Cooking In & Around Warsaw
Dates:
August 28 - September 3, 2011
September 4 - September 10, 2011
Costs:
Option 1: 2,240 EUR per person, based on double-occupancy (380 EUR deposit). Single supplement is 270 EUR - program as described below, lodging in four and five star hotels, all meals included.
Option 2: 1120 EUR per person, based on double-occupancy (380 EUR deposit). Single supplement is 270 EUR. Program as described below, lodging in two and three star hotels. Thursday dinner in the city on your own. No specials or discounts apply.
What's Included:
- Six nights accommodations, double-occupancy, with en suite bathroom (four nights at Lochow Palace and two nights at five star boutique Hotel Le Regina in Warsaw's historic Old Town district).
- Arrival transfer from Lazienkowski Hotel in Warsaw at 10:00 a.m. to Lochow Palace
- Daily breakfast
- Six dinners
- Six lunches
- Local beer, vodka, tea, and coffee with all included meals (Please note that drinks consumed outside of mealtime are not included)
- Four hands-on and/or demonstration-style cooking lessons
- White cooking apron
- Excursions to cultural sites, all entrance fees and food artisan visits
- Gondola rides at Royal Lazienki Park in Warsaw and Narew River in Pultusk
- Transportation where specified
- English interpreters
- All luggage transfers
- Taxes and service charges
What's Not Included:
- Airfare or other non-specified transportation to the trip starting point, and from the trip ending point (i.e. airport transfers)
- Meals and alcoholic beverages not specified in the itinerary
- Personal expenses such as laundry or telephone calls
- Passport or visa fees
- End of vacation gratuities for guides (not required, but greatly appreciated)
- Insurance of any kind
Day By Day Itinerary:
Day 1 - Sunday
10:00 am - Meet in the lobby of Lazienkowski Hotel in Warsaw for a group transfer by bus to Lochow Palace in the countryside, your home for the next four days. Before leaving Warsaw for Lochow, you'll experience Chopin's music at the Royal Lazienki Park at the monument dedicated to musician. There'll also be a sumptuous Sunday brunch at the infamous Belvedere restaurant and a scenic gondola ride. Later in the afternoon, the journey to Lochow will be resumed. After arrival and check-in at the Palace, you will be given a short tour of the buildings and grounds, and you can relax in the spa, or go for a leisurely stroll. The welcom dinner is held in the Palace's grand dining room, where you'll have the chance to meet the Executive Chef and taste the spectacular regional specialties.
Day 2 - Monday
After breakfast, you will attend your first cooking class in an 18th century wooden manor located in the village of Paplin. You'll cook the regional recipes on an old wood burning stove in the manor, and then enjoy the results for lunch. The afternoon program includes a visit to the historic Krzesk Vodka Distillery, founded in 1896. Krzesk produces the world-famous Chopin vodka, which you will sample. Afterwards enjoy exploring the cultural trail of Liwiec Valley. Stops may include a 17th-century Palace in Stara Wies, the Kruszewski Brothers Bell Foundry, the Muzeum of Folk Weaving, and other regional attractions. The evening feast will be held at Kameralna restaurant in downtown Wegrow, featuring the best of Polish food and drink.
Day 3 - Tuesday
Today's cooking class will be held by Halina Piedziak, the Executive Chef at Lochow Palace. Chef Halina will prepare a few of her favourite regional recipes: kulebiak, pierogi sojki, chicken roulades, racuchy, she will also teach some unique culinary techniques. The afternoon will be spent at an open-air ethnographic museum in Kadzidlo. There will be folk dancing, music, paper cutting and not least of all - food! The evening meal will require formal attire, and will be held at the Gospoda Pod Debem Inn near Wyszkow, offering, as always, superb local specialties.
Day 4 - Wednesday
The third cooking experience will be held in the village of Gwizdaly. Here you'll get the chance to learn directly from the women in the village. They will showcase Polish favourites such as: Bigos (Hunter's Stew), pyzucha-gwizducha (potato pancakes with carrots or onions) cold soups and herbal teas. The afternoon will be spent in Poland's answer to Venice - Pultusk, an historic town located on an island which also features the longest marketplace in Europe. After walking around the Old Town you'll be treated to entertainment at the Polonia House, including a gondola ride on the Narew River. The final countryside meal will also be held at the Polonia house, including an open kitchen where you can watch the chefs at work, live music and a lovely, rustic atmospher.
