Discover Poland

 

DAY 1 - WARSAW (WELCOME DINNER)

Arrival in Warsaw and transfer 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.

 

DAY 2 - WARSAW ( B , L )

Morning sightseeing tour includes the Old Town with the impressive Royal Castle. Here the Constitution of May 3rd was proclaimed in 1791, the second oldest constitution, after the US Constitution, in the world. 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. During your tour of Warsaw we invite you to the famous Warsaw chocolate factory “Wedel” to taste their delicious hot chocolate. This evening a piano recital featuring famous compositions of Chopin.

 

DAY 3 - WARSAW – CZESTOCHOWA – ZAKOPANE ( B, L)

After breakfast, we depart 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. Evening arrival in Zakopane beautifully situated at the foot of the Tatra Mountains.

 

DAY 4 - ZAKOPANE ( B, D )

Morning sightseeing tour of Zakopane will include the Jaszczurowka Chapel, a great example of 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. A cable car ride to the top of Gubalowka hill offers a breathtaking view of the Tatra Mountains .  Free time to shop for highlander arts and crafts. Dinner tonight at a typical Highlanders’ inn.

 

DAY 5 - ZAKOPANE – KRAKOW ( B , L )

Morning at leisure. Depart Zakopane for 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 KRAKOW ( B, D )

Morning sightseeing includes Wawel Hill with Royal Castle, and Cathedral where Polish Kings were crowned and buried. Short break for coffee and cake at a famous Krakow café and then visit the Old Town with its Main Square, stop at St. Mary’s Basilica to see the magnificent wooden altar by Wit Stwosz and then the Cloth Hall originally built before 1349, with many shopping stalls inside. The afternoon is at leisure. Dinner at a local restaurant in Old Town.

 

DAY 7 - KRAKOW–AUSCHWITZ–WADOWICE–KRAKOW (B, L)

After breakfast we drive to 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. Return to Krakow , rest of the day at your leisure.

 

DAY 8 - KRAKOW–WIELICZKA–LOWICZ–WARSAW ( B, D )

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. 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 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. After dinner, we continue to Warsaw for overnight.

 

DAY 9 - WARSAW ( B )

After breakfast transfer to the airport. End of tour.

 

B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner

 

INCLUDED SERVICES:

 •   Airport transfers in Warsaw

 •   English-speaking tour escort assistance

 •   English-speaking local guides

 •   Private air-conditioned motor coach/minibus / car (depending on the group size)

 •   Meals as per itinerary: B = breakfast, L = lunch, D = dinner

 •   Cake & coffee/tea at famous Warsaw cafe

 •   Cake & coffee/tea at famous Krakow café

 •   Sightseeing & entrance fees as per itinerary

 •   Chopin concert.

 •   Luggage handling at hotels (one piece per person)

 •   Hotel charges and taxes

 

YOUR HOTELS:

 •   3 nights at Warsaw Radisson Blu Centrum or similar

 •   2 nights at  Zakopane Grand Nosalowy Dwor or similar

 •   3 nights at  Krakow Hilton Garden Inn  or similar

 

Poland

 

 

The dazzling decor and the intimate atmosphere of the underground excavations make the “Wieliczka” Salt Mine an ideal venue for meetings, conferences, symposia, congresses, conventions and various business meetings. The underground chambers are ideal both for intimate and large events, with up to 600 guests.

All the chambers are equipped with a sound system, a projector, a screen and a flipchart. Depending on the location, we also provide wireless microphones, a drink bar, a stage, a rostrum, audio-visual system, and even a booth for simultaneous interpretation. In most chambers, access to the Internet and mobile networks is also available. In addition, each chamber has its own cloakroom and separate kitchen facilities.

