Zieleniec

Convenience wins people over: the car park runs right up to the slopes, with ticket window and rental on the spot, so it is a few steps from car to lift. The runs are wide and gentle, which suits beginners and families, and there are enough of them to fill a day. Queues usually stay under ten minutes, good going by Polish standards. Webcams let you check the snow before setting off, and Wroclaw is two hours away.

Short descents are the main gripe: a run down takes two or three minutes, the ride back up noticeably longer. Weekends get busy and the approach roads and car parks jam up. The pistes are not numbered, which leaves first-timers guessing, and food on the mountain is basic with a thin choice. Stronger skiers call the hill average with nothing genuinely steep, and in mild winters the season is criticised as short and unpredictable.