ITINERARY

Day 1: Welcome day

Independent arrivals to Warsaw hotel. Evening: Meeting with your tour leader, personal travel expert and

other travelers. After short introduction, enjoy a hearty welcome dinner. Overnight in Warsaw.

Day 2: Visit the capital of Poland

Morning: We start the day with a tour covering the best of Warsaw. First, the colorful and charming Old

Town, listed high on the UNESCO World Heritage List after reconstruction from the rubble of the war;

the historical Jewish Ghetto area, where you can see some original fragments of the wall that separated

Jews and Poles during the occupation. We will also take you to the Royal Lazienki Park, a magnificent

palace and park complex, Warsaw’s most attractive green area. Afternoon: After free time for lunch you

will visit the ultra-modern, poignant Warsaw Uprising Museum which commemorates the uprising of

1944, the single most important event that has defined today’s Warsaw. Alternatively, you can choose to

have free time to explore the city further. Evening: A classic Polish dinner in Warsaw Old Town. We

will end the day with a private Chopin piano concert. With a glass of sparkling wine in your hand you

will hear a selection of six to eight of Chopin’s masterpieces, such as études, mazurkas, polonaises,

nocturnes, impromptus, préludes, and scherzos. Overnight in Warsaw.

Day 3: Mazury - Land of a thousand lakes

Morning: After an early breakfast, we will like to take you to the Masurian Lake district, an area of

outstanding natural beauty with almost 3,000 lovely lakes. At the mid-point of the trip, we will stop in

Warmia region and visit Etnographic Park in Olsztynek, one of the eldest open-air museums in Poland.

Afternoon: Arrival to Gizycko, important holiday centre in the lakeland. Free time to discover this natural

paradise and the fantastic little town. Places definitely worth seeing include the Boyen Fortress, the

unusual swing bridge, a neo-classical Evangelical church, the Teutonic castle, several other churches and

a number of places to sit back, relax and admire the charming views. Evening Dinner and overnight stay

in Gizycko castle converted into an elegant hotel.

Day 4: Wolf's Lair & Swieta Lipka

Morning: Morning we will spend in the heart of Masurian forests where the brooding ruins of Hitler's

wartime headquarters are located. This was the place where Hitler spent almost 3 years (1941-44) commanding all the German army operations. The bunker was also the site of the famous assassination

attempt in 1944, known from the film, ‘Valkyrie’. Afternoon: Near Mrągowo, on the edge of Lake Dejnowa,

is Swieta Lipka, a beautiful and important pilgrimage shrine. This is a monument of exceptional value,

listed as possibly the most magnificent object of the late baroque in Poland today. You cannot miss the

pipe organ concert which is organized there! Evening: Free time. Second overnight stay in Gizycko.

Day 5: Teutonic Castle and Lavender Fields

Morning: After breakfast, we will board our coach and travel towards the Baltic Sea in the west. On the

way, we will visit first a farm called the Lavender Fields which as the name suggests promises an

unusual and fragrant experience as well as an insight into the everyday life of the region. Afternoon:

Arrive to Malbork, the largest medieval castle in Europe! Built in the late 13th century as Marienburg, to

serve as the residence of the Grand Masters of the Knights of the Teutonic Order. This imposing red-brick

fortress consists in fact of three castles and is rightly listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Evening:

Check-in to one of the best hotels in Gdansk. Dinner and overnight.

Day 6: Gdansk

Morning: Gdansk is a historic and cultural centre with outstanding examples of Gothic, Renaissance and

Baroque architecture. During sightseeing you will see the Old Town, St. Mary’s cathedral (the largest

Gothic church in Poland!) dominating the town, the Neptune Fountain and the Artus Court. After we drive

to Oliwa, one of Gdansk’s most attractive districts, with a large Cistercian monastery complex including

the Oliwa Cathedral. The cathedral is home to a rare 18th-century pipe organ, one of the largest of its

kind in the world. After an organ concert your will have free time for lunch. Afternoon & evening: Free

time. Overnight stay in Gdansk.

Day 7: Leisure day in Gdansk

Morning: You can either enjoy some free time in Gdansk or choose another recommended activity:

1. travel from Gdansk to Sopot and spend the day in the beautiful seaside resort,
2. visit the modernist port of Gdynia further to the north,
3. take a cruise in a replica of a galleon Gdansk – Westerplatte (site of the opening shots of the

Second World War) – Gdansk.

Evening: Free time. Overnight in Gdansk.

Day 8: Torun – a Gothic heaven

Morning: After breakfast we will depart from Gdansk and travel south to Torun. Torun is one of Poland’s

most interesting and best preserved historic cities. It’s easily covered on foot, full of delightful

architectural surprises: a decorative frieze here, a stained-glass window there. We will get a taste of

gingerbread, the most famous culinary product and see the birthplace of Nicolaus Copernicus, the

great astronomer who stopped the Sun and moved the Earth. Evening: Dinner and overnight stay in Torun

to get a feel why our guests call it one of the most pleasant and captivating destinations in Poland.

Day 9: Gniezno & Poznan

Morning: On our way to Wroclaw we will make a stop in Gniezno, the first capital of Poland. Its 14thcentury

Gothic cathedral houses the tomb of Poland’s first patron saint and features a fascinating

Romanesque bronze door. After visiting the cathedral, quick view of the city center before further route.

