Jizera Mountains in Poland in winter

How to get to the Jizera Mountains in winter? Certainly the easiest way to get to the Jizera Mountains is by car, as it gives us the opportunity to travel around easily. In addition, by driving between smaller towns and villages, you can travel in truly fairy-tale scenery. Traveling by train from Szklarska Poreba to Jakuszyce is also exceptionally scenic, but we'll get to that in the description of Jakuszyce :) Another advantage of traveling by car is that you can rent a cabin or room in a traditional rustic house in the middle of nowhere. The train reaches Szklarska Poreba, which is quite commercialized, and if you want to get away from the crowds, it is worth choosing accommodation elsewhere. There are many beautifully renovated houses in the Jizera Mountains, into which the hosts have breathed new life. If you like houses with a soul, we recommend places such as the Dom pod Mandragorą, Osada Ptaśnik or Siedlisko Krasna. All of these places are close to hiking trails and Swieradow-Zdroj with a ski slope and a Sky Walk tower. What other means of transportation can you use to get to the Jizera Mountains? If you don't have a car, but want to enjoy the charms of the Jizera Mountains in winter, you can drive from Wroclaw to Szklarska Poreba and explore the Jizera from there. From Szklarska Poręba Górna you can reach Jakuszyce in 15 minutes, where you can rent cross-country skis. From Szklarska Poręba you can also set off on the hiking trail to the Wysoka Kopa peak, to the Orle Mountain Shelter or to Chata Górzystów Mountain Shelter. Szklarska Poreba can be a good base for non-motorized travelers!

We have been cross-country skiing in Jakuszyce several times and always had beautiful weather! We were very lucky, because most of the time in winter the Jizera Mountains are rather cloudy and clear sky is an exception. At least that's the information we got from the cross-country ski instructor who taught the basics of cross-country skiing to our international group from Wroclaw. But let's go back to the beginning. How can you get to Jakuszyce? One option is to take a train to Szklarska Poreba and then a Czech line train to Jakuszyce. You can, of course, get to Jakuszyce by car and leave your car in the newly built underground parking lot. However, the road to Jakuszyce can be busy during the season. We used the parking lot in Szkarska Poręba Górna and went to Polana Jakuszycka by train. This is a very convenient solution, as we got off the train right in front of the building of the modern Dolnośląskie Centrum Sportu. Here, on the second floor, you can rent all ski equipment, buy sport clothes, have lunch and use the locker room and bathrooms. It's a facility that can be used by both professionals and begginers. Those who are taking their first steps can give it a try at a long flat track on their own or get help from an instructor. There is a Grabek Sport equipment rental shop in the DCS building, but you will also find other rental shops in the Jakuszycka Polana area. However, the price in many places will be similar, so the simplest solution is to rent equipment there for 45 PLN (skis, poles and boots) for 2 hours or for the whole day for 60 PLN. You can leave your clothes in the locker for 5 zlotys and from the rental shop you go straight out to the trails. There are a lot of trails of lower and higher levels of difficulty available to skiers, so everyone will find something for themselves! After you finish skiing, you can eat something in the restaurant, which is located in the same building. The food is by weight, so the price for lunch can be quite large, especially if you get hungry after skiing! There are also hiking trails there, but it's worth noting that this is an area dominated by skiers, so it's worth choosing a different destination than Jakuszyce if you're into walking or trekking.

