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Main tourist cities of Karkonosze Mountains
Jelenia Gora
Jelenia Gora- the capital city of the region of Karkonosze Mountains, with the population of over 100 thousand people, is situated in a flat valley surrounded with mountains named Kotlina Jeleniogorska. It’s area totals 108,4 km2.
Even from the center of the city it is possible to see the Karkonosze Mountains in the south direction.
Jelenia Gora with it’s surroundings is a typical combination of trade and touristy region. The city is located in the south - western part of Poland in the very centre of a “mountains surrounded valley”. The highest point of Karkonosze Mountains (the highest mountain range of Sudety) is Sniezka (1603 m. a.s.l.).
The climate of this particular area is typical for this kind of “mountain regions”. The temperatures are hesitating between 20 – 30 C during the summer time and (-5) – (-15) during the winter time.
Jelenia Gora was originally a German city that’s become Polish after the World War II. During the war time the city was not at all destroyed and could easily function after the peace has been set.
In the year 1976 Jelenia Góra has been enlarged by enclosure of Cieplice Slaskie Zdroj, Sobieszow, Maciejowa and Goduszyn. Thanks to this fact Jelenia Góra has become the biggest city centre of Karkonosze Mountains
Jelenia Gora is a beautiful city that offers it’s visitors unforgettable memories and a well spend time. The wide range of cultural events and places to go like The City Museum, The BWA Art Gallery or The Norwid’s Theatre make the city worth an effort.
The town is a starting point for the trips to various places in the Karkonosze Mts. While visiting the city it is worth to visit the Market Square (known as the Town Hall Square as well- where you can hear the city bugle - call every day at 12) and it’s seventeenth-century burgher houses with arcades. The Town Hall dates from the same period.
In the neighborhood of the Town Hall there is a garrison church from the XVIIth century (Kosciol Garnizonowy). The three - story gallery for the faithful resembles rather a theater than a church and is definitely worth seeing.
The health resort, Cieplice, since the XVIIth century is well known for it’s sanitary abilities (thermal sources of 42,7 C). For years it has been included within the boundaries of the town.
Also during the evening and night one can not be bored in Jelenia Gora - numerous pubs and discos invite the people with their bright lights and pleasant atmosphere.
A special month in Jelenia Gora’s cultural life is September which is a month full of interesting events like concerts, theatre spectacles and most important - the Old Things Market. During this time the Town Hall Square becomes a place where people come to buy and sell old antique things of their own. While being in Jelenia Góra in September then you definitely have to see that.
Karpacz
At the foot of Sniezka (480 - 850 m above the sea level) lies Karpacz, one of the most popular holiday resorts in the Karkonosze.
A considerable attraction of Karpacz is the thirteenth - century timber temple Wang brought in there from South Norway in the XIX century.
In the Karpacz region snow remains late in spring, sometimes even until April. In Karpacz and in areas around one can find numerous chair - lifts, ski - lifts and skis - runs. Karpacz is a convenient starting point for trips; several, well marked paths of different difficulty lead to the Karkonosze: taking the blue path you will reach Sniezka summit within 3,5 hours having seen the most picturesque parts of the mountains.
Karpacz is a beautiful town which offers a variety of attractions including lovely coffee - houses, souvenirs shops and late - night pubs and discos.
There is also one more great argument for coming to Karpacz and that is - the one and only in Poland bobsleigh - ride “Kolorowa”. It’s a steal half- pipe gauge with breath away - taking curves. When one gets into a bobsleigh it is sure that he is going to do it again!
Szklarska Poreba
Szklarska Poreba is situated in the south - western part of Poland, almost at the meeting point of the borders of three countries: Poland, Czech Republic and Germany, in Karkonosze and Izerskie mountain range, in Jelenia Góra district and Lower Silesia Province.
The city is picturesquely located at the bottom of Szrenica mountain (1362 m above sea level).
Szklarska Poreba is the best maintained and managed center for winter sports in Poland. The city is situated at the altitude of 440 – 886 m a.s.l. and borders directly with the Czech Republic (border crossing Szklarska Poreba – Jakuszyce / Harrachov). Enormous tourist advantages and favorable location in the vicinity of large central European cities: Prague 139 km away, Vienna 280 km, Wroclaw 140 km (each of them has an international airport) as well as in the neighborhood of Polish- Czech (8km) and Polish - German (71km) border crossings, makes Szklarska Poreba an attractive centre in both tourist and economic aspects. Szklarska Poreba is regarded one of the best tourist centers in Poland.
Climatic and relaxation advantages of Szklarska Poreba enable an active way of spending your free time not only during the winter season, but through the whole year round, by offering hiking along tourist routes, the network of mountain- bike paths and the rich offer of cultural activities, preserving an old tradition of an artistic colony.Around Szklarska Poreba there are ca. 100 km marked trails. From their hub in the heart of the town, the particular paths: the red, blue, green, black and yellow one, run in a shape of a star towards the Karkonosze and Gory Izerskie mountains. The main part of Karkonosze belongs to the Karkonoski National Park, which was declared by UNESCO as one of the World Biosphere Reserves (Karkonosze). When hiking along the mountain paths, you will recognize the beauty of this part of the Sudetes, and the direct contact with the nature will leave unforgettable impressions. In particular, the region of the nature reserves (Sniezne Kotly and Hala Izerska) will uncover some unique vegetable ecosystems.
Along the paths you will find the characteristic rocks and rock groups, typical for the Karkonosze mountains, which were fancifully formed by the nature, as well as beautiful waterfalls (Wodospad Kamienczyk and Wodospad Szklarka), and excellent lookout points. By good weather conditions you can see panoramas in the circle of more than 100 km in diameter.