1. Skiing and Snowboarding: Poland has several ski resorts, many of which are located in the southern and eastern regions of the country. Some popular ski resorts include Karkonosze, Tatry, and Karkonosze.
2. Snowshoeing and Hiking: The winter landscape in Poland provides an opportunity for snowshoeing and hiking in the mountains and national parks. The Tatra National Park and the Karkonosze National Park are popular destinations for snowshoeing.
3. Ice Skating: Many cities in Poland have outdoor ice rinks that are open during the winter months. Some popular rinks include the one in the Wroclavia shopping center, the one in the Krakow’s Main Market Square and the one in the Lodz’s Piotrkowska Street.
4. Sledding and Tubing: There are several places in Poland where you can go sledding or tubing, such as the Karkonosze Mountains.
5. Winter Festivals: Poland is known for its winter festivals, such as the Christmas markets in Krakow, Wroclaw, and Gdansk. There are also other festivals like the New Year’s Eve celebration in Zakopane and the Winter Carnival in Karkonosze, which offer a variety of activities, including parades, live music, and traditional food.
6. Spa and Wellness: Poland has a long tradition of spa and wellness, and many hotels and resorts offer winter packages that include access to hot springs, saunas, and other relaxation facilities.
7. The Thermal pools: There are several thermal pools in Poland, such as the one in the Uniejow, Kudowa-Zdroj, and Cieplice, which are open year-round and offer warm water and various facilities like massage, sauna and steam room.

Skiing and snowboarding

The two most popular winter activities in Poland are skiing and snowboarding and the country is the ideal location for those who have not skied before or are still in the learning phase. Poland is not the Alps however and experienced skiers and snowboarders will probably not find the excitement they are looking for, black runs in Poland are akin to a tricky red run in the Alps.

Low costs

Despite not having huge vertical drops and above treeline bowls, Poland still attracts many winter sports enthusiasts, mainly due to the fact that it is so much cheaper to ski there and costs are much less than in the well-known resorts such as Courchevel, Zermatt and St. Moritz. Typically, accommodation in a Polish resort can range from as little as 60zł for a hostel to 400zł + for a decent hotel. Ski-lift passes are approx. 150zł per day.

500 kilometres of slopes

There’s around 500 kilometres of slopes in Poland to enjoy in addition to swathes of countryside, which are ideal for cross-country skiing. Due to the increasing popularity of winter sports, new pistes have been developed recently in the Kasuby, Podlasie and Masury regions and you’ll also find artificial slopes popping up such as Malta Park in Poznan and Szczesliwice park in Warsaw.

Ski resorts

Poland has several ski resorts that offer a variety of skiing and snowboarding options for visitors. Some popular ski resorts in Poland include:

1. Białka Tatrzańska: The Białka Tatrzańska area is located some 90km south of Krakow and 25km north-east of Zakopane. The whole area is made up of 3 ski areas – the largest, Kotelnica Białaczańska, as well as the Kaniówka and Bania areas. It is an excellent choice both for those who have only started learning to ski or snowboard, as well as for intermediate and experienced people.

   There are approximately 18km (14.4km Blue and 3.9km Red) of trails with varied difficulty level, from the gently inclined slopes to the International Ski Federation (FIS) approved routes all accessed by 19 lifts. Cross-country skiers will also find several kilometres of trails. There are all the normal resort facilities including ski schools, ski and snowboard rentals as well as equipment service centres.

2. Zakopane: There is a reasonable amount of skiing areas located in and around Zakopane but, unfortunately, it is not located in way that is connected or close together. There are 11 ski areas, ranging from the main Kasprowy Wierch (Black, or difficult red only!) above Zakopane and accessed by cable car, to several (6 of 11 areas) that are merely training slopes with less than 1km of piste. In total there are approximately 18.5km (10.4km Blue, 3.9km Red & 4.2km Black) all accessed by a total of 36 lifts. There are several trails for cross-country skiing located around Zakopane too.Zakopane is some 110km south of Krakow and reached by road or train from Krakow. It is a very popular winter (and summer) resort and can get very crowded. It is, however, one of the highlights of Poland and, as such, worth checking out even if you don’t plan to ski.

