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Poland
Escorted Tour 2012
SOUTHERN POLAND
TOUR
9 days/ 8 nights |
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GUARANTEED DEPARTURES
in 2012 on the following dates:
May 19-27, Jul 14-22, Aug 11-19,
Sep 15-23 2012
TOUR ITINERARY - 2012
DAY 1. Saturday ● WARSAW. (Welcome dinner)
After arrival, you will be met and transferred to your hotel in
the heart of the city. The afternoon is free. At 6:00PM, meet
your guide and the rest of the group in the hotel lobby. Drive
along the beautifully renovated Royal Route with its historical
monuments and residences. Stop at Castle Square for a short walk
through Old Town, and then join us for welcome dinner at a local
restaurant. Your meal will include typical Polish dishes and a
famous Polish vodka, “Zubrowka”.
DAY 2. Sunday ● WARSAW (Breakfast, Lunch)
This morning, we introduce you to the highlights of Warsaw. A
half-day sightseeing tour includes Old Town, beautifully rebuilt
after World War II, with the impressive Royal Castle, seat of
the kings of Poland. Here the Constitution of May 3rd was
proclaimed in 1791, the second oldest constitution, after the US
Constitution, in the world. You will admire some of its 300
rooms and see the Canaletto Room with 23 of his paintings, the
Throne Room, the magnificent Knight’s Hall with six large
paintings by Marcello Bacciarelli, the Marble room with its 22
portraits of Polish kings and the largest and most impressive of
all the castle’s chambers, the Ballroom. After lunch served at a
local restaurant in Old Town, we continue our tour with a drive
to the area of the former Warsaw Ghetto. En route, you will see
the building of the National Opera House and Town Hall. During
your tour of Warsaw we invite you to the famous Warsaw café, “U
Bliklego”, to taste a typical Warsaw pastry called “paczek”.
This evening you will take an unforgettable musical journey
through the world famous compositions of our greatest composer,
Frederic Chopin, at a piano recital. A glass of sparkling wine
will be served during intermission.
DAY 3. Monday ● WARSAW – CZESTOCHOWA – ZAKOPANE
(Breakfast, Lunch)
After breakfast, we leave for Zakopane – one of the most popular
vacation resorts in the Tatra Mountains. En route, we stop in
Czestochowa to visit the Jasna Gora Monastery and the Black
Madonna Shrine with its miraculous icon. Lunch will be served at
a local restaurant in Czestochowa. In the evening we arrive in
Zakopane beautifully situated at the foot of the Tatra
Mountains, in the valley between Gubalowka and Giewont. It is
the most popular resort in Poland and one of the most beautiful
places in all of Poland, owing to its picturesque location.
Once, a small mountain village, Zakopane became a fashionable
artist’s retreat at the beginning of the 20th
century.
DAY 4 Tuesday ● ZAKOPANE (Breakfast, Dinner)
In the morning, you will have a sightseeing tour of Zakopane,
whose wooden architecture blends with the natural landscapes.
Copied in other parts of Poland, it is known as Zakopianski
Style. You will visit the Jaszczurowka Chapel, a great example
of the wooden architecture in Zakopane, and the Sanctuary of Our
Lady of Fatima at Krzeptowki, which was built by the people of
Zakopane to thank the Lady of Fatima for saving the Pope’ after
an attempt on His life. Admire the breathtaking views of the
Tatras from the top of Gubalowka Mountain and shop for souvenirs
of arts and crafts of the Highlanders (Gorale) in the local
shops. After lunch on your own you will have a free time.
Tonight’s dinner will be served at a typical Highlanders’ inn
with a folkloric show.
DAY 5 Wednesday ● ZAKOPANE – KRAKOW
(Breakfast, Lunch)
After breakfast, spend a relaxing day on your own and take a
spectacular rafting trip on the Dunajec River in Pieniny
National Park. Lunch will be served at a local restaurant. In
the afternoon, we leave for the medieval city of Krakow.
DAY 6 Thursday ● KRAKOW (Breakfast, Dinner)
The morning sightseeing tour will feature Wawel the Royal
Castle, home to three dynasties of Poland’s monarchs. Its
stately halls and exquisite chambers are filled with priceless
art, valuable period furniture and rare ancient objects. The
collection of monumental 16th century tapestries is matchless.
