EXPLORE POLAND – HIGHWAYS & BYWAYS

DAY 1: WARSAW      

Welcome to Poland!

Arrival to Warsaw. Transfer to the hotel and check-in. Accommodation in a hotel centrally located in Warsaw.

DAY 2: WARSAW      

Breakfast at your hotel.

Visit of the capital city of Poland – Warsaw. During this tour, we will visit the most important spots in the city and will have an opportunity to become acquainted with the sometimes-tragic past of Warsaw and the history of Poland. We will start our tour by visiting the Old Town, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the New Town. We will continue our journey to Krasinski Palace, the Supreme Court building and the Warsaw Uprising Monument. After that, we will go to the Lazienki Royal Park where we will see the famous monument dedicated to Frederic Chopin where we will have an opportunity to relax in the beautiful rose garden and among the dazzling natural elements of the park. You will trulyforget that you are in a major European Capital City.

Free time.

Evening Chopin concert.

Nestled in the cobblestone streets of the Old Town of Warsaw stands a unique neoclassical concert hall with original “plaster stucco” walls, crystal mirrors, and stylish nineteenth century decorations. As you walk through the doors, you will step into the era of Chopin for a two-part ensemble of Chopin’s greatest pieces played by internationally recognized pianists. During the intermission, you will be invited to a glass of sparkling wine, orange juice, or water. This concert is both a perfect start and/or finishing touch to a romantic evening in the Old Town. If you are starting your night with theconcert, you may choose to end it in one of the many restaurants that our beautiful old town has to offer.

Accommodation in a hotel centrally located in Warsaw.

DAY 3: WARSAW – UJAZD – SANDOMIERZ – BARANOW SANDOMIERSKI

 Breakfast at your hotel. Transfer to Ujazd.

Visit to the ruins of Krzyztopor castle. It is nicknamed „callendar castle” as had 356 windows as days in a year, 56 rooms as weeks in a year, 12 big chambers as months, 4 towers and seasons. This 17th century residence build in Italian style palazzo in fotrezza was the biggest palace in Europe before Versailles close to Paris was build.

After short visit we proceed to Sandomierz.

Sandomierz, one of the most ancient cities in Poland that preserves the urban plan of Middle Ages. It is known as the capital of the striped flint (in Polish: Krzemień Pasiasty) that appears only here, in the Sandomierz land in Poland. Due to its rarity, it is called “the Polish diamond”, even though it is even more rare than the diamond.

The Underground Tourist Route is a part of several-story chambers and sidewalks under the Old Town open to the public. Their creation was favoured by a thick layer of loess lying in this area. In the past centuries, hollow corridors were used as merchants  warehouses, where mainly wine, salt and herring were stored. They also served as a refuge in dangerous situations. The demand for underground warehouses was huge, which meant that they were even 15 meters deep. After several centuries, when Sandomierz’s position was no longer so strategic, the dungeons were forgotten. Unused and unsecured, they became the cause of construction disasters. Scientists from the AGH University of Science and Technology in Cracow rushed to save the Old Town. After the implementation of a special program, the area of a real, multi-story labyrinth of cellars and corridors was recovered. From the remaining sections, the Underground Tourist Route was created. Its length is now 470 m. The deepest workings are at a depth of 12 meters. Each of the cellars /chambers has its name, which refers to the history of Sandomierz.

The numerous corridors and chambers carved over the centuries are associated with many secrets and legends fromSandomierz. The most famous of them talks about the Sandomierz heroine Halina Krępianka, who at the cost of her ownlife saved the city from the besieging Tatars. You can hear the details of the legend while exploring the dungeons.

In the evening we continue to Baranow Sandomierski.

On the east bank of the Vistula River shines the most valuable and most beautiful of former Polish magnate residences – the Castle in Baranow Sandomierski. This impressive example of the renaissance architecture is one of the best-preserved objects in Europe.

Accommodation in Baranow Sandomierski castle-hotel.

DAY 4: BARANOW SANDOMIERSKI – ZALIPIE – WIELICZKA – KRAKOW

Breakfast at your hotel.

After breakfast take in the fine views of Polish countryside en route to the village of Zalipie. This picturesque little townhas been enchanting its visitors for the past 80 years with its exquisite techniques of folk painting used by the locals to decorate their houses with colorful flower designs. Visit the Painters’ hut–museum to find various examples of traditionalfolk art of the area.

After a stroll through the village enjoy a traditional homemade lunch. In the afternoon transfer from Zalipie to Wieliczka.

Wieliczka the most beautiful and the oldest operating salt mine in the world (UNESCO Heritage). From over 700 years it was a source of Polish fortune and a physical fundament of culture. Today Wieliczka is the most willingly visited Polish tourist object with magnificent chapels, charming underground lakes and original tools and equipment. During this tour you could see a number of excavated chambers on 3 levels adorned with beautiful sculptures made of salt as well as asalt museum.

Continue to Krakow.

Accommodation in a hotel centrally located on Krakow.

DAY 5: KRAKOW       

Breakfast at your hotel.