   All the normal resort facilities including ski schools, ski and snowboard rentals as well as equipment service centres can be found in the town, but may not be readily available at the slopes you choose to head to; so check ahead.

3. Szrenica Ski Arena: Szrenica Ski Arena is located just south of the town of Szklarska Poręba and is home to the steepest ski slope in Poland – the wall on Szrenica. It is very difficult and demanding. It is two kilometres long and the level difference is over 500 metres.Fortunately, you will also find another ten kilometres of routes with varying levels of difficulty. There are also ski schools for beginners. There is modern infrastructure and the routes are regularly covered with snow. Skiers and snowboarders have a real paradise here. Szlarska Poręba offers some of the best slopes in Poland and one of the best ski resorts.

4. Zieleniec Sport Arena: Zieleniec Sport Arena is located between the peaks of the Orlickie and Bystrzyckie mountains, at an altitude of 750-1,000 metres, right on the border with Czechia. It can be found just to the south of the town of Duszniki-Zdrój, which is approximately 2 hours’ drive south from Wroclaw. It is one of the best and the largest ski resorts in Poland, with its origins dating back to the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries.
   Due to its exceptional location and climate, the snow conditions are excellent and a large amount of snowfall can be expected each winter with up to 1300mm during the year, of which 40% will fall from November to March. Snow can remain here for about 150 days a year. With winter arriving at the end of November, or early December, it is usually possible to ski in Zieleniec for 4 months, and even into April.

5. Szczyrk: Szczyrk Mountain Resort (SMR) is one of the largest ski resorts in Poland. Situated in the Beskid Śląski mountain range on the slopes of Małe Skrzyczne (1,211m) and Wierch Pośredni (1,000m), it is perfect for tourists from the Silesian and Lesser Poland conurbation as well as for the southern neighbours from the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
   The resort has over 23 km of various pistes, including 5 floodlit ones, which allows every fan of winter sports to find something to their liking. Thanks to cooperation with the Polish Central Sport Centre and the Beskid Sport Arena, the resorts’ clients can use a joint ski pass for 40 km of pistes.

6. Jaworzyna Krynicka: The Jaworzyna Krynicka ski area is located some 40km south-east of Nowy Sącz, approximately 5.5 hours drive from Warsaw.There are approximately 13km (7km Blue, 5km Red & 1km Black) of trails with varied difficulty level, from the gently inclined slopes to more difficult red and even a black run, all accessed by 10 lifts. There are all the normal resort facilities including ski schools, ski and snowboard rentals as well as equipment service centres.

   Jaworzyna Krynicka is also located close to the Two Hills/Dwie Doliny (Muszyna – Szczawnik) resort.

The Tatra Mountains provide the best skiing & snowboarding experience in the country and that’s where you will find the town of Zakopane, known as the winter sports capital of Poland.

Kasprowy Wierch (1985m) in the Tatras is very popular with Polish skiers and is suitable for all skill levels and has a 4300m run. Gubałówka with its 1500m run is also a decent place to ski and has fantastic views. The good thing about Zakopane is that the ski season can often last into April some years. Snowboarders in Zakopane have a couple of good spots to choose such as the Szymoszkowa Clearing, Witow and Bialka Tatrzanska.

Sudetes Mountains

A great alternative to the Tatras is the Sudetes Mountains with Karpacz and Szklarska Poręba in Silesia being the most visited. Situated at the foot of Mount Szrenica, the city provides outdoor types with almost 15km of skiing and walking routes including some decent cross-country trails.

Silesian Beskids

In the Silesian Beskids, you’ll find the village of Szczyrk; which is home to the Polish Winter Olympics training centre. This is the preferred destination for novice skiers and snowboarders. Other good locations are Jaworzyna Krynicka, Wisła and Korbielow.

Snowmobile tours

There are alternative winter activities other than skiing and snowboarding that can be enjoyed in Poland. Snowmobile tours are very popular, there are many places where you can find sleigh rides and for the adventurous, Poland’s lakes freeze over in the winter and make excellent locations for ice skating and ice sailing.

FAQ – Skiing in Poland