Carpathian Mountains

These are the long mountain range (with over a dozen constituent ranges) along the southern border of Poland, crossing into Slovakia and the Czech Republic. (Geographically they continue east through Ukraine, but it's convenient to consider that part separately.) Their highest peak is Babia Góra at 1725 m (5659 ft), and these higher areas have Alpine-type habitat above the tree line and ski resorts. Lower down are extensive forests with bears, wolves and lynx, interspersed with montane meadow and farmland. Gateway cities include Ostrava, Katowice and Krakow, while up in the mountains are spa towns such as Nowy Sacz. The Beskids have been mined for coal and iron ore but are mostly rural, with many traditional wooden villages and churches.

This range stands on the border between Poland and Slovakia and is distinct from the Beskids to the north and the Low Tatras to the south. The entire range is only 57 km long by 19 km wide yet (being relatively young like the Alps) has the highest peaks of the Carpathians, with the highest being Gerlach at 2655 m (8710 ft). The main resort on the Polish (north) side is Zakopane, close to Tatra National Park (Poland). The main resort in Slovakia on the south flank is Poprad, close to Tatra National Park.

This is a 100-km range of half a dozen peaks, all of about 2000 m and rising prominently from the valleys to north and south. They lie within the national park Národný park Nízke Tatry and are densely forested. The main ridge is granite and gneiss but on the flanks are areas of limestone and dolomite, creating an attractive karstic landscape with canyons and many caves. The area is well-developed for tourism, with resorts such as Banská Bystrica. You might get in via Kosice or even via Budapest in Hungary.

These are the eastern arm of the Beskids, from Poland across the southwest corner of Western Ukraine to Romania. Their highest terrain is in Zakarpatska Oblast, with Hoverla reaching 2061 metres (6762 ft). They are distinguished here from other Carpathian ranges simply because Ukraine is not an EU country, a factor for motorists and for non-European visitors. It's also a big place with long driving distances so these mountains make for a trip in themselves.

There are three main ranges. The eastern range, mostly in Moldavia Region, are a continuation of the Beskids from Ukraine. The southern range is highest, with Moldoveanu at 2544 m (8346 ft). Together these ranges have some of the largest unbroken tracts of virgin forest in Europe. They enclose the Transylvanian Plateau, then the Apuseni Mountains are a dissected massif to the west. Resorts include Sibiu, Braşov and Cluj-Napoca.