Tour Highlights

• Warsaw's - Old and New Town and Royal Route
• Czestochowa and the fabulous Monastery of Jasna Gora
• Auschwitz - infamous Nazi concentration camp
• Krakow - city of the Polish Kings
• Wieliczka Salt Mines

Day by Day Itinerary

Day 1– UNITED STATES/EN ROUTE
Depart today by scheduled service of LOT Polish Airlines on the overnight transatlantic flight to Warsaw, Poland. (I)

Day 2 – WARSAW/KRAKOW
As the sun begins to rise on the Polish lowlands we will arrive in Warsaw where we’ll meet our Tour Escort who will travel with us throughout our vacation. From Warsaw Airport we’ll travel by private motor coach south across the nostalgic lowland landscape of Mazovia and picturesque Malopolska to reach to the city of Krakow. One of the oldest and most beautiful cities in Central Europe, Krakow has a unique charm created by centuries of history and cultural wealth. (B, D)

Day 3 – KRAKOW
Our day will begin with an introductory tour that will begin in the Old Town where we’ll see the Barbican fortress, one of the remaining elements of Krakow’s medieval fortifications, and the Florian Gate, once the main entry point to the city. Then we’ll walk along Ulica Florianska, a charming street that will take us into the Old Market Square. One of the largest squares in all of Europe, in the center of the square we’ll see the Renaissance Cloth Hall that is today filled with cafes and shops, and home to the Gallery of Polish Painting. We’ll also see the Gothic City Hall Tower crowned by a Baroque cupola, and visit the Church of St. Mary with its masterpiece altar carved by Wit Stwosz.

Our tour will come to an end as we arrive at Wawel Hill, home to the Royal Castle and Gothic Cathedral. We’ll see Wawel Castle that at one time was one of the most magnificent Renaissance residences in Central Europe. We’ll end our tour with a visit to the Cathedral of Saints Stanislaw and Waclaw. Once the site of coronations and royal burials, the Royal Cathedral is regarded by Poles as a spiritual shrine. (B, D)

Day 4 – KRAKOW (Wieliczka Salt Mines)
Today we visit the town of Wieliczka, famous for its ancient salt mine. Unique in the world, it has been listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. Our visit will take us into the ancient underground chambers where we’ll see saline lakes, wooden mining machines and underground buildings. The most impressive is the Chapel of Saint Kinga. Hand-carved one hundred years ago by a group of highly gifted miners, it is an awe-inspiring thing to behold. Following our visit to the salt mines, we’ll enjoy lunch at a local restaurant before returning to Krakow for an afternoon at leisure. (B, L)

Day 5 – KRAKOW
Today is free to explore the wonders of Krakow on our own. As most places of interest are located in the compact historic city center, Krakow is easily seen on foot. A good place to start would include a return visit to Wawel Hill where you can spend time wandering the fortifications and immerse yourself in the immense Royal Castle Museum that is home to countless national treasures. Afterward, return to the Old Town where you’ll find an array of dining choices, an afternoon of shopping and many interesting museums and galleries. (B, D)

Day 6 – KRAKOW/WARSAW
Today we depart Krakow and return to the capital city of Warsaw. Along the way our first stop of the day will take us to Auschwitz, site of the infamous Nazi concentration camp, so chillingly evoked in the movie, “Schindler’s List.” The basic structures of the camps have survived, and the experience of these is amplified by a number of exhibitions about the major victims of the atrocities, chiefly the Jews, but also Poles, Gypsies and Russians. In recognition of its historical significance as a memorial to all who suffered and died here, the site has been included on the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage list.

Afterward, we’ll travel north to Czestochowa where we’ll visit the Monastery of Jasna Gora that is the most famous shrine of the Virgin in Poland and the country’s greatest place of pilgrimage. The image of the Black Madonna of Czestochowa, to which miraculous powers are attributed, is Jasna Gora’s most precious treasure. The Monastery also houses a magnificent Refectory decorated with rich frescoes, the Knight’s Hall containing a series 17th century paintings depicting events in the monastery’s history, and the Basilica of the Holy Cross and the Nativity of the Virgin Mary.

This afternoon we’ll set our sites on Warsaw, located in the very heart of the country and close to the geometrical center of Europe. There are few places with equally interesting history and relicts of the past, places where the past intertwines with the present giving the city a unique, cosmopolitan character. (B, D)

Day 7 – WARSAW
The most interesting historical features of Warsaw are located in the Old and New Towns, and along the Royal Route, a series of roads linking the Old Town and Royal Castle with Wilanow Palace which stands outside the city. Our day will begin in the New Town where we see the Monument to the 1944 Warsaw Uprising before exploring the Old Town. Here we’ll see the Barbican and medieval defense walls, the Old Town Square surrounded on all sides by town houses rebuilt after wartime destruction – one of the most beautiful features of Warsaw, St. John’s Cathedral, and the Royal Castle that is today the symbol of Polish independence.

Leaving the Old Town we’ll travel on the Royal Route, named because of the former royal residences that line it. Along the way we’ll see the University of Warsaw, Holy Cross Church where inside urns contain the hearts of Frederic Chopin and Nobel Prize winner Wladystaw Reymount, and the National Museum. Then we’ll stop for coffee and cakes at the famous Blikle Café, a city landmark. Afterward, we’ll travel just outside of the city where we’ll end our tour with a visit to Wilanow Palace, one of Poland’s most treasured palaces, often hailed as the “Polish Versailles”. Set among stately English and French gardens, the palace is filled with treasures of the Italian, French and Polish Baroque. (B, D)

Day 8 – WARSAW
Today is free to explore the capital city on our own. The reconstruction of the Old and New Towns, almost completely destroyed during the war, was an undertaking on a scale unprecedented in the whole of Europe. Today, both the Old and New Towns are mainly pedestrian and easily seen on foot making them Warsaw’s most popular destinations. From the early morning hours until late in the evening you’ll find there are many interesting little streets, and an abundance of cafes, restaurants and shops. Tonight we’ll end our vacation in style with an evening of dinner and folklore entertainment. (B, D)

Day 9 – WARSAW/UNITED STATES
After breakfast this morning we will return to Warsaw International Airport in preparation for the transatlantic journey home. (B, I)

* * * Welcome Home * * *
I = In-flight Meal B = Breakfast L = Lunch D = Dinner