There’s something about discovering a destination through its food, people, and hidden traditions: this culinary vacation to Poland. With Travel Deliciously, we don’t just visit a place—we live it. Every year, we venture overseas on small group tours that dive deep into the heart of culinary traditions, always seeking authentic, off-the-beaten-path experiences. Previously, our culinary vacation took us to one of Europe’s best-kept secrets—Lesser Poland (Malopolska)—a region bursting with flavor, history, and soul.
The Start of Our Culinary Vacation to Poland: Krakow and the Pierogi Festival
Touching down in Krakow, Poland’s cultural crown jewel, the city instantly felt like an old friend. With its cobblestone streets, towering Gothic churches, and the buzzing hum of the Old Town Square, Krakow welcomes you like family.
Our escorted tour started with the annual Pierogi Festival, celebrating Poland’s beloved dumplings. We roamed through rows of vendors, savoring classic and inventive fillings, from hearty potato and cheese to the surprisingly decadent banana and Nutella pierogi. It wasn’t just about the food—it was about the community: locals, travelers, chefs, and food lovers all gathered together. Our favorite? The banana/nutella filled pierogi.
This is what Travel Deliciously is all about—sharing in the joy of local traditions with fellow adventurers.
Day 1 & 2: Pierogi Festival in Krakow
We arrived in Krakow overnight and began our visit by checking in at The Grand Hotel on the main square. Many of us visited the Auschwitz Museum or used the extra day to explore Krakow and the Pierogi Festival, where we ate, drank, shopped at the many outdoor vendors, and listened to music.
Day 3: Churches in Krakow
Continuing our culinary vacation to Poland, we attended Mass in one of many Catholic churches in Krakow. We toured the Jewish district, which used to have the world’s largest Jewish population before 1940.
After enjoying many delicious treats, we drove north to Zakopane Highlander country, where Pope John Paul lived. We stopped in Chocholowska during our drive to sample oscypek cheese and Highlander tea made with raspberry vodka. Then, we checked into a small palace called Hotel Art & Spa for the next 4 days. The Polish people are so proud of their country; it is truly one of the friendliest and most hospitable people we have ever encountered.
Day 4: The Highlander Villages in the Podhale region
From Krakow, our travel tour headed south to the mountain town of Zakopane, nestled in the Tatra Mountains. This is where Poland’s highlander culture—the gorale—thrives, and we were welcomed in true gorale style: with oscypek cheese, warm Highlander tea infused with raspberry vodka, and the friendliest smiles.
Zakopane isn’t just stunning; it’s alive with music, art, and fierce pride in its traditions. We cooked alongside Highlander families, learning age-old recipes like beet soup and blueberry pierogis in cozy village homes. Every dish was more than just food—it was a story, passed down through generations.
Today, we attended our first cooking class in one of the Highlander villages in the Podhale region. We made beet soup, potato and blueberry pierogis, potato bread, stuffed cabbage rolls, homemade cheese, and plum cake with fresh ingredients, including sour cream and butter. We washed it down with homemade raspberry and cherry vodka. In the afternoon, we traveled back to Zakopane and toured this beautiful mountain town for the rest of the day, including a stop at a cemetery known locally as the “Happy Cemetery,” where mainly artists are buried. Highlanders are carpenters and wood carvers, so we toured and saw many churches and buildings made of wood along the way. We rode a cable car up Gubalowka Hill to see Sleeping Knight Mountain and ended the day shopping and eating at the Zakopane Festival.
Day 5: Rafting the Dunajec River Gorge
We traveled to Sromowce-Wyzne village to begin our trip on a wooden raft through the Dunajec River Gorge. The rafting trip is one of the best-known attractions of this region, and what a gorgeous day for the relaxing ride ahead! After rafting and lunch, we traveled to Debno Podhalanskie village to visit timber churches where the interior includes unique paintings and precious Gothic sculptures from the 15th and 16th centuries. The churches are on the UNESCO List of World Heritages. We strolled down Krupowki Street, a pedestrian-only street with many shops, restaurants, and music vendors.
