The sacred sites of Poland

 

DAY 1

Arrival in Krakow.  Airport transfer to the hotel. Short lecture on Polish customs and traditions and dinner with workshop of making dumplings (traditional Polish dish) in a restaurant in the Old Town.

DAY 2

Breakfast. Walking tour of the Old Town (UNESCO) – discovering the treasures of the former capital of Poland. Starting with the Wawel hill with an impressive castle (which used to be the seat of the Polish kings) and the cathedral, you’ll follow the Royal Way to admire the beautiful tenement houses and churches and reach the Market Square – the largest medieval market place in Europe! Here we’ll stop for a while to listen to the bugle call played by a trumpeter from St. Mary’s Church tower, visit the church (with the famous wooden altar) and the Cloth Hall – a perfect place to buy some souvenirs from Krakow. 

In the afternoon – the Schindler’s List tour. We start with a walking tour of Kazimierz – the old Jewish quarter – a must see for anyone who is coming to Krakow. The history of Kazimierz dates back to 1335 when it was founded by King Kazimierz the Great. During over 500 years it was housing the Krakow’s Jews and became a major European centre for the Diaspora. We visit the Remuh Synagogue with an old cemetery and then we cross the Vistula River to reach the Schindler’s Factory – one of the most interesting museums in Krakow. The Museum is housing an exhibition called Kraków under Nazi Occupation 1939–1945, which is a story about Krakow and its inhabitants, both Polish and Jewish, during World War 2nd. It’s possible also to visit the office of the owner of the factory – Oscar Schindler, who saved the lives of over a thousand people. 

Dinner with klezmer music concert and overnight.

DAY 3

Breakfast. In the morning – departure for Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum (UNESCO). Located about 70 km from Krakow, this former Nazi concentration camp is one of the best known places of genocide in the world. About 1,3 million people lost their life there. Nowadays the preserved Memorial consists of two parts Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II – Birkenau. The site is a key place of memory for the whole of humankind for the holocaust, racist policies and barbarism […] and a sign of warning of the many threats and tragic consequences of extreme ideologies and denial of human dignity (UNESCO WHL, Statement of Significance). 

In the afternoon - guided tour of the Wieliczka Salt Mine (UNESCO). The mine, one of the oldest in the world, is visited every year by over one million of tourists from all over the world.  During the tour you’ll admire 20 salt rock chambers (with a magnificent St. King’s chapel), underground saline lakes, numerous salt sculptures and impressive timber constructions. Dinner and overnight.

DAY 4

Breakfast. Today you’ll see another face of Krakow – Nowa Huta district. In 1949 the Communist regime in Poland decided to build an ideal socialist town, big heavy industry centre on the outskirts of Krakow. The reasons for building it were strictly ideological and the whole idea was against the economic rules. During the tour you’ll learn about the unique architecture idea of Nowa Huta and life of its inhabitants. You’ll also experience it – while visiting a communist style apartment!

Airport transfer and departure from Krakow.