Zakopane is a small town of pretty, wooden, alpine style houses at the foot of the Tatra mountain range in south east Poland. The word Zakopane means buried, and it often is buried in snow in the winter. The preservation of the traditional highland culture and dialect gives the town and region a unique identity.

The Gorale or Highlanders, the descendants of the mountain farmers and shepherds are in evidence wherever you go. The men wear traditional thick white, embroidered woollen trousers with a loose shirt and embroidered waistcoat and the women a Highland version of the Polish national costume with colourful skirts and sequinned or embroidered waistcoat. You will find them playing their musical instruments, singing in Capella bands, driving the tourists about in horses and carts or sleighs or filling the many churches on feast days. The town has about 30,000 inhabitants which is swollen by the 2 million visitors it welcomes each year, most of them coming to ski or snowboard.

But even if you're not a skier you will find lots to do and see, the splendour of the countryside alone is sufficiently rewarding. Zakopane is a truly wonderful place to visit during the summer - there are still brown bears and wild boar to be found roaming the forests.

You will find that foreign visitors are warmly welcomed by the locals, many of whom speak English. Menus in restaurants tend to be written in Polish, English and German.

Holiday house to let in Rabka, 25 miles from Zakopane - sleeps 6-10+

Click on photograph to find out more about self-catering holidays in oland near Zakopane

Smart 3 bedroom holiday house to let in quiet part of Rabka, 300 m from one of the ski slopes.

The house has 5 bedrooms (3 en-suite), a jacuzzi bath, 3 living areas including log cabin style room, kitchen, bathroom, shower room, 2 additional WCs. Garage and own driveway. Small garden. Balcony with table and chairs plus BBQ.

Full gas central heating. Open fire in one living area.

Rabka is known as the 'town of the world's children'. It's built around an enormous central park with swing parks, restaurant, paths and cycle trails. There are 3 ski slopes in winter, toboggan run and an ice skating rink. In summer enjoy horse and cart rides, swimming pools, Rabkoland funfair.

Bus fare into Krakow is just 9 zloty each way (costs less than £2 and takes just over an hour), less to Zakopane.

Click on the photograph for holiday lets in Poland for details and prices or Telephone +44 (0) 1245 325 273 for bookings and information about this particular self-catering holiday in Poland.