Duration: 9 Days
Discover remarkable culture and history on your guided tour of Poland. Escape for nine days in the affordable and less-crowded off season to explore this country rich in proud tradition. Begin in Warsaw—gateway city between East and West—for remarkable sightseeing, from the 14th-century Cathedral of St. John to remnants of the Jewish ghetto. In the University town of Poznań, see the baroque St. Peter and Paul Cathedral and Old Market Square before dining on regional specialties. Learn about the turbulent history of Silesia and its historical capital, Wroclaw. Admire its fine patrician houses during a guided tour and a visit to the Market Square. Stop in Opole, one of Poland’s oldest cities, and continue to Czestochowa. Visit the Jasna Góra Monastery—home to the Black Madonna, venerated as the “Queen of Poland” and the country’s national symbol.
As you travel to Krakow, stop at the Auschwitz and Birkenau concentration camps for a guided tour of the notorious and chilling sites of the Holocaust. The following day, join a guided walk through Krakow’s historic Jewish centre in the Kazimierz Quarter to enjoy its cafés, antique shops, and art galleries. Explore the Remuh Synagogue and 14th-century St. Mary’s Church before returning to Warsaw to conclude your off-season travel to Poland with a farewell dinner.
Welcome to Warsaw! At 6 pm, meet your Tour Director and travelling companions for a welcome dinner at the hotel. (D)
Royal Ceremonies
WARSAW Guided Sightseeing includes sights of St. John's Cathedral. Free time this afternoon and evening. (B)
TOUR HIGHLIGHT
CULTURE & TRADITIONS Explore the historic city of Warsaw where you'll visit the medieval old town and the impressive 14th-century Cathedral of St. John. The Cathedral has witnessed coronations of Polish kings, royal weddings, and funerals throughout Polish history. During World War II it suffered heavy damage as it was in the midst of the Warsaw uprising.
Holy Sites and Regional Bites
POZNAN Guided Sightseeing includes sights of St. Peter and Paul Cathedral. Globus Local Favourite Dinner with regional specialties at a local restaurant (B,D) 199 mi/ 320 km
TOUR HIGHLIGHT
CULTURAL GEM The university town of Poznan sits on the Warta River with beautiful Renaissance-style buildings in its Old Market Square. Every day at noon, visitors are amused by the Town Hall clock, featuring mechanical goats who butt heads!
Medieval Market Sights
WROCLAW Sightseeing with a Local Guide includes Market Square. (B) 130 mi / 210 km
TOUR HIGHLIGHT
CULTURAL GEM Explore the wonderful town of Wrocław on the Oder River in western Poland. Browse the Market Square, lined with elegant townhouses and see the Gothic Old Town Hall and astronomical clock.
The Shining Mountain
OPOLE Stop in one of the oldest cities in Poland.
CZESTOCHOWA Visit the Monastery of Jasna Gora famous for its Black Madonna. (B,D) 137 mi / 220 km
TOUR HIGHLIGHT
ART & ARCHITECTURE Founded in the 13th century, the city of Czestochowa merged with Jasna Gora ('Shining Mountain'). Here, the beautiful Jasna Gora monastery is a global pilgrimage site, home to stunning frescoes and the famed painting, Our Lady of Czestochowa - also known as the Black Madonna.
History Lessons
AUSCHWITZ/BIRKENAU Visit the concentration camps. (B) 99 mi/ 160 km
TOUR HIGHLIGHT
HISTORIC SPOT A visit to Auschwitz and Birkenau is a sobering and moving experience; a chilling reminder of an era in human history we shall never forget. This opportunity to see the sites where so many lives were affected by the cruelty of the Third Reich during WWII is an unforgettable lesson in history and a cautionary tale for the future. In fact, the subject of the Holocaust is a mandatory part of German school curriculum, with almost all students having visited a camp or memorial.
Heroic Figures
KRAKOW Free time this morning before a guided walking tour of Kazimierz, the Old Jewish Quarter, and a visit to the Remuh Synagogue and St. Mary's Church. (B)
TOUR HIGHLIGHT
HISTORY & HERITAGE A wealth of history to be discovered in Krakow's Jewish Quarter. Hear the stories of the important role Kazimierz played throughout European history. Visit the Remuh Synagogue which dates back to the sixteenth century and is still active today.
Do Widzenia, Warsaw!
WARSAW Farewell dinner at your hotel. (B,D) 205 mi / 330 km
TOUR HIGHLIGHT
PHOTO OPP Admire the vistas between these 2 gems in the heart of Poland. There will be plenty of chances for the perfect photo opportunity.
SAFE TRAVELS UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN!
Your holiday ends with breakfast this morning. (B)
