Vacation rentals in Zakopane

I want to invite you for PIEROGI COOKING CLASS to my private apartment located in the city center. We will start slow with freshly homemade sweet buns, tea and conversation. I will tell you about Krakow, jewish district and history of the buidling that I live in (I am working on a documentary about the owners). Then we will make traditional polish dumplings (using my family recipe) with cheese and potatoe and sweet ones with the fruits. I will be explaining you all the steps and also telling you stories about all the products, polish customs and my personal experiences. Don't worry, if you don't cook much - I am here to help you and guide you. I promise you - you will make delicious pierogi! At the end we will eat pierogi with my Mom's pickles and talk more about history, politics, culture, people, traditions of my country and anything you are interested in. Every guest will get my e-book "Travel to Poland from your kitchen" with recipes for pierogi and other traditional polish meals and my recommendations for what to do in the area. Other things to note Pierogi are vegetarian, but not vegan (cheese, butter) Please message me, if you would like a class for a group bigger than 4 or to have a class in a diffrent time.

We will pick you up from our meeting point at BazaTatry, by the main station in Zakopane. Our first stop will be at the famous Jaszczurowka Chapel, a unique wooden chapel built by the most famous architect in Zakopane, from here we will start our hike through the spectacular National Park. The hike is moderate and offers some beautiful views onto the high Tatras, we will finish at Kuznice where we will share some more secrets about the culture and people in the area, also visiting a Bacowka to sample some smoked sheep cheese. (The Bacowka is closed from October-May but we will still stop at the hut for some interesting facts about the sheeps cheese) The last stop is at a local restaurant where we will advise you on some of the traditional dishes to try (this is optional but you will probably be hungry after the hike and the local food is good :) The restaurant is 10min walk from the city centre, you can choose to walk back or we can organise transport for you.

Here is what to expect on the Tour: We will meet at BazaTatry, from where we will go to a off the beaten track highlander house open to the public, here you will get the chance to see how the locals lived close to nature in the past, we will explain how Zakopane became famous and the people that contributed to the growth. From there we will go to a local Bacowka (smoked cheese hut) where you will get a chance to try some of the cheese and also grill your own.

It is a bike city tour. We start from BazaTatry where you get the bikes and from here we bike through Równia Krupowa to town park. Next we will go to a local museum, the visit takes around 20 min. Then biking to the Ski Jump area. Then to Educational Center of Tatra National Park and it's time for a short break. Biking towards Antałówka hill wich stunning view at surrounding. Off road trail goes through Antałówka and lead us back to Zakopane. We bike to Witkacy theatre. The building has an interesting and spooky history. Back to BazaTatry. Other things to note The route is rather easy and doesn't require a high level of fitness, although we will use some off road traills and sometimes it is up hill . Some trails can be muddy.

One thing I want to tell anybody coming to Kraków is that exploring it without some way to get to know what's what and why it is there is a tremendous waste. Kraków is exceptionally rich in capital H History. Monuments, stories and legends go back to the beginning of the Polish nation and from there all the way to the present day. It is the true Heart of Poland. I offer my own take on how to present all that unfolded and engraved itself into the streets of my town. Have I mentioned I was born and raised in Kraków? Well, I am a local through and through and there are a certain perspective and emotional charge in me that I hope to pass onto you. I want to give you the general idea of the history of Poland which I cut into digestible and narratable chunks that will also relate to things that you will be able to touch and see for yourself. We will go from the Old Town to the Castle on the Wawel hill and anchor more than a dozen times to talk about what you see and how does that tie into the city in a meaningful way. See you there! Other things to note If the hours available on certain days are not suitable for you - please write to me and we will surely find times that suit us all :)