Hiking in Tatra Mountains

The Tatras are Poland's default postcard and its most visited mountains, and the classic introduction is the walk up to Morskie Oko, the great glacial lake cradled beneath the highest peaks. The route follows an asphalt road up the valley — easy underfoot, walkable in winter, even manageable with a pushchair — which is exactly why it's so beloved and so busy.

Don't let the tarmac fool you about the scenery: the lake sits in a natural amphitheatre of granite walls that wouldn't look out of place in the high Alps, and the reflection on a still morning is the shot everyone comes for. It's a long but undemanding day, and from the lake harder trails climb on into properly alpine terrain for those who want more.

Go early or out of season to dodge the crowds, and pair it with a night in Zakopane below. It's about the gentlest possible way into a genuinely serious mountain range.

Paved the whole way, pushchair-viable, horse carts for those who want them, open in winter as a snow walk.

Drive or bus to Palenica Białczańska, then walk the 9 km paved road (or take a horse cart). Extremely crowded July–August and on long weekends — the car park fills before dawn.