 

BUSINESS MEETINGS

A business meeting organized in a unique location will make the project more prestigious and influences the image of the company (the organizer). The historic underground spaces of the Wieliczka salt mine offer such a unique place, where you can hold both an intimate business meeting, for instance a gala dinner in unique salt scenery, and a corporate meeting or an integration and promotional event, a banquet, a ball, a gala, and all kinds of social events (e. g. shows, presentations, exhibitions, competitions, and even concerts or performances).

A business meeting organized in the stylish and cozy underground chambers will certainly contribute to developing your contacts, integrating your team or just creating a good atmosphere.

 

We also guarantee professional catering services for events organized in the underground chambers, from coffee breaks to fine receptions.  Customers can choose a customized menu or select from among the suggestions of our excellent chefs.

It is also possible to organize events in the coy rooms of the beautiful Grand Sal**** Hotel. The hotel offers a conference room with state-of-the-art equipment and a Business Center, and the restaurant provides top-quality catering services for the events, offering signature dishes by the chefs and local dishes from the Malopolska region.

 

The organization of conferences and training sessions are priced individually and requires earlier reservations. Ask for a quote.

 

GROUP ADVENTURE

A unique and well organized event is just perfect for integrating and building a well structured team of employees. It also serves as a non-conventional form of spending free time and a moment for loosening one’s business tie. Topic events organized at the “Wieliczka” Salt Mine are something more. The extraordinary interior of the saline chambers and corridors, adventures set within the frames of mining legends and traditions. All this deep down within the undergrounds of the mine.

An underground escapade transforms the quiet colleague or associate sitting next to you at the office into a daring treasure hunter. Wandering through the saline undergrounds the participants of the escapade personally perform the everyday work of ancient miners. The group can also wander around the Wieliczka undergrounds visiting the mine only in the light of their personal mining lamps and most definitely experiencing the unusual atmosphere and excitement associated with discovering the unknown. Good humour is needed as well as an earlier reservation of one of the selected programs: Visit the Mine by Night or the Underground Escapade – Adventure Trip.

 

 

 

Southern Adventure

In the Footsteps of

 

 

 

DAY 1 - WARSAW ( D )

Upon arrival in Warsaw take an orientation tour of the city with its beautiful tenement houses, historical monuments and palaces set along the Royal Route. You cannot omit the famous Chopin’s Monument, the Royal Castle overlooking the Vistula River and the Old Town with lovely Market Square and New Town with the Monument of Warsaw Rising. Welcome dinner will be your journey through traditional Polish cuisine specialities, such as pierogi (dumplings with different stuffing), Polish duck with apples and the Warsaw cake “Zygmuntowka”.

 

DAY 2 - WARSAW ( B,L,D )

With your expert guide have a full day tour of Jewish sites, including highlights such as: Nozyk Synagogue - devastated during the occupation and renovated after the war, serves all believers to this very day; Okopowa Jewish Cemetery – the largest one in Warsaw founded at the beginning of the 19th century. Many beautiful, richly ornamented, gravestones display lions, deer, plant life and trees. Several eminent politicians and people of culture are buried at this cemetery; Warsaw Ghetto area – including the site of the bunker on Mila Street, the place where the chief staff of the Jewish Combat Organization committed suicide; the monumental Memorial of the Heroes of the Warsaw Ghetto located on the square which was once the site of one of the main bunkers of the Jewish Combat Organization and the Umschlagplatz.

 

DAY 3 - WARSAW, TREBLINKA, TYKOCIN & BIALYSTOK ( B,L,D )

Morning departure for Bialystok. En route visit to Treblinka, the site of the former largest extermination camp, designed exclusively for the murdering of Jews from the Warsaw Ghetto, the ghettoes of other cities, as well as for thousands of Jews from nine other European nations a few dozen miles outside of Warsaw. Continue to Tykocin, a town famous for great scholars of the Tora where you will see the family house of the Zamenhof family and the splendid 17th century Synagogue. Overnight in Bialystok.

