Harenda

Harenda in Zakopane has always been known as the place where Jan Kasprowicz lived and wrote (it is also home to a biographical museum and a mausoleum dedicated to him). But since 2006 many people have also known it as one of the best places in Zakopane to go skiing. That was when a four-seater Leitner chairlift was built on the slopes of the ridge running down from Gubałówka towards Poronin, and pistes were laid out. Thanks to the wide variety of its pistes, and its location at the entrance to Zakopane, which lets you avoid driving into the crowded town centre, it immediately became popular with skiers. The chairlift is about 600 metres long but has a vertical rise of as much as 195 metres, which already shows that this is not really a slope for beginners. Two pistes have been laid out along the lift: a black one and, set slightly to the side, a red one. It is without doubt the best slalom slope in Zakopane today (since the piste on Nosal closed). There is also a blue piste that takes a wide curve around the steepest sections. At the bottom there is a nursery slope and a small beginners' area, with three T-bars serving short, easy pistes. In total skiers have more than 3.5 km of pistes of varying difficulty. At the valley station there is a restaurant, as well as a ski school, a ski service and a ski hire shop. Parking is free, but the car parks are not very large. In addition, a 4 km cross-country and ski touring trail has been marked out in the area. Despite its small size, the Harenda ski resort is one of the best places to ski in Zakopane, especially for more demanding skiers. The problem is its south-facing aspect: on a sunny day, even with temperatures around zero, the snow quickly softens and moguls and heaps of loose snow form. On the other hand, on a clear day, as well as good skiing conditions you can enjoy beautiful views of the snow-covered Tatras.