If you happen to be a winter lover and have kids who are as well. There’s a magical place that will guarantee a lot of fun for all of you: Zakopane’s giant “Snowlandia” labyrinth.  

It takes about a month to produce artificial snow and build the whole maze structure, and it’s only possible to proceed to the construction at freezing temperatures. The annual opening date, therefore, depends on weather conditions. This year, Snowlandia reopened on 21 January, a week later than in 2022.

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Covering an area of ​​3,000 m2, the labyrinth is located right next to an Ice Palace with towers reaching up to 15 meters, and a giant igloo composed of a series of large cavities dug in the snow, sheltering tunnels and nooks. Historical as well as fictional figures sculpted in the snow by artists from the Podhale region can also be admired on the spot. 

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Other than the maze mentioned above, other attractions include the Giant Pyramid (with lights that change colour on rotation), the Giant Igloo (with thematic rooms dedicated to cartoon characters such as Frozen, Snow White, the Lion King,…), the Mini Zoo, and the 200m long Toboggan Run. 

Snowlandia can be described as a winter wonderland, where virtually everything is made from ice and snow. It was launched in the winter of 2015-2016 just under the natural ski jump of “Wielka Krokiew”, which is the oldest and largest ski jump in the country. 

Polish jumping champions such as Krzysztof Biegun, Kamil Stoch and Dawid Kubacki are definitely familiar with the place. You might even be lucky enough to see some jumpers practising thanks to the panoramic view from top of the Giant Pyramid or from the top of the labyrinth’s tower. 

This year, Snowlandia will be open until 20 March. 

Image: Twitter @PLenFrance

Author: Sébastien Meuwissen