From the garden to the table

At the foot of the Börzsöny Mountains in Kóspallag, Hungary, tourism begins in the garden. 

At the Pallag Valley Organic Garden, visitors step into a living food system where soil, plants, people and the surrounding landscape are closely connected. They learn about agroecology, biodiversity and permaculture while exploring gardens, gathering seasonal ingredients and discovering the edible plants growing in the countryside. 

Here, tourism is designed to give something back to the destination. During their visit, travellers take part in hands-on activities in the garden, meet local producers and experts, and gain a closer understanding of how food is grown and sourced locally. Visitors are invited to take an active role in the garden and connect with the people who care for it, turning a day of discovery into an opportunity to support local producers and sustainable agricultural practices. 

The experience keeps value close to home, with ingredients sourced from the garden and nearby small-scale producers, while local experts share knowledge about cultivation, foraging and traditional and contemporary uses of plants. A communal cooking workshop brings these ingredients together around a seasonal, plant-based meal, with zero-waste principles at its heart. 

By connecting food, nature and community, the experience offers a different way of travelling: one where visitors do not simply consume what a destination has to offer, but learn from it, contribute to it and take something home that can continue beyond the journey. 

In Kóspallag, tourism becomes part of a regenerative cycle: nurturing local livelihoods, strengthening connections with the land and inspiring visitors to rethink how food, nature and communities can thrive together.