Itinerary

Arrive in Krakow after a day of travel. First night of stay is not included in trip cost. We are able to assist you in making arrangements to stay at the host hotel on this evening if desired, or you may make your own accommodations. You will meet at host hotel in the morning.

Overnight stay: Hotel Lagos
Lunch, Dinner included

We meet in the lobby of the Queen Boutique Hotel in Krakow at 10:00 a.m. for a group transfer by mini bus to Hotel Logos in Zakopane, our home for the next four days. The hotel located near a pretty park offers Wellness & SPA services and a rooftop bar overlooking Giewont Peak. In addition to its convenient location, the hotel offers traditional Zakopane hospitality. On the way to Zakopane, we stop for a sumptuous home-made lunch at an agro-tourist farm, Lesniczowka u Zieby, in the village of Dolina Chocholowska. During this delicious lunch we will sample the famous oscypek cheese and highlander tea – which includes vodka – before we resume our journey to Zakopane. After settling into our comfortable hotel, you will have some time on your own to relax or go for a leisurely walk around Zakopane. This evening we gather for a festive Welcome Dinner at Hotel Logos restaurant and dine on local specialties.

Overnight stay: Hotel Lagos
Breakfast, Lunch included

After breakfast, we attend our first cooking class in one of the highlander villages in the Podhale region. We learn the secrets of preparing the all-time regional favorite, moskole (potato pancakes with meat and mushrooms) and other local recipes. In the afternoon, we travel back to Zakopane and tour this beautiful mountain town for the rest of the day. We take a leisurely walk along the town’s famous Krupowki Street, and stroll a few side streets. Later we ride a chair ski lift up Gubalowka Hill to get the best panoramic view of Zakopane, the Tatra Mountains and other mountain ranges. Dinner on your own. We recommend Restaurant Sabala, on Zakopane’s main street. Watch the world go by from a cozy restaurant terrace and celebrate with delicious regional Polish food, drink and music.

Overnight stay: Hotel Lagos
Breakfast, Lunch included

This morning we travel to Sromowce-Wyzne village to begin our trip on a wooden raft through the Dunajec River Gorge. (In the event of inclement weather, instead of the rafting trip we will visit additional attractions such as Tatra Mountains Museum and other worthwhile attractions in and/or around Zakopane.) The rafting trip is one of the best-known attractions of this region. The daily raft trips have been organized by the Gorale, Poland’s highlanders since the early 19th century. After rafting and lunch, we travel to Debno Podhalanskie village to marvel at a timber church whose beautifulinterior has earned it a place on the UNESCO List of World Heritage sites: unique paintings and precious Gothic sculptures from the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries.The church is on the UNESCO List of World Heritage sites. This afternoon, enjoy free time in Zakopane: go shopping for locally made handicrafts, experience luxurious spa treatments at our hotel or go for a stroll down Krupowki street. Dinner on your own. We recommend Mala Szwajcaria restaurant in Zakopane, famous among locals and tourists alike for its outstanding Polish and European cuisine.

Overnight stay: Hotel Lagos
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner included

Today we travel to a quaint highlander town, Bukowina Tatrzanska, where we take glass painting class at a local Culture Center & School of Dying Trades. After class, we have lunch at Schronisko Smakow restaurant owned by Polish restaurateur and celebrity, Magda Gessler. On our drive thru Podhale we will be making short stops by wooden churches, manor houses, grocery stores and at Chocholow and Witow villages, both on the Lesser Poland Timber Architecture Route. In the village of Chocholow we’ll visit Jan Zieder’s art studio. Zieder is a local wood carver and artist and we will have an opportunity to purchase some of his unique, hand-made, quality carvings. To celebrate our fourth day in beautiful Lesser Poland, we dine at Gazdowka u Zajaca restaurant in Dolina Chocholowska, which offers regional specialties with folk entertainment.

Overnight stay: Hotel Lagos
Breakfast, Lunch included

After an early breakfast, we travel to Krakow, the capital of Lesser Poland, to begin our urban culinary experience. On our drive to Krakow, we visit Bacowka, a small mountain shepherd hut, where smoked sheep cheese “oscypek” is made in a traditional way by highlanders. Upon arrival in Krakow, we take a guided tour of the city. Krakow is Poland’s third largest city and escaped the devastation that obliterated other Polish cities during World War II. Krakow’s perfectly preserved medieval Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is on the itinerary for this afternoon’s tour. We also visit Market Square (the largest medieval town square in Europe) the 14th-century Wawel Castle and Cathedral, and Kazimierz – a historic Jewish district. Dinner on your own. Krakow is full of restaurants that offer memorable dining experiences. We recommend Biala Roza restaurant specializing in traditional Krakow cuisine. Chef Lukasz Cichy at Biala Roza uses top quality regional products to create modern arrangements of flavors of the past. Smacznego! – Enjoy!

Overnight stay: Hotel Legend
Breakfast, Lunch included

After breakfast and before we head to our last cooking class of the week, we’ll make a stop at the fresh food market called Stary Kleparz, a centuries-old Krakow tradition. Locals and visitors shop in an unforgettable atmosphere for fresh, traditional Polish food products, which we’ll have an opportunity to taste: breads, cheeses, meats, fruits and vegetables. Once we arrive at our cooking class location, we’ll meet a local Krakow chef who will teach us how to prepare a typical three-course Polish meal. After our cooking class we’ll tour the famous Wieliczka Salt Mine, a virtual underground city, with galleries, lakes, chapels and murals – all carved from salt. It becomes immediately clear upon seeing the majesty of this mine why it is deemed a UNESCO World Heritage site; we recommend you have your cameras at the ready.  After our Wieliczka tour, you are free to enjoy the sights and shops of Krakow on your own. Krakow offers a wonderful variety of art, crafts, and souvenirs. We recommend Cepelia store, which has a great selection of quality Polish folk handicrafts. Our Farewell Dinner will be at Wesele restaurant, serving old Polish and Krakow delicacies and specialties located in the heart of Krakow’s Market Square.

Breakfast included

Depart for your home country after breakfast, or make your own arrangements to stay longer in beautiful Krakow. Even though our vacations are leisurely, you may want to consider staying an extra night at the Queen Boutique Hotel and Legend Hotels in Krakow. You may find that the extra time will make your week even more relaxing and enjoyable.