Zakopane behind Krupówki: the house that never opens, a valley closer than you would think, and a chapel in the woods
A house its family still lives in, a valley quieter than its neighbours, and a wooden chapel that carries no ticket.
- Strążyska Valley
- €2.51
- Villa Pod Jedlami
- Viewed from outside only
- The chapel
- An active parish church
All three stops are close to the centre, and all three get skipped when the day goes on the lake and the ridge. A house you can only look at from outside, a valley closer than most visitors think, and a wooden chapel in the woods at the edge of town.
1. Villa Pod Jedlami: the house that never opens
Villa Pod Jedlami stands a few streets from Krupówki and belongs to the Pawlikowski family, who still live in it. Together with Villa Koliba it is the finest example of Zakopane Style in town — a carved façade, a steep roof, a wooden porch — but unlike Koliba it does not open to visitors. It is viewed from outside only, free, at any time, none (viewed from outside anytime).
Quieter than its neighbours
Strążyska Valley starts practically on the edge of town, closer to the centre than Kościeliska or Chochołowska, and that is why it is shorter and quieter — less a destination for a whole day out, more a walk for an hour or two when you cannot face a bus. Park entry is the same, €2.51, as the rest of the park.
3. The Jaszczurówka chapel: a wooden church in the woods
The chapel is a small wooden church in the woods at the northern edge of town, an active parish church, not a museum — hence the advice to avoid mass times. Entry is free, and the building follows the same wooden style as Villa Koliba and Pod Jedlami: a steep roof, carving, a porch.
Before you go
Short answers to what people ask most before setting out.
Can Villa Pod Jedlami be visited inside?
No — it is a private house, and the Pawlikowski family still lives in it. It is viewed from outside only.
What is special about Strążyska Valley?
It is closer to the centre than Kościeliska or Chochołowska, so it is shorter and quieter — good for an hour or two without planning a whole day around it.
Is there an entry fee for the Jaszczurówka chapel?
No, it is free, but it is an active church — avoid mass times.
Ready for Zakopane?
Where to next
What to eat in Zakopane
→Smoked cheese off the grill on the street, sauerkraut soup in a warm inn, ribs and knuckle for bigger…
Kraków · 85 km
→A big Polish city where old means old, not rebuilt
How well does Zakopane suit you?
→Six questions: a score for this place and others like it.
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