Afternoon: Nice stop in Poznan for a short city walk with a guide. Don’t forget to taste local sweet baking,

St Martin Croissant! Afterwards transfer to Wroclaw. Evening: Dinner in a superb local restaurant.

Overnight stay.

Day 10: Wroclaw & The Church of Peace

Morning: Wroclaw is yet another dream destination – the centre is a sheer pleasure to walk around and

there is a lot to see and to do. Shortly after breakfast we will take a short walk in Old Town with a local

guide. The walk includes: the Cathedral Island with its narrow lanes, gas lamps and countless bridges.

From there we head to the to the University district to admire the historic academic headquarters of the

city’s main college. We will also stroll through the old butchers’ lane with its quaint shops on our way to

the magnificent main square, the heart of the city, where locals and visitors enjoy themselves in one of

the many beer gardens. Afternoon: You are welcome on a complimentary trip to Swidnica, a small

town located one hour from Wrocław. Swidnica is home to the enormous wooden Church of Peace, a

UNESCO World Heritage Site. Built to commemorate the end of the Thirty Years’ War, it is the largest

wooden church in Europe; and - what's more - it was built in less than a year (1656-57) without the use of

a single nail! Evening: Free time and overnight in Wrocław.

Day 11: Auschwitz-Birkenau

Morning: Journey east and a change in atmosphere, towards our saddest stop at one of the most poignant

places on earth. Built in 1940, Auschwitz-Birkenau was the largest German concentration camp complex

with two areas covering in total 40 sq km. Now it's a museum, Holocaust Memorial and the National

Museum of Martyrdom. It's a place of reflection on European history and conflict. Afternoon: After lunch,

we continue south to Zakopane, the main and picture-perfect resort of the Tatra Mountains. Evening:

Free time and overnight in Zakopane.

Day 12: Zakopane & Polish mountains

Morning: Zakopane is a gateway to one of Poland’s greatest natural treasures, the beautiful High Tatras

alpine mountain chain. We will take a walk through this small town. You will have an opportunity to take a

ride up a funicular railway to the top of Gubalowka Hill, one of the most beautiful peaks in the Tatras

boasting the best view of the whole mountain range. Afternoon: Free time for strolling and buying some

souvenirs along Krupowki Street. Evening: We take a horse carriage ride to one of the best local

restaurants. Experience the highlander show with musicians and dancers to get a taste of the lively

folk customs, the local dishes and the strong “highlander tea”. Overnight in Zakopane.

Day 13: Dunajec Raft Trip & Wieliczka Salt Mine

Morning: We start the day with a very gentle raft ride on the Dunajec River winding through the

extremely beautiful Pieniny gorges. The two-hour excursion, which covers about 15 km, beginning in

Sromowce and ending in Szczawnica, is an unforgettable experience. Afternoon: On the way to Krakow we

will visit the amazing Wieliczka Salt Mine - a labyrinth of corridors, splendid halls and a chapel hewn in

rock salt more than 100 meters under the ground. Listed by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage sight,

this is Poland’s most unique and fun historic monument. Evening: Dinner and overnight in Krakow.

Day 14: Krakow – The royal capital

Morning & afternoon: Krakow had one of the most vibrant Jewish communities in Poland until the Second

World War. During the sightseeing, we will visit Old Synagogue and explore the narrow streets of the old

Jewish neighborhood. After listening to the famous Hejnal trumpet-signal we will enter St. Mary’s church to

see the largest Gothic altar in Europe. During this day we also take a relaxing walking tour of the

legendary Wawel Castle, covering the Cathedral and the Belfry. This is the seat of Polish monarchs from

medieval times and every brick, unlike Warsaw, is genuine and radiates royal stature. After sightseeing

you will have a free time for private explorations or can take a walk with your tour leader to the local store

with renowned Polish pottery to buy some souvenirs. Evening: Free time. Overnight in Krakow.

Day 15: Wine & leisure

Morning: We will visit the Underground Museum located beneath Krakow’s main square to explore the

medieval history of the city. Afternoon: Free time or the chance to visit a Polish winery! On the outskirts

of Krakow, on the grounds of a beautiful monastery is a picturesque vineyard; an opportunity to taste

Polish wine in a beautiful setting overlooking the Vistula River. Evening: We invite you to a delicious dinner

in an excellent local restaurant with a special opportunity to learn how to prepare our national dish –

“pierogi” ( filled dumplings). Last overnight in Krakow.

Day 16: Black Madonna & return to Warsaw

Morning: The last highlight of our tour - Czestochowa. This is the most important Catholic shrine in

Poland for the veneration of the Virgin Mary. Pilgrims arrive here throughout the year from around the

world. Even for the non-religious, the monastery is an impressive display of Polish piety and patriotism. We

will see not only the famous Black Madonna but also the monastery premises in a tour, led by a resident

Pauline monk. Afternoon & evening: Arrival in Warsaw at approximately 6 pm and drop-off possibility at:

the Chopin Airport, Hotel Novotel Airport, Hotel Airport Okecie and Hotel Sofitel Warsaw. To meet your

needs fully, we can arrange an extended stay in Warsaw or other Polish or Central European destinations.