We drove south to Zakopane, a resort town at the foot of the Tatra mountains. The local Highlanders, as they are known, are a very close knit community with strong family and community values – partly for this reason there is next to no crime and a police force is barely needed. During the war they fought courageously and fiercely against the Germans.
Distinctive 19th- and early 20th-century wooden chalets built in the traditional Zakopane style are mostly owned by locals.
We took the funicular to Gubałówka Hill for panoramic views of the Tatra range where we tried oscypek, a traditional smoked sheep’s milk cheese served with cranberry sauce – delicious! Chewy – similar to halloumi but with a smoky flavor.
The Old Zakopane Cemetery (as it is commonly known), or Pęksowy Brzyzek (its actual name, meaning roughly “Pęksa’s Brook”), contains over 500 grave sites. Among the honored dead are Polish war heroes and Nazi resistance fighters, who lie side-by-side with authors, architects, mountain climbers, poets, musicians, artists, scientists, and engineers.
The artistic grave markers are very different to traditional ones. The effect creates a fairytale environment in among the tall trees.
This adorable little wooden church – Chapel of the Sacred Heart of Jesus – was built in about 1905.
We ended the day with a stroll through town and a meal at a traditional restaurant with local musicians and dancers.
