Are you planning to spend your winter holidays in Poland and you’re wondering where to go?
If you visit Poland in winter you must know that numerous places become lively then and you can enjoy great winter infrastructure. You can also visit places which aren’t popular in winter but they don’t lose anything from their charm.
If you hate winter, snow and freezing cold you might want to try to look for winter sun elsewhere in Europe – but below you will find a list of places for your winter holidays in Poland and I assure you – you will have great fun no matter if you travel solo, with friends, a partner or your family 🙂 Also Poland is cheap in comparison to other European destinations so if you are on a budget, this is perfect for you!
If you’re looking for a Polish version of this guide, you can find it here. There are also similar guides (in Polish 🙂 ) for spring and autumn!
Winter holidays in Poland. Where to go?
Winter holidays in Poland – popular places
Popular places for winter holidays in Poland are popular for a reason – they offer great infrastructure for fans of winter sports, they let you breathe some fresh, freezing air. There is a disadvantage though – crowds of other tourists. However, you can still have great fun 🙂 Below you will find a list of my favorite popular places for Polish winter.
Zakopane and Tatra Mountains
One of the most popular places to visit is Zakopane, Poland in winter. It is a busy town but you will find numerous things to do here. Many people choose Zakopane for skiing holidays. It also is a great place to spend Christmas and learn all about Polish Christmas traditions.
My favorite Zakopane ski resort is Kotelnica Białczańska, especially before or after the highest season. I had the best skiing holidays in Zakopane, Poland on the first days of calendar spring 🙂 If the weather isn’t favorable, you can check one of thermal pools around. I love relaxing in a jacuzzi and a sauna after skiing, you can also have fun on various slides.
Apart from skiing, my favorite Zakopane winter holidays activity is hiking. A walk along Chochołowska valley was one of the most beautiful winter experiences I had in my country. And I didn’t mind the temperature falling to minus 17 degrees C 🙂
Even though most of the trails in the Tatras are dangerous and closed in winter, if you feel like having a more ambitious walk, I recommend you to hike to Five Lakes Valley (Dolina Pięciu Stawów). Extremely popular in the summer, in winter it’s going to be empty and equally beautiful. Remember that to go there you will need to dress appropriately, you will need professional hiking boots. Hiking poles and crampons may be useful too.
Zakopane in winter is full of attractions. You can take a sleigh ride, drive a snowmobile, try skitouring or ice skating. It will be crowded but certainly you will not be bored 🙂
If you’re looking for accommodation in the town of Zakopane in winter, prices can get crazy (up to 1000 zł / 250 EUR a night, which is incredibly high for Poland!). However, it is possible to find options in acceptable price range and great standard, like Rezydencja Zakopiańska.
If you’re looking for something more affordable, check towns around Zakopane, like Poronin, Murzasichle, Gliczarów, Bukowina or Białka Tatrzańska. Check Pensjonat Litworówka, where you can get a great apartment at an affordable price 🙂
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Izerskie Mountains
In Izerskie mountains you have the biggest chances for snow even during a warm winter. It is the coldest place in Poland, ski season lasts the longest here. Due to the microclimate the temperature can fall below 0 degrees Celsius even in the summer!
It is the best place for cross-country skiing in Poland. You can find over 100 kilometers of cross-country skiing routes on Polish and Czech side of the mountains. Most trails start in Jakuszyce. If you’re a downhill skier, don’t worry – Ski Arena in Szklarska Poręba is one of the best places to ski in Poland and you will enjoy your time there too 🙂
I found the best accommodation in Szlarska Poręba for you:
Willa 654 – a great place only a kilometer away from ski resort on Szrenica mountain and close from main attractions in the city. Tasty breakfast is included in the price 🙂
Hotel Villa Romantica – if you feel like having a relaxing massage or resting in a sauna after spending the day on winter activities – this is the place 🙂 It’s a hotel in great location with SPA.
Wisła & Ustroń
If you wonder where to ski in Poland, Wisła and Ustron will be great too. I learned how to ski here when I was three and a half years old! 😉 My favorite place to ski in Poland in this area is Stożek. The slope is diversified and quite long. In case of bad weather you can spend time in Hotel Gołębiewski’s aquapark.
Also if skiing isn’t your thing, from here you can take a trip to Koniaków, Istebna or Jaworzynka. It’s a so called tri-village (Trójwieś) and each of them has something interesting to offer. In Jaworzynka you can take a walk to the tripoint – a spot where borders of Poland, Czechia and Slovakia meet. In Istebna you can see the museum of Jerzy Kukuczka, famous Polish climber. Koniaków is famous for its lace products – you can find lovely lace tablecloths as well as sexy underwear… 🙂
Oh, and did you know that Polish famous ski jumper Adam Małysz comes from Wisła? This is another reason to visit the area 🙂
I found some great accommodation options in Wisła for you:
Leśny Dwór – located close to the above mentioned Stożek ski slope. Comfortable rooms – and you can use a bathtub with hydromassage… 🙂
Apartament na urlop – perfect place for a family or a group of friends. They offer apartments for three to seven people 🙂 It is conveniently located in Wisła city center.
Szczyrk
In Szczyrk you will find what I consider the best ski resort in Poland – Szczyrkowski. Currently they have 40 km of ski slopes and as far as I know, they plan to make more. It’s the only ski resort in Poland where I had to look at a map to decide where to go 😉 I choose this place the most often when I wonder where to spend my winter holidays in Poland.
If you choose Szczyrk you can also hike Klimczok or Skrzyczne – the highest peak of Silesian Beskids. I hiked both of them in winter and it is a great start to winter trekking. Remember though, you need to have good hiking boots and dress properly. Trekking poles may be useful too. Don’t even think of going there in regular sports shoes.
In case of bad weather you can take a trip to Bielsko-Biała. It is a pretty city – and home for one of the most famous Polish cartoons, Bolek and Lolek – they even have a monument in Bielsko! 🙂
If you choose Szczyrk to look for best skiing in Poland and other fun activities, stay in Apartament Parkowy. It’s in perfect location in the center of the town, it’s comfortable and offers tasty breakfasts. SPA and sauna is included… 🙂
Winter holidays in Poland: off the beaten path
All above places are extremely popular for everybody visiting Poland in winter – including the Poles. However, there are numerous other places, which don’t lose anything of their charm in winter but don’t attract so many tourists. Where to look for them?
Świętokrzyskie Mountains
Recommended by Wojtek from Road Trip Bus
Swietokrzyskie Mountains are one of the oldest mountains in Europe. Due to their age, they are not the highest but sometimes it gives them more charm. They are one of the best places to visit in Poland in winter, sprinkled with small amount of snow, when from under white fluff you can see stone runs. Winter landscape totally changes what they look like so when you go there for the first time in winter, even on the same trail you can feel you discover them again.
In winter time Swietokrzyskie Mountains are not the most besieged touristic attraction, which definitely is an advantage. Trails will be empty so everyone who looks for a little bit of loneliness, will find it there. During this period everyone who wants to hike the Crown of Polish mountains in winter should visit as well.
The best place to start your hikes is a village called Święta Katarzyna. From there it’s just a 1h walk to the top of Łysica, the highest mountain in the area. It is also close to