Nature of the Małopolska Region is astonishing. There are six national parks, eleven landscape parks, eighty five reserves and this is only a part of the natural heritage. There are also animals and plants that are rarely spotted in other parts of Poland – only among butterflies, there are around 310 species, including many very rare species.
Małopolska is also famous of its healthy organic food. Traditions of many regional products are centuries old. Today, Małopolska is proud of its 46 specialities included in the List of Traditional Products. The first Polish regional product registered in the European Union comes from here, namely Bryndza podhalańska (Polish soft cheese). Nowadays, the region has already nine products which are under protection of the Union.
Next to Bryndza, there is Oscypek (smoked cheese made of salted sheep milk), Redykołka (type of cheese), Suska sechlońska (dried plums), Kiełbasa lisiecka (smoked pork sausage), Obwarzanek krakowski (dry bread sprinkled with poppy seed, salt, sesame etc.) Jabłka łąckie (apples), Chleb prądnicki (bread) and Karp zatorski (carp). Such accumulation of souvenirs of the past requires special care and treatment.