DAY 1, Fri, 9/12: DEPART USA
Board your overnight flight to Gdansk, Poland.
DAY 2, Sat, 9/13: ARRIVE Gdansk, Poland
Welcome to Poland! After clearing customs, meet your Tour Director who will assist with your transfer to the hotel. The afternoon is on your own. A Welcome Dinner is included this evening. (D) Overnight: Gdansk
DAY 3, Sun, 9/14: Gdansk, Gdynia, Sopot
A tour of Gdansk will familiarize you with Lech Walesa - the Solidarity activist and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize. Walk along the “Royal Way”, see the 17th-century Golden Gate, the Neptune Fountain situated in front of the Artus Court, and the City Hall, which dates back to the 14thand 15th centuries. Visit St. Mary’s Church, the largest Gothic church in Poland. Then travel to Sopot for a walk along the longest pier in Europe. Your journey continues to Gdynia, whose harbor is home to many ships open to the public. The destroyer Blyskawica is a national treasure and the only remaining ship built before World War II, and the Dar Pomorza is a Polish sailing frigate now preserved as a museum ship. Return to the hotel in Gdansk after a day of exploration. (B) Overnight: Gdansk
DAY 4, Mon, 9/15: Gdansk – Malbork – Warsaw
The day begins as you travel to Malbork to visit the Castle of the Teutonic Knights, a mighty Gothic fortress built in the 13th and 14th centuries and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. An outstanding example of medieval defensive and residential architecture, the area consists of three castles surrounded by separate fortifications. After exploration of the castle, continue on to Warsaw, the largest city in Poland. Dinner is included this evening. (B,D) Overnight: Warsaw
DAY 5, Tues, 9/16: Warsaw
Steeped in history, Warsaw is one of the most strategic cities in Europe. Discover this capital city on an included full-day excursion. Stroll along the Royal Way to view some of the most beautiful sites in the Old Town and quaint Market Square. Pass St. John’s Cathedral and visit the Royal Castle faithfully restored to its pre-World War II splendor and retaining many of its original furnishings. Formerly the official residence of Poland’s kings and home of the Parliament, it now houses the Castle Museum. During the visit to the Warsaw Rising Museum, an architectural monument from the early 20th century, see how the interior multimedia effects bring the reality of the insurgence to life. Lakes, pavilions, mansions, an Observatory, the Orangery, formal manicured gardens, and a multitude of palaces await your discovery during the visit to Lazienki Park. The statue of Frederic Chopin, built to honor Warsaw’s favorite son, is another highlight in the park. After a full day of touring, the evening is yours to experience Warsaw on your own. (possible Club dinner night) (B) Overnight: Warsaw
DAY 6, Wed, 9/17: Warsaw – Częstochowa – Kraków
After breakfast, depart for the charming town of Kraków. Along the way, lunch is included at a local restaurant followed by a visit to the famed Monastery of Jasna Góra in Częstochowa – the third largest Catholic pilgrimage site in the world and the national shrine of Poland. The miraculous icon of Our Lady of Częstochowa is housed in the Chapel of the Black Madonna. For centuries, the Polish people have believed that this reverent painting holds supernatural powers. Check into the hotel in Kraków and enjoy an evening at leisure. (B, L) Overnight: Kraków
DAY 7, Thur, 9/18: Kraków
Kraków is the former capital of Poland, the home of the late Pope John Paul II and the only major city in Poland to remain unscathed by World War II. Meander along the cobblestone lanes on a walking tour through the Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. See the Market Square, the biggest in Europe, which is home to Cloth Hall - the world’s oldest ‘shopping mall’. Visit St. Mary’s Church where the fireman trumpeter plays the Kraków Hejnal (bugle call) daily at noon. Wawel Castle, coronation site of Polish monarchs, perched atop a hill, overlooks the Vistula River. As you visit Wawel Cathedral, get up close to the Sigismund Bell, the largest bell in Poland, and enjoy a wonderful view of the Old Town from the tower. This afternoon enjoy an included visit to the Wieliczka Salt Mine, another UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most famous attractions near Kraków. Walk through 20 chambers on three underground levels to explore the amazing grottoes of crystalline carvings, the subterranean lake with stunning colors and the Chapel of St. Kinga, an impressive “cathedral” with every feature carved out of solid salt (B) Overnight: Kraków
DAY 8, Fri, 9/19: Auschwitz/ Kazimierz
Today’s journey takes you to the Auschwitz-Birkenau Concentration Camp Museum of Martyrdom. Between 1940 and 1945 more than one million prisoners perished in the gas chambers of this Nazi concentration camp. In 1947, the Polish government preserved these grounds as a State Museum and in 1979 it also became a UNESCO World Heritage Site, symbolizing the horrors of the Holocaust. This afternoon, visit the Kazimierz District which showcases the historic center of Jewish culture since the 16th century. The main attractions of the district are Szeroka Street (where Schindler’s List was filmed); Isaac, High and Old Synagogues; Remu’h Synagogue and its cemetery and the “Pod Orlem” (Eagle) Pharmacy. This evening, join your fellow travelers for a farewell dinner. (B, D) Overnight: Kraków
DAY 9, Sat, 9/20: Zakopane
Depart on a scenic full-day excursion to Zakopane, capital of the Tatra Mountains, and well known for it’s unique wooden architecture. Visit the village of Chocholow, famous for its highlander architecture, where you’ll taste the traditional sheep cheese, Oscypek, in one of the shepherd’s huts. A lunch of typical highlander cuisine is provided at a local restaurant before returning to Kraków. (B, L) Overnight: Kraków
DAY 10, Sun, 9/21: Kraków / USA -FLIGHT HOME
This morning, transfer to Kraków Airport for your flight home.