Day 1 WARSAW

Private limousine transfer to your centrally-located deluxe hotel.

Evening: In the evening, you will meet your tour leader and a representative from our office. It will be an occasion to savour a hearty and delicious welcome dinner. Should it be more convenient for you to arrive earlier, we will customise the programme for you. Overnight stay in Warsaw.

Morning: After breakfast, you can enjoy a full-day tour of the city. Our sightseeing tour will include the very best of Warsaw: the cosy Old Town painstakingly rebuilt from scratch after the WW II, the area of the former Jewish Ghetto, the busy downtown, and the elegant Royal Route including the Palace on the Water.

Afternoon: You are invited to a complimentary snack at the famous Blikle Café. The next stops are the observation deck of the huge socialist Palace of Culture and one of the newest historical museums in Poland, the Museum of the Warsaw Uprising. Alternatively, some free time in the Old Town.

Evening: After dinner in a stylish restaurant we will attend a private Chopin piano concert in the original interiors of the 18th-century Myslewicki Palace in the Royal Lazienki Gardens. Overnight stay in Warsaw.

Morning: We set out on a journey to the south of Poland and visit Czestochowa, the spiritual heart of Poland famous for the miraculous painting of Black Madonna. The tour of the Jasna Gora Monastery is guided by a Pauline monk. Dinner in a traditional restaurant in Czestochowa.

Afternoon: A detour to the romantic ruins of Ogrodzieniec Castle located near the limestone Ojcow (Jurassic) National Park.

Evening: We drive on to Krakow, check into a comfortable Old Town hotel. Free time.

Day 4 LITTLE POLAND HIGHLIGHTS (AUSCHWITZ & WIELICZKA)

Krakow will be our base for a full-day trip to the countryside of the Little Poland province. The excursion comprises four significant places, each of them distinct and special.

Morning: We will explore Auschwitz which has become a grim symbol of our civilization. Our tour will include the Holocaust Museum in Auschwitz I, as well as the less frequently visited Auschwitz II - Birkenau, the extermination camp itself.

Afternoon: A visit to Wadowice - the hometown of John Paul II - and to Kalwaria Zebrzydowska which is an impressive Baroque pilgrimage complex (a UNESCO World Heritage Site).

Evening: The Wieliczka Salt Mines, a fascinating monument of engineering which dates back to the 13th century. The subterranean universe is comprised of over 300 km of galleries hewn in rock and salt deposits. We will see the most interesting sights and enjoy dinner 100 metres under the ground, in the Wieliczka restaurant. Overnight stay in Krakow.

Day 5 KRAKOW – ROYAL CAPITAL

Morning: Following breakfast, we will explore the medieval city, in particular the picturesque Barbican Gate, Main Market Square – being the largest square in Europe – with the 16th-century Cloth Hall in its centre, the cobbled streets of the Old Town up the ceremonial route to Wawel Hill with the castle of the Polish monarchs, where we will visit the Cathedral and the Royal Apartments.

Midday: The world’s biggest wooden altar (carved by Wit Stwosz in 1477-1489) opens its wings in the Church of the Virgin Mary and we will not miss this magical moment. Free time for shopping or sightseeing on one’s own.

Evening: In the evening, we take a short walk around the Jewish District in the Old Town, followed by a tasty dinner in a Jewish-style restaurant and a cheerful concert of klezmer music. A horse-drawn cart ride around the historical city centre will enhance all the experiences of the passing day. Overnight stay in Krakow.

Day 6 POLISH MOUNTAINS

Morning: After breakfast, we will head south to the impressive Tatra Mountains. We will stay in Zakopane, the main Polish mountain resort at the foot of this majestic Carpathian mountain range (over 2,000 metres above sea level).

Afternoon: A coach tour around Zakopane, admiring local wooden architecture and making a cable car trip up to one of the most beautiful places in the Tatras: Mt. Kasprowy (1,987 m). We will admire the dramatic scenery standing right at the state border with Slovakia. During the day, you will also have enough time to walk down Krupowki Street and buy souvenirs.

Evening: A cheerful highlander show with live music and dance. You will have an opportunity to taste the local cuisine. Overnight stay in Zakopane.

Day 7 RETURN TO WARSAW

Morning: Departure for Warsaw via Krakow (expected arrival 17:00).

Please do not hesitate to contact us if you like this tour. We will be happy to provide you with all details. This tour has nine guaranteed dates in 2008 - you can book it immediately. If the dates do not suit you, write us anyway - we will organize a private tour, put you on a new standby list or inform you about additional dates. More info here.