Day 5 - Thursday
After breakfast, it's time to head back to Warsaw. After checking into the the luxurious five star Le Regina Hotel, you'll be treated to a guided, walking tour of the the Old Town, Barbican, Palace Square, and the Royal Castle. You also have the option to visit the Frederic Chopin Museum. The guided tour will include a chocolate break and Wedel's. Wedel is Poland's oldest chocolate brand. Polka restaurant will be the charming venue for dinner. It is located in the Old Town of Warsaw, and is well-know for welcoming with traditional, warm Polish hospitality and for offering a gorgeous Polish culinary experience.
Day 6 - Friday
Your last cooking experience will be with TV celebrity chef Karol Okrasa (Poland's version of Jamie Oliver). After a very enjoyable cooking class, you'll be free to enjoy the sights and shops of Warsaw on your own or with a professional guide. In the afternoon, there will be an organised tour of the famous 17th-century Wilanow Palace Museum and Park, the former residence of kings and distinguished aristocratic families. The park covers 106 acres and offers botanical wonders in styles from Baroque to Neo-Renaissance. After visiting the Palace, you'll have some time for souvenir shopping at Cepelia store, which offers a great selection of Polish folk handicrafts. If there is time, then a stop may be made to Hala Mirowska, a historic, fresh-food shopping centre. The final, farewell evening meal will be held at Fukier restaurant, recommended in the 2009 Michelin Guide and located in Warsaw's Old Town.
Day 7 - Saturday
After breakfast - departure to your home country, or stay on if you've made your own arrangements to stay longer in Warsaw.
How to Book:
Just email us on info@leisuretotaste.com, and we'll get back to you ASAP. Or call us on +36 1 336 1917 and ask for Joseph to discuss details.
Tour Overview:
What do world-renowned piano composer Frederic Chopin, Nobel Prize winning scientist Madame Curie, and the Phoenix City have in common? They are all Polish. 2010 is the year of Chopin's 200th birthday, the perfect year to travel to Poland for a superb culinary experience in and around Warsaw.During this culinary holiday, you'll experience both the urban and rural sides to Polish cuisine.
Warsaw, the capital of Poland, earned the nickname of Phoenix City because it has risen from ashes many times during past centuries. It is the largest city in Poland and home to 53 museums, the Royal Lazienki Park and Wilanow Palace. Warsaw's Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Market Square, boasting Warsaw's symbol - the statue of the Warsaw Mermaid, is filled with excellent restaurants, cafés, art galleries and music clubs. Cultural and culinary festivals are an ongoing occurrence in Warsaw. During this custom-designed culinary tour, you'll dine and cook with talented chefs in some of Warsaw's best restaurants, as well as experiencing a closer look at the city's sites.
Outside of Warsaw, in the region of Poland called Mazovia, you'll be enchanted by accommodations and feasts in castles, palaces, and manors. All the surrounding villages offer the experience of regional folklore culture: colorful costumes, handicrafts, music, dance, and cuisine. The region is home to Kampinos National Park, a popular area for walking, biking, and horseback riding; 9 landscape parks, 171 nature reserves, vast forests, remnants of royal wilderness, and numerous resort towns. The Vistula river, Poland's largest, winds through the region. Agrotourism allows people from all over Poland, and the world, to experience life and work in the countryside.During both the urban and rural parts of this Polish adventure, you'll learn traditional Polish recipes, visit local markets and cultural sites, sample gourmet meals and local breads, and taste regional beer and vodka. No matter which village or city, you'll be sure to experience the warmth and comfort of Polish hospitality.
Tour Highlights:
- 6 nights/7 days tailored, intimate, immersed culinary holiday in Warsaw and Mazovia
- Luxurious palace accomodation in Lochow, and five star Le Regina in Warsaw
- A total of 4 hands-on and demonstration-style cooking lessons, including learning from village women and top professional chefs
- Local, open-air market tours
- Agrotourism - visits to village farms, famous for warm hospitality and delicious traditional food
- Excursions to the region's beautiful villages, including visiting UNESCO World Heritage sites
- Gondola rides at Royal Lazienki Park in Warsaw and on the Narew river in Pultusk
- Warsaw city tour