 

DAY 4 - BIALYSTOK & LUBLIN ( B,L,D )

Morning departure for Lublin, a place where Jewish community settled in the mid-14th century, and grew so rapidly that some 200 years later the town had the third-largest Jewish population in Poland after Krakow and Lviv. In the mid-18th century Jews formed half of the city’s inhabitants. Before World War II Lublin was one of the most important centers of Jewish culture in Poland. The only Jewish college of higher education in the country was located here. Former Jewish Quarter covered the area of today’s surroundings of the Lublin Castle and Castle Square where we will start our tour. We will take you to Old Kirkut – the oldest still existing Jewish cemetery in Poland. You will also visit New Jewish Cemetery and Synagogue of the Chevra Nossim. Drive to Majdanek to see the grounds of the former Nazi camp with the Monument, the Mausoleum “Road of Homage” and the crematorium building. Return to Lublin for overnight.

 

DAY 5 - LUBLIN, LEZAJSK & RZESZOW ( B,L,D )

Drive to Rzeszow where we will see the 18th century New Town Synagogue, now an art gallery and the 17th century Old Town Synagogue, now the city’s registry and a center for studies on the history of local Jews. En route stop in Lezajsk, a famous destination for thousands of Chassidism who come here to celebrate the anniversary of the death of Tzadik Elimelech. Overnight in Rzeszow.

 

DAY 6 - RZESZOW, LANCUT, TARNOW & KRAKOW ( B,L,D )

Morning visit to Lancut where you will see the biggest and the most beautiful synagogue in Poland built in 1760s. It has retained much of its decoration and has been opened as a museum. At the same time you must see one of the most beautiful Polish residences, the Lancut Castle set in the splendid rose garden. Continue to Tarnow to visit an old Jewish district and the Jewish Cemetery that dates from the 17th century and features about 3000 tombstones. The original gate to the cemetery is now on display at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington. Arrival Krakow for overnight.

 

DAY 7 - KRAKOW ( B,L,D )

Tour of Krakow’s Old Town with the Main Market Square with its magnificent houses and palaces. There is a Cloth Hall in the middle of the Market Square, built before 1349 and altered in the 16th century. Another characteristic element of the architecture on the Market Square is the magnificent extensive Gothic Church of Our Lady with its famous wooden altar created by Wit Stwosz. Before you will start the tour of Jewish sites we invite you to a lecture with slides entitled: “Polish Jews before and after World War II”. Afterwards, drive to Kazimierz – a former Jewish district town with its own Market Square, Town Hall and thriving culture. See a magnificent Gothic Old Synagogue and the Remuh Synagogue with adjoining Renaissance cemetery. Visit the newest, renovated Tempel Synagogue built for progressive Jews, decorated with stuccoes, paintings and stained glass. Dinner with klezmer music concert and opportunity to taste specialities of typical Jewish cuisine, such as: kugel, tzimmes and pascha

 

 

DAY 8 - KRAKOW & AUSCHWITZ ( B )

We invite you to a lecture given by former Director of the Center for Jewish Culture in Krakow, Mr Robert Gadek, entitled: “History of Galician Chassidism”, a movement for religious renewal that had its genesis on Polish land under the leadership of the legendary Baal-szem-tov. Join a field trip to the places connected with Oscar Schindler, including his factory, now an outstanding museum to present the history of Krakow Jews before the WWII and during the war. Drive to Plaszow death camp where the Nazis relocated many Jews. Most of the events portrayed in the film “Schindler’s List” took place there. We will also visit the moving museum called “Pharmacy under the Eagle”. It’s located in the Podgorze district of Krakow, the actual site of Jewish ghetto during Nazi occupation. The museum tells the story of Tadeusz Pankiewicz, a Polish pharmacist who chose to remain in the ghetto for several years, dispensing free medicines to the suffering Jewish community. Afterwards, transfer to Oswiecim to see the largest death factory in the history of humanity. The preserved, authentic Memorial consists of two parts of the former concentration camp: Auschwitz I with permanent exhibition of the Main Camp where you will see Block11, the Wall of Death and Crematorium I. You can also see a short documentary movie. In Auschwitz II-Birkenau with the most important remaining camp objects: the site of the camp, residential barracks, the unloading ramp, the ruins of gas chambers and crematoria II and III. Drive back to Krakow.

