Southern Adventure – 9-day group tour

Day 1 Saturday – Warsaw

(Welcome dinner)

Arrival at Warsaw Chopin Airport. Taxi transfer to your hotel.

At 6 pm you will meet your guide and the rest of the group in the hotel lobby. The Royal Route and its buildings with historical value will be the first thing to explore. You will pass the Copernicus Monument, the University of Warsaw, and the Presidential Palace until you reach Castle Square. You will have a short walk around the Old Town. Afterward, a welcome dinner consisting of traditional Polish meals and the Polish vodka “Zubrowka” will be served for you at a local restaurant.

Overnight in Warsaw.

 

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Day 2 Sunday – Warsaw

(Breakfast, Lunch)

In the morning you will discover more Warsaw sights. During a half-day Warsaw city tour you will see more of the Old Town which, completely destroyed in the World War II, was wonderfully reconstructed. The magnificent Royal Castle, Polish kings’ seat and the place of proclamation of the second constitution in the world – the Constitution of May 3^rd will undoubtedly impress you. Inside you will visit some of its 300 rooms, including the Canaletto Room with 23 of his paintings, the Throne Room, the King’s Hall, the Marble room and the splendid Ballroom. After the visit at the Castle, you will have lunch in a restaurant in the Old Town. Afterwards, you will pass by The National Opera House and the Town Hall. You will finish the tour in the area where the Warsaw Ghetto was located.

Next, you will visit the famous Warsaw chocolate factory ‘Wedel’ to taste the delicious hot chocolate at the ‘Wedel Old Fashioned Shop’.

In the evening, we will invite you for a piano recital. You will listen to Frederic Chopin’s masterpieces performed by of one the most talented Polish musicians. During the concert you will taste a delicious sparkling wine.

Overnight in Warsaw.

Day 3 Monday – Warsaw – Czestochowa – Zakopane

(Breakfast, Lunch)

After breakfast, you will head to Czestochowa where you will visit Jasna Gora Monastery. It is the main Catholic center in Poland and its greatest pilgrimage destination, visited by more than 5 million pilgrims yearly. Every August, people join walking pilgrimages to Jasna Gora to pray in front of the famous Black Madonna painting – one of the most recognizable sacred images in Poland. You will have lunch at a regional restaurant in the city of Czestochowa.

You will spend the afternoon in Zakopane – a beautifully located holiday resort at the foothill of the Tatra Mountains, known as ‘the winter capital of Poland’ and a center of Goral (Polish highlanders) culture. Its picturesque location between Gubalowka and Giewont is a guarantee for breathtaking mountainous views.

Overnight in Zakopane.

Day 4 Tuesday – Zakopane

(Breakfast, Dinner)

After breakfast, you will partcipate in Zakopane tour. You will admire the characteristic wooden architecture built in the so-called Zakopianski Style. One of its best examples is the Jaszczurowka Chapel. Another wooden church in Zakopane is the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fatima at Krzeptówki – constructed by the Gorals after the attempt on Pope John Paul II’s life. Then, you will admire the amazing views from the Gubalowka Hill*. You will also discover local shops with souvenirs and regional products hand-made by Gorals. Afterwards, you will have time to arrange lunch by yourself and also some free time at your disposal. Make sure to taste traditional local specialties, especially the famous Oscypek sheep cheese.

In the evening you will have dinner at a regional restaurant, accompanied by a traditional Polish folk dance show.

* Funicular to Gubalowka Mountain (subject to confirmation on the spot; service depends on the weather and technical conditions)

Overnight in Zakopane.

Day 5 Wednesday – Zakopane – Krakow

(Breakfast, Lunch)

Free time in the morning.

Afterwards, you will depart from Zakopane and go to the Pieniny National Park to participate in an exciting rafting trip on the Dunajec River*. Next, you will have lunch at a local restaurant and depart to Krakow – the most popular tourist destination in Poland.

* Dunajec Rafting Trip (subject to confirmation on the spot; service depends on the weather conditions)

Overnight in Krakow.

Day 6 Thursday – Krakow

(Breakfast, Dinner)

After breakfast, you will participate in a half-day Krakow city tour. The program includes the Wawel Hill with the Royal Castle, the seat of three Polish monarch dynasties. There, you will have a chance to see valuable art, treasured furniture and other unique objects from the past. You will also visit the Wawel Cathedral, the former venue for coronations, royal weddings and funerals. In the Cathedral’s vaults, many Polish kings are buried. Inside, you will admire 18 chapels which are considered true architectural masterpieces. You will see the giant Sigismund’s Bell, ranked as one of the biggest in the world. The Unesco-listed Main Market Square in the Old Town is your next stop. There, you will admire the Renaissance Sukiennice (the Cloth Hall), once a major centre of international trade. You will also enter the famous St. Mary’s Basilica and see the awe-inspiring wooden altarpiece carved by Veit Stoss.

You will have free time in the afternoon. In the evening, you will have dinner at a restaurant in the Old Town.

Overnight in Krakow.

Day 7 Friday – Krakow – Auchwitz – Wadowice – Krakow

(Breakfast, Lunch)

After breakfast, you will go Auschwitz-Birkenau – a primary symbol of the Holocaust. It was built and operated by Nazi Germany during World War II. It functioned as a concentration and extermination camp. The museum exhibition contains original documents, suitcases, shoes and other belongings of the murdered prisoners. In the afternoon you will go to Wadowice – the town where Pope John Paul II was born. After lunch at a regional restaurant, you will visit the Pope’s family home, later converted into a museum. From young Karol’s bedroom window you will see the clock with a well-known sign: “Time flies, eternity awaits”. Then, you will enter the Basilica of Wadowice where Karol Wojtyla was baptised. Inside, you will see a stone font where he prayed when he visited Poland in 1979 for the first time as the Pope. You will have free time in Krakow for the rest of the day.

Overnight in Krakow.

Day 8 Saturday – Krakow – Wieliczka – Lowicz – Warsaw

(Breakfast, Dinner)

In the morning you will visit Wieliczka* – Europe’s oldest salt mine. You will be charmed by salt chambers and sculptures – all carved in salt! Many generations of Polish miners created this amazing landmark. You will also see the stunning St. Kinga Chapel – the only underground church in Europe. You will have free time to arrange lunch on your own.

Next, you will stop in a Mazovian town called Lowicz known for its folk art: multi-colored clothes and exceptional cut-outs made of paper. There, a local family will host you for a traditional Polish dinner. Their cottage is located just at the foot of the Lowicz Castle. You will experience Polish hospitality by being welcomed with bread & salt. During the meal, you will have a chance to talk to the family about their everyday life. After dinner, you will arrive in Warsaw.

*Elevator service at Wieliczka Salt Mine (subject to confirmation on the spot; the service depends on the technical condition of the elevator)

Overnight in Warsaw.

Day 9 Sunday – Warsaw

(Breakfast)

Breakfast at a hotel and end of the tour.