Kurpie Easter Folk Excursion

Discover Kurpie, its unique folklore and history while visiting local museums. Learn folk crafts straight from artist, who have been passing their traditions through generations. Join an incredible Palm Sunday procession in Łyse village. 

Folka is proud to invite you to this exciting Kurpie Easter Folk Excursion. During five days you will experience traditional folk craft, explore wooden architecture, taste delicious Polish food and enjoy surrounding nature. It will be such a memorable experience. Not to be missed!

 

The Kurpie region lies in the north-eastern part of the Mazowiecka Lowland (Mazowsze). At one time, centuries ago, it was covered by two forests known as the Puszcza Zielona (the Green Wilderness) and the Puszcza Biała (the White Wilderness). It translates into White and Green Kurpie. (We will discover some differences in crafts during the trip!).

The people from this region were originally called “people of the wilderness” (puszczaki). They used to make their shoes from fiber from the linden tree, and these bast shoes called kurpsi became the name the outsiders used to describe the inhabitants of this region. Over the centuries of isolation, they developed a unique culture of their own.

Kurpie became famous for its unique traditional folk art which is reflected mostly in the wooden architecture, weaving, carving, ornaments, paper cut-outs and paper craft like paper flowers and Easter palms.

 

When: 20th March - 25th March 2024

 

Travel plan:

* Wednesday 20th March *

We’ll meet in Warsaw to visit the Ethnographic Museum where we will have a private tour. You will learn about Polish folk art. Museum has an amazing collection of traditional costumes, customs and traditions, sculptures, paper crafts and many more. In the evening we’ll drive towards Kurpie.

 

* Thursday 21th March *

First, we'll explore the White Kurpie. We’ll meet with local artists, who created a beautiful folk museum showcasing their local crafts.

Halina will teach us how to make an unique “oklejanka”. It’s a very old, but sadly dying technique of decorating eggs for Easter. Eggshell is decorated with bullrush pith and coloured yarn. There aren’t so many artists who still make them so it will be a great opportunity to learn.

Embroidery from White Kurpie is also unique and more decorative than from Green Kurpie. We’ll have a workshop to try to recreate some of these beautiful stitches!

On the same day, we’ll also visit Muzeum in Ostrołęka to see their collection of incredible papercuts (wycinanki).

 

* Friday 22nd March * 

This day we will focus on Kurpie’s unique and traditional crafts.

We will visit a beautiful open air museum in Kadzidło village. We’ll have a tour around the museum and then a workshop with local artists. You will learn how to make an Easter Palm with traditional paper flowers and “wycinanki” papercuts.

 In the afternoon, we will visit Czeslawa Konopka’s house, run by her family. Czesława (1923 - 1993) was a multitalented folk artist. She was well known for her intricate papercuts, kierce (paper chandeliers) and embroidery.

 

* Saturday 23rd March *

After a busy Friday, we’ll have a more relaxing Saturday.

In the morning, we’ll visit a private museum run by Laura and Zdzislaw. It presents an extraordinary collection of local objects. They saved over six thousands of original pieces starting from the farm tools and finishing with furniture, garments and Easter palms. We’ll have a tour around the museum where you will learn about Kurpie’s history.

After the tour we’ll have a “pisanki” (Easter eggs) workshop with Laura. She will teach us how to decorate eggshell in a “batik” technique - drawing on an eggshell with a natural beeswax.

In the afternoon, we’ll visit a local artist Władysław, who still continue making unique baskets using pine roots.

 

* Sunday 24th March *

We’ll be leaving very early in the morning to visit Łyse village where we will join the Palm Sunday procession. Local artists dressed in traditional costumes will bring their Easter palms to an old wooden church in the morning to take part in a competition for the most beautiful palm. Then there will be a procession to a new church where all palms will be blessed. It’s such an amazing and memorable experience.

There will be a craft market as well where you can buy lots of beautiful and unique art.

Then, we’ll drive through an antique forest to visit an Open Air Museum in Nowogród.  We will have a picturesque walk by the Narew river surrounded by traditional wooden architecture.

 

 * Monday 25th March *

We will come back to Warsaw around midday.

 

Please note: There might be some changes in an itinerary.

 

Cost:

£1200 (Price includes 20% VAT)

 

Price includes:
Accommodation                                                                                                                          Breakfasts

Transport

Workshops

Museum tickets

 

Price does not include:

Flights to/from Warsaw

Lunches and dinners (Dinner in Poland costs approx £10-£15)

 

PAYMENT IN TWO INSTALMENTS IS AVAILABLE. Please get in touch info@folka.co

 

Accommodation:

We will be staying in a lovely wooden hotel by the lake near Myszyniec village. Rooms are single. Breakfast is included in the price.

 

Transport:

We’ll be travelling in a comfortable minibus with a private driver. Our group will consist of maximum 7 people.

 

PLEASE NOTE:

There might be some changes in an itinerary.

 

You need to arrive in Warsaw at 12am on Wednesday 20th March at the latest to be able to join us at the Ethnographic Museum. 

There are 2 airports in Warsaw. Chopin airport (Wizzair, British Airways) is in the centre and Modlin airport is approx 1 hour away. We can help you to arrange a pick up from the airport.

You can come to Warsaw earlier and stay overnight if you prefer. We will help you to find a hotel.

 

CANCELATION POLICY: 

As Kurpie Easter Excursion is happening soon we are unable to offer a refund once you confirmed and paid for the trip.  

 

Your guide:

Karolina Merska, originally from Poland, lives and works in London. 

She makes pajaki - traditional rye straw and paper chandeliers. She loves folk art and her dream is to revive some of the forgotten crafts and traditions. Over the years she travelled across Poland to find and meet amazing artists and promote their craft. She runs shop Folka in Stoke Newington in London. 

This is Karolina’s 2nd Kurpie Easter Folk Excursion. She decided to add a extra day this year to make it more memorable!

She’s planning Łowicz, Zalipie and Podlasie excursions later this year as well!