Along the Vistula river - (8 days)
Vistula River- the oldest name in Polish history, the longest river and once the most important trade road with cities and towns developed along from mountains in south to Baltic Sea coast. Navigation is almost diesppeares that's why this a tour on land with some short boat trips.
 Cities included:
Cracow, Warsaw, Torun, Gdansk
Towns:
Wadowice, Sandomierz, Gora Kalwaria, Kazimierz Dolny, Chelmno
Castles and palaces:
Baranow Sandomierski, Krzyztopor, Nieborow, Malbork
Other places:
Auschwitz-Birkenau, Kalwaria Zebrzydowska,Wieliczka Salt Mines,Ostroda-Elblag Canal
Details
1st Day: Cracow
08:30-1700--visit of Cracow: The tour begins with the Wawel Castle- the Royal Residence with famous collection of Flemish tapestries, Italian paintings and the Cathedral where Polish king were crowned and buried- a mixture af various styles including one of the best examples of the Italian Renaissance style -the King Sigismundus' Chapel; visit to the Jewish quarter of Kazimierz – a famous Jewish cultural centre for the Central and Eastern Europe-sinagogues -Old Sinagogue, Isaac's Sinagogue, Remuh Sinagogue , former market square, mykvas, cementaries.
13:00-14:30 lunch in the centre of Cracow
Walk along the Royal Way with stops at churches of St. Andrew, St. Peter and Paul; the Jagiellonian University with the Collegium Maius -Copernicus' college; the Main Market Square- the largest square of medieval Europe with the Sukiennice (the Cloth Hall) building and the Dormition of Virgin Mary Basilica holding a treasure of the North European late gothic-the Veit Stoss Altar;the Czartoryski Museum with famous paintings of Leonardo da Vinci (the Lady with Ermine) and Rembrandt (Landscape with the Good Samaritan); the Barbican with St. Florian Gate-remains of medieval city walls
17:00-free time
19:00 -dinner in the restaurant with Polish folk music
or 20:00-concert of classical music in the SS Peter and Paul chuch
2nd Day - Auschwitz-Wadowice-Kalwaria Zebrzydowska
08:30-departure for Auschwitz-Birkenau
10:00-13:00-visit of the extermination camps Auschwitz-Birkenau. Special tour of places where 1,5 mln people mainly Jews from all Europe lost heir lives. Place of martyr of St Maximilian (Auschwitz) and St Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (Birkenau). The tour include place where Fr Maximilian died.
13:00-departure for Wadowice
13:30-14:30 lunch in Wadowice - in the 19th century 'dwór'-manor house .
14:30-15:30 visit of Wadowice -the hometown of John Paul II - a house where he was born, the Minor Basilica of Our Lady where he was baptized.
15:30-transfer to Kalwaria Zebrzydowska
16:00-17:30- tour continues to Kalwaria Zebrzydowska - a complex of 43churches and chapels built as a 'model of Jerusalem'. Francescan convent, pictoresque pathways with chapels built on hills and valleys with a forest around is pat of the UNESCO World Heritage. During the Holy Week thousands of pilgrims are contemplating last days of Christ. The Stations of the Cross are followed by 100000 people on Good Friday; no less people particpating for the Assumption of Virgin Mary procession. Place very close to John Paul II's heart
17:00-departure for Cracow
20:00-dinner in the hotel
3rd Day Wieliczka -Sandomierz
08:30-departure for Wieliczka
09:30–12:00- visit of the salt mine in Wieliczka – one of the UNESCO World Heritage Monuments . Tour of a real underground city with miles of corridors and hundreds of chambers-the most bautiful included in the tour with underground lakes,the St Cunegond Church, chapels, adorned with real works of art made by hands of miners
12:00-13:00 -lunch in a regional restaurant in Wieliczka
13:00-departure for Sandomierz
16:30-19:00-visit of pictoresque Sandomierz: No major industrial development took place in Sandomierz, thus preserving it as a charming, small city full of historical monuments among unspoiled landscape. The most important are the Cathedral with Russian-Byzantine frescoes, the Market Square with one of the most beautiful Renaissance Town Halls of Poland and the Opatowska Gate. The other attraction is tourist undergroud route of 470 m of corridors beneath medieval houses.
