Centrum Badań nad Kulturą i Mentalnością Dawnej Polski
The Cracow Culinary Trail – Cracow’s Food Heritage and History
On 2 December 2025, the Cracow Culinary Trail was presented at the headquarters of the Cracow Guild of Food Crafts – a new thematic urban route connecting sites associated with Cracow’s culinary traditions and food crafts. The project has been developed by the Foundation for the Promotion of Artisan Products as part of its initiatives to support local products and culinary tourism, and was co-authored by Dr Marcin Gadocha, member of the Center for the Study of Culture and Mentalities in Early Modern Poland.
Launch event: 2 December 2025
Venue: Headquarters of the Cracow Guild of Food Crafts
About the Trail
Dr Marcin Gadocha, one of the co-authors of the trail, is a researcher at the Department of Early Modern History at the Institute of History and Archival Studies, University of the National Education Commission, Krakow.
The first stage of the route includes Stary Kleparz, the Planty park, Mały Rynek, several locations on the Main Market Square (the salt stalls, the Parys Maurizio confectionery, Hawełka, Piwnica Świdnicka, and Wierzynek), as well as the former seat of the Cracow butchers’ guild at ul. Westerplatte 18. The trail is conceived as an open project and will be expanded over time to include further sites linked to the history of Cracow’s gastronomy.
Launch and Workshops
The official launch was accompanied by historical-culinary workshops, during which participants explored the traditions of Cracow’s cuisine and sampled artisan products prepared at dedicated stations. The dishes served included żurek po krakowsku (Cracow-style sour rye soup) with white sausage, traditional grylaż cookies, piszczygier, Cracow biscuits, almond cake, traditional Cracow cheesecake with lattice topping, a variety of wheat and rye breads, the iconic obwarzanki, and a wide selection of Cracow cured meats.
As the organizers emphasize, the initiative aims not only to promote local flavours, but also to preserve traditional recipes, support local artisans, and foster a more reflective form of culinary tourism in the city.
Photo gallery available on Facebook: Foundation for the Promotion of Artisan Products
All photographs courtesy of the above page.