Krakow is the cultural capital of Poland with Old Town listed as UNESCO Heritage. During the tour you would see Barbicanand defensive walls with Florian’s Gate, the Main Market Square with Sukiennice Cloth Hall, St Mary’s Church and Town Hall Tower. We would proceed to the Jagiellonian University, pass by Archbishop Palace (where John Paul II used to live) as well as St Andrew’s Church and St Peter and Paul’s Church to reach the Wawel Hill.

In the afternoon visit to Kazimierz district of Krakow. Kazimierz used to be a separate town close to medieval city of Krakow. It was mostly populated by Jewish community. Throughout years it became Krakow’s district, but the abundance of markets, synagogues and kirkuts (Jewish cemeteries) shaped character of this part of town. As Kazimierz depicts the history of Polish Jews, some shots of Steven Spielberg Schindler’s List were captured here. During this tour you would discover this charming part of Krakow with its monuments and complexed history.

At the end of a day we would have a *culinary workshop of “obwarzanek” *, the traditional bajgle of Krakow. Not only we would learn the history of it, but we would have a possibility to make them and taste them afterwards.

Accommodation in a hotel centrally located on Krakow.

DAY 6: KRAKOW – PIENINY – ZAKOPANE

Breakfast at your hotel.

Transfer to Pieniny, the mountain range situated in southern Poland and northern Slovakia. Characterised by a variety oflimestones builds picturesque, vertical white rocky walls along the Dunajec River with the highest peak of Three Crowns (982 m). It is an ideal place for relaxation in every season of the year. The most beautiful part of the mountain range with a unique landscape and many natural features is protected by the Pieniny National Park. The main attraction of this region is the rafting down the Dunajec River which is the most scenic river rafting routes in Europe. After arriving inSromowce Wyżne, you will start your trip on traditional wooden rafts, the construction of which has remained unchanged for more than 200 years. Be inspired with a nature and experience unforgettable moments listening to thestories and old legends from raftsmen (flisaks).

Further transfer to Zakopane, called the capital of Tatra mountains. Accommodation in a hotel centrally located in Zakopane.

DAY 7: ZAKOPANE    

Breakfast at your hotel.

Zakopane is a town lying at the foot of the Tatra Mountains – the highest mountain range of the Carpathians. Because of the breathtaking landscapes, vicinity of the mountains and the fascinating culture and tradition of the highlanders, Zakopane became a popular tourist resort years ago. The town gained the title of “the winter capital of Poland” due to many skiing slopes and the winter sports infrastructure that has been developed. Nevertheless, it is a perfect place to get away from bustling cities at any time of the year, because the Podhale region has a lot to offer even to the pickiesttravelers.

Accommodation in a hotel centrally located in Zakopane.

DAY 8: ZAKOPANE – PSZCZYNA – TYCHY – NIKISZOWIEC – KATOWICE

 Breakfast at your hotel. Transfer to Pszczyna.

Pszczyna Castle is a 13th century gothic castle, later rebuilt in a renaissance style and finally adorned from the outside in a baroque style. It was a residence of Polish Piast nobles. In 2009 it was voted as one of the “Seven Architectural Wonders of the Silesian Voivodeship” by the Silesian authorities and is often described as one of the most beautiful castleresidences in Poland.

Transfer to the brewery in Tychy.

Discover the secrets of one of the largest Polish breweries and taste the most typical Polish beer brand – Tyskie, which name comes from this city!

Continue to Katowice.

Katowice – this industrial city is known for discovery of rich coal reserves, at the same time is the real mixture of cultures: Polish, German & Jewish. It is a centre of science, culture, industry, business, and trade and was named aUNESCO City of Music. Sightseeing of Nikiszowiec area, part of Katowice city.

Accommodation in a hotel centrally located in Katowice.

DAY 9: KATOWICE – TARNOWSKIE GORY – LODZ – WARSAW       

Breakfast at your hotel.

In the morning visit to Tarnowskie Gory.

Tarnowskie Gory – the city known for historic lead-ore mining. Its silver mine is in the UNESCO Heritage List since 2017.The visit in Historic Silver Mines starts in an interactive museum where tourists get the knowledge of methods of silver. It proceeds with going underground. The trail is 1,749 meters long; 270 meters are travelled by boats.

Transfer to Lodz.

Lodz is one of the biggest Polish cities. During your visit you would find traces of the four cultures: Polish, Jewish, German and Russian that coexisted there and became one. Furthermore, you would admire modernist and industrial architecture. Thanks to its numerous factories, Lodz was also called the „Polish Manchester”. During the route you would see the Old Town and the industrial complex of Poznanski family, the famous Manufaktura. Next, you would visit the Scheibler fabric complex „Księży Młyn” that is a great example of the revitalization of the city during the last years. In the end, you would discover Piotrkowska Street, the most popular walkway full of shops, pubs, restaurants, and sculptures that commemorate famous inhabitants of Lodz. Transfer to Warsaw.

Accommodation in a hotel centrally located in Warsaw.

DAY 10: WARSAW

Breakfast at your hotel.

Transfer to the airport in Warsaw. END of SERVICES.