Zakopane Day Trip from Krakow: Cheese Tasting & Funicular

4.96

(167 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

The first thing I remember is the smoky smell curling out of a wooden hut near Chochołów — it clung to my jacket for hours after. Our driver Marek grinned as he waved us inside, where a highlander woman handed me a piece of oscypek cheese, still warm from the fire. Salty, chewy, and somehow sweet at the end. She tried to show me how they shape it by hand — I laughed because mine looked like a lumpy potato. I still think about that taste when I see sheep in any field now.

The drive up to Zakopane was all winding roads and flashes of pine trees through the window. It’s longer than you’d guess from Krakow — maybe two hours? — but Marek kept us chatting about mountain traditions and why everyone here seems to wear those patterned wool socks (I bought some later on Krupówki Street; they itch but look great). When we reached town, Krupówki was already buzzing with locals and tourists mixing together, vendors calling out over accordion music somewhere behind us. I lost track of time just people-watching and trying to pronounce half the words on shop signs.

Our guide Ania led us toward the Gubałówka funicular — she called it “the best shortcut to sky-blue views.” The glass roof let sunlight spill over everyone’s faces as we climbed higher. At the top, wind whipped around but you could see all of Zakopane spread below and the Tatras sharp against the sky. Someone handed around shots of regional vodka (I coughed; Ania didn’t even blink), and we just stood there for a while not saying much at all. Maybe it was just me, but it felt like time paused up there.