrk are covered with snow from December to April. The highest peaks reach the altitude of 1100-1200 metres above sea level. The alpine skiers can use the network of 30 ski lifts and enjoy the chairlift to the top of Mt Skrzyczne.

In the Silesian Beskid, there are many smaller winter sports centres worth recommendation. One of them is Wisla with its well-prepared ski runs on Mts Stozek, Malinka and Soszowa. Other centres are located near Bielsko-Biala, in the region of Mts Szyndzielnia and Klimczok. Here the skiers can enjoy many pistes that vary in character, and use a modern funicular. Ustron has a cable car on Mt Czantoria and a ski lift in the nearby Jaszowiec.

Korbielow is a very popular winter sports centre in the Zywiec Beskid. There are many ski lifts on the slopes of Mt Pilsko, and the snow holds on them till the end of May. Szczawnica is an important spa in the Pieniny Mountains. It has recently become a popular destination for skiers. They are lift ed to the top of Mt Palenica with a cable car. Besides, there are two ski lifts and the slopes are artificially lit and snowed. The area offers excellent conditions for snowboarders for whom a special half pipe was constructed.

Szklarska Poreba still remains the major centre of winter sports in the Sudeten Mountains. The skiers and boarders can enjoy the local slopes from December till mid- April. The most attractive is the area of Mt Szrenica with its Ski Arena, cable car and diversified ski trails. The latter include the FIS downhill run, a very long Lolobrigida trail (4444 metres) and the lit at night Puchatek. Various championships in alpine skiing and snowboarding are organized in the area. Equally attractive in summer and in wintertime, Karpacz has recently improved its offer for skiers and boarders. Besides the old chairlift on Mt Kopa, they can now enjoy two new ski lifts that can transfer them to Hala Zlotowka. In the very centre of Karpacz, there are two mini-centres with artificially snowed and lit pistes, where skiers and boarders can enjoy their hobby also at nighttime. The annual snowboarding championship for the National Cup is held at Karpacz in January.

Extremely popular family skiing centre in the Sudeten Mountains is Zieleniec, where the snow holds for a very long time and skiers can use more than twenty ski lifts. Zieleniec feels the competition of a newly developed skiing centre of Czarna Gora, nestling at the foot of Mt Snieznik. Czarna Gora has a cable car and six ski lifts.

The Polish mountains and our numerous winter sports centres are quite well prepared and sufficiently equipped to receive fans of traditional skiing as well as enthusiasts of snowboarding and other free skiing games on snow. They are ready to welcome those who seek fun and relaxation.

Welcome to the winter sports centres in the Polish mountains!

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