Orientation in the city of Zakopane
It's hard to get lost in Zakopane, and even if you fall into a state of momentary disorientation, easy to get out of thanks to clear landmarks. The Tatras, visible from almost every place, mean the south. For that, where the mountains begin, the city ends. The northern border is marked by Gubałówka – a gentle slope covered with dark green forest, on the top of which there is a high TV mast and an angular Gubałówka restaurant.
Somewhere between the Tatra Mountains and Gubałówka, a soaring greenish tower of the parish church rises above the roofs of the houses. Heading towards it from anywhere, you will always come to the central street of Zakopane – Krupowki.
The layout of the main streets
The main streets run in two directions – from the southeast to the northwest (Jagiellonian, 3 House, Krupówki along with the extension – Zamoyski, Chałubiński, Tatra Guides, Piłsudski and Grunwaldzka) and from east to west (Kosciuszko, Nowotarska, Powstańców Śląskich and Kościelisko). The dense mesh is completed by a short time, lanes of up to 500 meters. Roads and paths without official names should not be underestimated, which considerably shorten many passes, although they can expose the calves of shortcut lovers to a close encounter with the teeth of overzealous dogs. As for the street numbering system, be warned:
Caution! Many houses on one street have the name and number of another in the address. For example, a shop operating at Krupówki Street has the number of Zaruskiego Street in its address. Therefore, you have to be prepared to wander around and go around. When inquiring about an address, it is better to specify an object, which you are looking for than the house number and street. Good luck!
Districts, hamlets and hills
Zakopane is located in Podhale, however, its administrative boundaries also include part of the Tatra National Park. From the south, the city boundary marked by the Tatra Mountains runs as follows: from the Sucha Woda Valley to the south, by Yellow Turtle (2087 m), Pomegranates and Kozi Wierch, further west through the theoretically highest point of Zakopane – The pig (2301 m) and along the ridge of the Tatra Mountains to Kasprowy Wierch (1955 m), then it reaches Małołączniak through the eastern part of Czerwony Wierchy (2096 m), to go north towards the Valley of the Little Meadow.
The northern border of the city is the Gubałowskie Foothills with Gubałówka (1120 m), and its northern neighbors are Nowe Bystre and Ząb. It borders Kościelisko from the west, and from the east with Poronin and Murzasichle.
Zakopane is divided into districts and numerous hamlets, whose names are derived mainly from the surnames of highlander families. So we have Simon, Tatary, Gawlaki, Sobczakówka, Krzeptówki and half a hundred others. Only a few inhabitants are able to grasp these administrative and colloquial divisions. That is why it is worth remembering something like the Rose of the Winds in Zakopane, i.e. the location of the most visited places:
• the Harenda district with adjacent villages is located in the north-east, at the entry road to Zakopane from Poronin. You can walk there or take a circular route through Olcza. The call slogan for bus passengers or PKS drivers is: and Harendę, to Poronin or to Olcza;
• Toporowa Cyrhla to the west of the city, near the Tatra Mountains, on the road to Morskie Oko. Password: to Bystre or Cyrhla;
• Olcza, abundantly surrounded by hamlets, to the west on the Road to Olcza connecting Bystre with Harenda. Password: to Olcza;
• At ul. Kościeliska leading, as the name suggests, to the Kościeliska Valley, there are Skibówki and Krzeptówki. Just change the stop on the way to the valley.
Water network
The water network in Zakopane is quite dense, which does not make it easier to identify individual rivers. The main stream in the city is Cicha Woda, flowing from the west to the east, which absorbs the stream behind the new cemetery, adequately named Bystra, continues as Zakopianka. Other large streams are Młyniska and Foluszowy, flowing from the mountain valleys to the north and flowing into Cicha Woda. Minor streams, ending directly or indirectly in Cicha Woda, to: Za Bramką stream, the Młynkowiec stream, The White Stream, Black Stream, Spadowiec stream. Chyców Potok and Bachledzki Potok flow into Zakopianka.