Day 6: Cooking in Poland
What a gorgeous and enjoyable day in another little Highlander village of Podhale. Today we enjoyed a private cooking class and made crepes stuffed with chicken goulash and sweet cheese and apricot jam, sauerkraut soup, cabbage slaw and carrot slaw, potato dumpling stuffed with meat, sweet stick cookies, and rose petal jam cookies. We cooked our meal, ate it, and washed it with homemade lemon vodka. We also stopped at a woodmaker cabin to see and buy his carved art. The villages are quaint and beautiful; many houses are hundreds of years old. To celebrate our day, we dined at Gazdowka u Zajaca restaurant, a Highlander family-owned restaurant offering regional specialties and folk entertainment. We had a ball dancing, and the owner was very gracious and entertaining.
Day 7: Saying goodbye to Zakopane
Breakfast is included in our stay at the hotels, with a beautiful European continental breakfast each day. After breakfast, we said goodbye to Zakopane and visited Bacowka on the way to Krakow, a small mountain shepherd hut where smoked sheep cheese, “oscypek,” is made in a traditional way by highlanders.
Once in Krakow, we took a guided tour of the city. Krakow is the 3rd largest city in Poland and escaped the devastation that obliterated other Polish cities during WWII. Our first stop was a 14th-century Wawel Castle and Cathedral, where Pope John Paul previously served Mass and served as Cardinal for 14 years. No pictures could be taken here, but it is gorgeous. We visited the Old Town Market Square, the largest medieval town square in Europe, and even snuck pictures in St Mary’s Church, the oldest altar in Europe.
Day 8: A Final Chance to Cook in Poland
Our culinary vacation to Poland concluded our last full day in Poland with – a final cooking class! On the way to class, we stopped at the local farmers market and then learned to prepare a typical 3-course Polish meal with Chef Marek Widomski, a famous Polish chef in Poland. We prepared the city version of pierogis, beet soup, and stuffed cabbage rolls, which were made with the old country recipes but as a lighter and “outside of the box” version. We made tartar with ground sirloin and quail eggs, which were delicious, and washed it down with Buffalo vodka. Dessert was apple compote, sweet cream, and raspberry sorbet with a homemade raspberry cordial.
After our class, we toured the famous Wieliczka Salt Mile, an underground city with galleries, lakes, chapels, and murals carved from salt.
Cooking, Community, and Celebration
Cooking was the beating heart of this journey. Whether we were folding pierogis with grandmothers in village kitchens or learning refined techniques from Chef Marek Widomski in Krakow, each class celebrated Poland’s rich culinary soul.
Because our small group tours are intentionally intimate, everyone has a chance to roll up their sleeves, dive in, and savor every moment—both in the kitchen and at the table.
Our final day took us deep underground to the Wieliczka Salt Mine—an entire world carved from salt. Walking through glittering tunnels and towering chambers, I felt the same sense of awe I seek in every adventure.
It’s moments like these—unexpected, raw, and breathtaking—that we at Travel Deliciously live for.
Why Choose Travel Deliciously?
- Small group tours for deeper connections and richer experiences.
- Immersive travel tours that go beyond the tourist spots.
- Thoughtfully planned escorted tours for seniors, families, and solo travelers alike.
- Specialized culinary journeys like our Italy food and wine tour for the ultimate foodie escape.
- Family-friendly adventures, including our curated international family trip experiences.
Join the Travel Deliciously Community
Traveling isn’t just about where you go—it’s about who you go with. And with Travel Deliciously, you’re never just a traveler. You’re part of a community seeking authentic stories, hidden flavors, and meaningful moments.
So, are you ready to join us on our next culinary vacation? Let’s make memories that linger long after the last bite.
Book your next adventure today—and let’s travel deliciously together.