Day 1
Arrival in Berlin. Our guide greets the group. Private coach transfer to the hotel. Dinner. Overnight stay in Berlin.
Day 2
After breakfast: Behind the Iron Curtain– Operation Gold (an all-day visit to Berlin). Visiting Berlin, you will follow the trail of the most famous spies from the Cold War era and discover the secrets of Operation Gold. You will see places which became the symbols of communist regime: the remains of the Berlin Wall, Bernauer Strasse, former Stasi headquarters, as well as the well-known Karl-Marx Alle. You will also make a stop at Checkpoint Charlie, the most famous border crossing between East and West Berlin, a point of spy exchange. You’ll visit the museum located here, presenting the realities of life in the former GDR and the drama of those who attempted to cross to the other side of the Wall. A (night) train to Kraków.
Day 3
After breakfast: The Socialist Paradise – Nowa Huta. We visit the communist district of Nowa Huta, one of the best examples of post war urban planning and the unique complex of the socialist architecture. The settlements for workers and Lenin’s Steelworks (today the Steelworks of T. Sendzimir) that have been built since 1948, were one of the most important instruments of Stalin’s propaganda. The whole project – the houses for workers, schools, or the sports facilities were to be an example of the socialist architecture. Fidel Castro, during his visit to Krakow, refused to visit the Old Town in order to see the famous Lenin’s Steelworks! During the tour we see the Central Square, the famous Roses’ Alley, the Arc of the Lord church, the symbol of the struggle with the communist regime.
Day 4
After breakfast we head to Warsaw. In the afternoon we start sightseeing of Warszawa (UNESCO). We walk around the Old Town and see its highlights: the Royal Route, Royal Castle and St. John’s Cathedral and the picturesque Main Square with the monument of Mermaid – symbol of Warszawa. We also see the Palace of Technology and Science, a symbol of the communist regime and the highest building in Poland. It was built in 1952 as a compulsive gift from Stalin (from the tower we admire the view of Warsaw). Visiting the city we retrace the remains of the communism period. We also visit the Church of St. Stanisław Kostka, one of the most important religious centres under the communist regime.
Day 5
After breakfast we leave for the airport