19:00-departure for Baranów Sandomierski
19:30-check in the hotel and dinner in the castle
4th Day - Krzyztopor-Kazimierz Dolny
08:30-departure for Krzyztopor
09:30-10:30 visit of the Krzyztopor Palace- ruins of the most splendid residence of Europe before Versailles was built. A perfect example of the 'palazzo in fortezza' concept (a fortified palace). Ossolinski family built their palace according the calendar- 365 windows, 52 rooms,12 halls and 4 towers.
10:30-departure for Kazimierz Dolny
13:00-lunch in Kazimierz Dolny
14:00-16:30-after short visit free time in Kazimierz Dolny, one of the most beautifully situated little towns in Poland. It enjoyed prosperity due to the trade in grain conducted along the Vistula. It became an economic backwater after that trade declined, and this freeze in economic development enabled the town to preserve its Renaissance urban plan and appearance. A popular holiday destination, attracting artists and summer residents. Richly decorated houses, ruins of two castles (Kazimierz and Janowiec) and old granaries are the most interesting monuments.
16:30-departure for Warsaw along the valley of the Vistula river
19:00-check in the hotel, dinner
5th Day Warsaw- Zelazowa Wola
08:30-13:00-visit of Warsaw-the capital of Poland-the Old Town, the Royal Castle, the Royal Way,the Lazienki Park and the Ghetto Monument
13:00-14:00-lunch in Warsaw
14:00-departure for Zelazowa Wola
15:00-16:00-visit of Zelazowa Wola- Frederic Chopin's birthplace-an old stylish 19th century house surrounded by very charming and romatnic park in English style.Depening os the year's season concerts of Chopin's music outdoor.
17:30 -return to Warsaw, dinner
6th Day Torun- Chelmno
08:30-departure for Torun
11:00-13:00-visit of Torun, a medieval town, a member of the Hanseatic League, it prospered on the grain trade. The Flemish style Town Hall, the huge St. Mary's church and SS. Johns' Cathedral, ruins of the Teutonic Knights' Castle and Museum of Nicolaus Copernicus will be visited.
13:00-14:30-lunch in the restaurant, free time after
16:00-departure for Chelmno
17:00-18:00-visit of Chelmno, a town with well-preserved medieval centre, with five Gothic churches (13th-14th centuries) and a beautiful Renaissance Town Hall in the middle of the market square. Chełmno is Polish Town of St. Valentine for all fallen in love.
18:00 -departure for Malbork
19:30-check in the hotel, dinner
7th Day – Malbork-Ostroda-Elblag Canal
08:30-11:00-visit of Malbork, former Marienburg, the capital of the Teutonic Order State. The biggest castle of Europe among those built of brick will be visited together with the Museum of Amber.
11:00-departure for Buczyniec
12:00-17:00-a cruise from Buczyniec to Elblag -the boat sails on canals , five times in a distance of 9,6 kms transported by land on rails-a part of the unique 150-years old system of Ostróda-Elblag Canal connecting lakes with the Baltic Sea situated 100 metres lower. Then boat cruises across the Druzno Lake, one of the last natural sites of Europe with nest of wild birds. Lunch on board of the boat.
17:00-departure for Gdansk
18:30-check in the hotel, dinner
8th Day Gdansk and cruise on Baltic Sea
08:30-13:00-visit of Gdansk- Dlugi Targ (Long Street), the Crane. St. Mary's Basilica. Visit of one of the Amber Galleries with presentation. Tour of Westerplatte- a place where Second World War was started and Gdansk shipyards with the Museum of 'Solidarnosc". Former Cistercian Abbey of Oliva with magnificient organs and the Sopot Pier will complete the tour of Gdansk.
13:00-14:30-lunch in a restaurant.
14:30-17:30-cruise on board of an excursion boat on Baltic Sea from Gdansk harbour, then free time
19:30-farewell dinner in the restaurant with the presentation of a local folklore
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