Podhale
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The Podhale (literally "Mountain meadows") is Poland's most southern region, sometimes referred to as the "Polish highlands". The Podhale is located in the foothills of the Tatra range of the Carpathian mountains, and is characterized by a rich tradition of folklore that is much romanticized in the Polish patriotic imagination. The name Podhale literally translates as "below the mountain glen" in English.[1]
Among the region's attractions are the popular mountain resort of Zakopane and a lake known as "The Eye of the Sea", which local legend claims is connected to the Adriatic by subterranean passageways. Nowy Targ is the capital of the region. Ludzmierz is home to the area's oldest shrine to Our Lady of Ludźmierz also known as the Shepherdess of Podhale or in Polish Gaździna Podhala.
The people in this region are particularly famous for their oscypek, a cheese made from a mix of cow's and sheep's milk, and their ski slopes. In the winter, it is the number one tourist site in Poland.
For a history of the inhabitants read Gorals