Day 1
Arrival in Warszawa. Our guide greets the group at the airport. Private coach transfer to the hotel. Dinner. Overnight stay in Warszawa.
Day 2
After breakfast we go to Wilanow to see the 17th century residence of the Polish king Jan III Sobieski with its beautiful park in French style. The Palace represents one of the best examples of the baroque suburban residences in Poland. Here we enjoy the guided tour. After lunch break we start sightseeing of Warszawa (UNESCO). We walk around the Old Town and see its highlights: the Royal Route, Royal Castle and the most famous monument – the Sigismund’s Column, St. John’s Cathedral and the picturesque Main Square with the monument of Mermaid – a symbol of Warszawa. We drive around the city centre admiring all the landmarks of the capital, among them the well known Palace of Technology and Science (a ‚compulsive’ gift from Stalin). We also visit the beautiful Lazienki (Baths) Park with the famous statue of Fryderyk Chopin and the 18th century Palace on the Water, the suburban residence of the last king of Poland. After dinner we relax listening to the concert of Chopin’s music (optionally). Overnight stay.
Day 3
After breakfast we leave for Pulawy, an important artistic and political centre in the 18th century and the residence of the aristocratic Czartoryski family. Here we see the 18th c. Palace and the beautiful Romantic park with the tiny temples and ruins. Afterwards, we go to Kazimierz Dolny, known as the town of artists and poets, picturesquely located on the Vistula River. Strolling around the old town we look at the beautiful Square with manneristic tenement houses, old churches and the ruins of the castle. We also go up the Hill of Three Crosses to admire the beautiful panoramic view on the Vistula valley. We enjoy some free time in this romantic town. Arrival in Lublin. Dinner, overnight stay.
Day 4
After breakfast we enjoy sightseeing of Lublin, retracing the multicultural history of the city, where Poles, Jews, Greeks and Italians used to live. We discover the remains of their heritage such as : the picturesque Old Square with renaissance architecture, the Dominicans Monastery, the Jewish cemetery and the 17th century Orthodox church. We also visit the castle to see the famous gothic chapel with the unique Byzantine frescoes from 1418. After lunch break we head to Sandomierz, where we have a brief walking tour around the marvellous Old Town. We see one of the most beautiful renaissance town halls in Poland, the gothic cathedral with the Byzantine frescoes and medieval fortifications. On the way to Krakow we stop in Baranow Sandomierski to see the beautiful 16th century palace, often called the “Little Wawel” for its similarities to the magnificent royal castle in Krakow. Arrival in Krakow, dinner, overnight stay.
Day 5
After breakfast we enjoy the walking tour in the Old Town of Krakow (UNESCO). We discover all the highlights: Main Market Square (the largest medieval square in Europe), splendid St. Mary’s Basilica (with the biggest medieval altar of Europe!), the Cloth Hall (famous among the souvenir hunters) and the Wawel Hill with the magnificent Royal Castle and the Cathedral – the main Coronation church of Polish kings. We also drop into the students’ quarter to see the oldest Polish university – the Jagiellonian University and marvellous courtyard of Collegium Maius building. After lunch break we head to Wieliczka to see one of the oldest and biggest Salt Mines in Europe (UNESCO). During the underground tour we discover treasures of the mine: chambers, lakes, chapels, including famous St. Kinga’s Chapel with its magnificent decoration carved in salt. Return to Krakow. Dinner, overnight stay.
Day 6
After breakfast we discover the treasures of the best Krakow’s museums. We visit the Czartoryski Museum, one of the oldest museums in Poland. We see the collection of the European 14th – 18th century handcraft and painting (Lady with en Ermine by Leonardo da Vinci) and the memorabilia connected with the Polish kings and famous nobles. Afterwards we have a guided tour in the Bishop Erazm Ciolek Palace which houses an outstanding collection of sculptures and paintings from the area of the Polish Kingdom (13th – 18th century). One of the most precious exhibits is the 15th century sculpture of Madonna with Child from Kruzlowa. We also see the collection of art of Orthodox Church. In the afternoon we enjoy some free time (optional trip to Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum). Dinner with a concert of the Jewish Klezmer music in on of the restaurants in Kazimierz – the old Jewish town in Krakow. Overnight stay.
Day 7
Breakfast. Transfer to the airport.