Wysoka Kopa is located at 1127 meters above sea level and is the highest peak in the Jizera Mountains. It is a very popular peak in Polish Mountain Range Karkonosze. In terms of height, it is ranked 10th of all the peaks in the "Crown of the Polish Mountains" (Korona Gór Polski). Hence its popularity. You can reach Wysoka Kopa by hiking one of the longest long-distance trails in Poland, the Main Sudetic Trail. What's interesting is that this trail doesn't pass the exact summit point, as the actual summit is deep in a dense forest, as you can see in the photo below. The route from Szklarska Poreba Górna is the most popular hiking route to the Wysoka Kopa peak. The trail starts next to the Szklarska Poreba Górna train station, from where you take the red trail. Then the trail leads through the crossroads under the Wysoki Kamień peak. Here the ascent to Wysoki Kamień (1,058 meters above sea level) begins - the most beautiful viewpoint on this route. After climbing to Wysoki Kamień, the red trail leads deep into the Jizera Mountains. Most of the time the trail to Wysoka Kopa runs on rather flat terrain and through forests, so the route is suitable for beginner hikers and children. If you collect stamps of the Crown of Polish Mountains, don't forget to take your KGP booklet with you! On Wysoka Kopa, as on many other peaks, you will find the stamp in a box that is attached to a sign on the summit. If you still have the energy, be sure to visit Chatka Górzystów, which is famous for its legendary blueberry pancakes! Hiking in the Izerskie Mountains is a pleasure due to far fewer tourists than in other mountain ranges. If you don't care much for spectacular views, but want to enjoy a hike in silence, it's definitely worth choosing the Jizera Mountains in winter!

In 1795, the first health resort house was built in Swieradow Zdrój. The mountainous climate, a network of hiking trails and the resources of natural healing resources have attracted tourists and visitors since the 17th century. Świeradów Zdrój has developed significantly in recent years in terms of accommodation and winter attractions. The SKI&SUN ski resort is one of the biggest magnets attracting tourists here in winter. The complex has a toboggan run, a children's belt lift, a cross-country ski trail and a modern gondola, which rides in 8 minutes to an altitude of 1060 meters above sea level, to the station located on Stog Izerski. We used the gondola to drive our multi-generational group to the top with.... sled! We were not alone in this, as many families took advantage of such an option. The ride itself is a great attraction for children, and if you add sledding to the experience, you will be guaranteed satisfaction. You can buy sleds right next to the ski lift near the parking. The price for the gondola ride in is 69 zloty for an adult in both directions. It is worth remembering that the ski lift is open until 4 pm, and then again from 6 pm, because then it takes skiers for night skiing. The ski slope is 2,500 m. long and is at a fairly high altitude, so there is plenty of snow even when the temperatures are high. In Swieradow, another attraction worth a visit the Sky Walk tower with a beautiful view on the city and mountains around. Once you reach the top, you can rest on the drop-shaped net or step stand on the glass platform. You can end your trip with a ride down a 100-meter slide! This is definitely a great attraction for families with children. The Jizera Mountains are definitely worth spending a few winter days in!

When returning from a trip to the Jizera Mountains, we encourage you to explore some beautiful places along the way as well! As guests, we often have to check out of the hotel or a guesthouse around noon, but we don't want to waste a day just for the return trip. Especially when traveling with children, we often need to find a place for a break. Often such a place is unfortunately a McDonalds or a gas station, but it doesn't have to be that way! What attractions do we recommend along the way from the Jizera Mountains? Certainly the first suggestion would be Czocha Castle. This castle offers a number of attractions and is located just a few dozen kilometers from Swieradow-Zdroj. Multimedia torture rooms or Harry Potter workshops are among the suggestions that will surprise you. It is also worth stopping for lunch at the Castle restaurant. And if you want to take a break for the night, you can choose to stay at the Castle hotel and take a night tour! Czocha Castle offers three standards of rooms. In addition, the Castle has 8 special-themed rooms. What other attractions are worth visiting in Lower Silesia, heading towards Wroclaw? Certainly the Church of Peace in Jawor is very impressive. It is the largest wooden building with religious functions in the world. In 2001, the church in Jawor was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In the area you can also see the Museum of Gold in Zlotoryja. The area around Zlotorya was one of the main gold mining centers in the past, and there are still many enthusiasts in Lower Silesia who search for gold in the surrounding rivers as a hobby! In Rogoznica, you can visit the little-known in Poland Gross-Rosen Museum on the site of a former Nazi concentration camp. If you are a lover of castles, you can also stop for a while at the ruins of Bolkow and Swina castles. It's worth it to get off the S3 or A4 road and see one of the treasures of Lower Silesia!