You will also visit Wawel Cathedral, the place of the cult of
St. Stanislaw and of St. Jadwiga, Queen of Poland. This 18
chapels are true architectural masterpieces. The giant bell,
Zygmunt from 1520 ranks with the world’s largest. This is the
place where Polish kings were crowned and buried. Following a
short break for coffee and cake at the famous Krakow ca fé,
“Jama Michalika”, a place designed by local artists with
beautiful glass-painted windows and interesting drawings, we
drive to Old Town with its restored Main Square of magnificent
houses and palaces. There, you will stop at St. Mary’s Basilica
to see the magnificent wooden altar by Wit Stwosz. In the middle
of the square is Cloth Hall built before 1349, but renovated in
the 16th century with many shopping stalls inside. The afternoon
is at leisure. Tonight’s dinner will be served at a local
restaurant in Old Town.
DAY 7 Friday ● KRAKOW – AUSCHWITZ – WADOWICE – KRAKOW
(Breakfast, Lunch)
After breakfast, we leave for Auschwitz, the site of the former
Nazi Concentration Camp Auschwitz-Birkenau, the infamous death
factory. Today, a Museum, it is a silent witness to human
tragedy. In the afternoon, we return to Krakow via Wadowice, the
birthplace of John Paul II. After lunch at a local restaurant,
we will see the house where He was born and grew up. From the
window of His bedroom He used to see a clock with the sign “Time
flies, eternity awaits”. In the Basilica of Wadowice, where
Karol Wojtyla, Pope John Paul II, was baptized you can still see
the special plaque that commemorates this fact as well as a
stone font where the Pope prayed during His first pilgrimage to
Poland in 1979. From here, we return to Krakow. Upon arrival,
you will have free time.
DAY 8 Saturday ● KRAKOW – WIELICZKA – LOWICZ – WARSAW
(Breakfast, Dinner)
This morning we drive to Wieliczka to see the underground world
of the oldest salt mine in Europe. Admire the salt chambers,
monuments all carved in salt by many generation of Polish
miners. You will be fascinated by the fabulous St. Kinga Chapel
with its beautiful chandeliers, a masterpiece of salt work art.
After lunch on your own, we depart for Warsaw. On the way, we
will stop in Lowicz, a typical Mazovian town famous for folk
art: especially noteworthy are the colorful costumes and
beautiful paper cut-outs. You will be invited for a home-hosted
dinner by a local family, whose charming cottage is located at
the foot of the former Lowicz Castle. You will be welcomed in a
typical Polish way, with bread & salt, and enjoy your meal
served by the young married couple in their lovely house. You
will have time to talk about their day to day life and have your
dessert in a beautiful garden. After dinner, we continue your
drive to Warsaw.
DAY 9 Sunday ● WARSAW (Breakfast)
After breakfast this morning, we transfer you to the airport for
the return flight home.
Prices in Euros 2012: ($ rate varies depending on exchange
rate)
€ 1150 per person in twin/double room
€ 349 per single supplement
*Children
less than 7 years old- we offer 25% discount from the rate per
person in dbl/twin room.
* Hotels do not
have standard triple rooms. For families, we may provide
twin bedded room with extra bed (usually it is a roller bed or
sofa that is okay for a child less than 7 years old.
Tour Includes:
• Airport transfers
• Selected class hotels, rooms with private facilities
• English-speaking tour escort assistance
• Obligatory local guides
• Private air-conditioned motor coach/minibus/car (depending on
the group size)
• Meals as per itinerary:
breakfast daily, 4 x lunch, 4 x dinner (including one dinner
with folkloric show in Zakopane, and one home-hosted
dinner in Lowicz)
• Cake & coffee/tea at famous Warsaw Cafeteria
• Cake & coffee/tea at famous Krakow Cafeteria
• Sightseeing tours as per itinerary
• Entrance fees:
Warsaw – Royal Castle
Czestochowa – Jasna Gora Monastery and the Black Madonna Shrine
Oswiecim/Auschwitz
Krakow – Royal Castle and Cathedral on the Wawel Hill, St.
Mary’s Church
Wieliczka Salt Mine
Zakopane – cable car to Gubalowka Hill and a rafting trip on the
Dunajec River
• Chopin concert with a glass of sparkling wine
• Luggage handling at hotels (one piece per person)
• Hotel charges and taxes
Hotels Used on the Tour:
2 nights at 5-star hotel in Warsaw / Radisson BLU or similar
2 nights at 3-star hotel in Zakopane / Nosalowy Dwor or similar
3 nights at 4-star hotel in Krakow / Novotel Centrum or similar
1 night at 5-star hotel in Warsaw / Radisson BLU or similar
Pre & Post tour transportation:
Private car (max 2
persons) private transfer airport-hotel or vice versa 38 EUROS
per car
Private minibus
(max. 6 persons) private transfer airport-hotel or vice versa
100 EUROS per car.
Pre/Post accommodation at Radisson Blue hotel
or similar in Warsaw 5*
58 Euros per person
per night based on double/twin occupancy.
108 Euros per person
per night based on single occupancy
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