[4] Zakopane lies near Poland's border with Slovakia, in a valley between the Tatra Mountains and Gubałówka Hill.

Zakopane lies 800–1,000 metres (2,600–3,300 ft) above sea level and centres on the intersection of its Krupówki and Kościuszko Streets.

The earliest documents mentioning Zakopane date to the 17th century, describing a glade called Zakopisko.

[5] In the 19th century, Krupówki Street was just a narrow beaten path that was meant for people to get from the central part of town to the village of Kuźnice.

[6] In March 1940, representatives of the Soviet NKVD and the Nazi Gestapo met for one week in Zakopane's Villa Tadeusz, to coordinate the pacification of resistance in Poland.

Throughout World War II, Zakopane served as an underground staging point between Poland and Hungary.

[8] In 1944, during the Warsaw Uprising, the Germans deported thousands of Varsovians from the Dulag 121 camp in Pruszków, where they were initially imprisoned, to Zakopane.

[13] Snow is normally abundant, particularly in the higher altitudes, which makes Zakopane among the most popular ski resorts in Poland.

Zakopane receives significantly more precipitation than cities on the lowlands to the north of the Carpathians, and just like in the mountains in general, there might be sudden weather changes from sunny to rainy, and vice versa.

Occasionally, a very warm foehn wind locally known as halny may dramatically increase the temperatures, sometimes beyond 10 °C (50 °F) in winter.

Today the city hosts many museums and galleries: The Tatras are a popular destination among hikers, skiers, ski-tourers and climbers.

There is a network of well-marked hiking trails in the Tatras and according to the national park regulations the hikers must stick to them.

[37] Zakopane made unsuccessful bids to host the 2006 Winter Olympics and the 2011 and 2013 Alpine World Ski Championships.

[38] Many come to experience Goral culture, which is rich in its unique styles of food, speech, architecture, music, and costume.

Zakopane is especially popular during the winter holidays, which are celebrated in traditional style, with dances, decorated horse-pulled sleighs called kuligs and roast lamb.

[38] In the summer, a local market along Krupówki Street offers traditional Goral apparel, leather jackets, fur coats, shoes, and purses.

[38] Venders also sell foods like the famous oscypek smoked sheep cheese, fruit, vegetables, and meats.