 

DAY 9 - KRAKOW, LODZ & WARSAW ( B )

Morning departure for Lodz – one of the largest Jewish centers in Poland until the outbreak of World War II. Manufacturers of Jewish origin determined the character of 19th century Lodz. Their presence is recorded in the history of the city and its industry. Several large textile mills were in the hands of Jewish industrialists: the Poznanski, Kohn, Ejtingon, Wislicki families. There is rich and beautiful architecture from this period. Its characteristic features are magnificent Jewish palaces, whose decorations were of fashionable extravagance. A good place to find out how the barons of industry lived in Lodz, before World War II, is the “Ksiezy Mlyn” residence. Jewish contribution to the Polish culture was immense. The city’s most famous sons were: Aleksander Tansman, the world famous composer, the pianist Artur Rubinstein and the poet Julian Tuwim. Finally, we will visit Jewish cemetery, the largest Jewish graveyard in Europe. Late afternoon drive to Warsaw for overnight. Farewell dinner with the recital of Yiddish songs performed by the actors of the State Yiddish Theater.

 

DAY 10 - WARSAW ( B )

A morning visit to the Museum of the History of Polish Jews that presents the past and present days of Polish Jews. See the special exhibitions, displays, a wide range of media, documents, and artifacts, as well as a documentary movie about the museum. Afterwards, drive to the airport for your flight back home.

 

Polish Jews

Slovakia

 

 

This specialized tour of Slovakia is a result of cooperation between Central Europe Escapes and the Slovak Jewish Heritage Center, a leading institution specializing in the preservation of Jewish heritage in Slovakia. The Center has developed, and now coordinates, the Slovak Jewish Heritage Route, an innovative cultural marketing tool integrating Jewish monuments into the overall tourist product of Slovakia. During the tour, which is guided by the director of the Center, you will encounter the most important sites that form the Slovak Jewish Heritage Route and learn about the complex past and present of Slovakia's Jewish community. The rich landscape and visits to major tourist sites in Slovakia will make your trip an inspiring experience.

 

DAY 1 - SUNDAY

Arrive at Vienna Airport, which is only forty minutes by coach from Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia. After checking in at your hotel, relax and enjoy an informal tour of Bratislava's Jewish heritage. Formerly known as Pressburg and Pozsony, Bratislava used to be one of the most prominent centres of Jewish life in Europe. Visit the Chatam Sofer Memorial, the burial site of an important 19th century Bratislava rabbi and scholar. Continue to the Museum of Jewish Culture and the Holocaust Memorial that marks the site of Bratislava's former Neolog synagogue. A welcome dinner at the hotel will be followed by an evening lecture with slide presentation about Jewish heritage in Slovakia.

 

DAY 2 - MONDAY

This day will be dedicated to the Jewish heritage of the Bratislava region. First visit the precious nine-bay synagogue in Stupava, saved from collapse by dedicated volunteers from the JEWROPE NGO. Then continue to the Moorish-style synagogue in Malacky, designed by Bratislava-born architect Wilhelm Stiassny (1842-1910). Enjoy some free time over lunch in Trnava and then visit the former Status Quo Ante synagogue, which today serves as a centre for modern art. Trnava is an ancient university town with numerous Baroque churches. Complete the tour at the synagogue in Samorin, which is now used as a private art centre called the At Home Gallery. Return to Bratislava and enjoy dinner at the city's Jewish-style Chez David Restaurant.

 

DAY 3 - TUESDAY

After a morning departure from Bratislava, stop over in Nitra, an ancient town and seat of bishops for more than a millennium that is considered a cradle of Slovak culture. Nitra is also known for its painstakingly restored Art Nouveau synagogue, designed by the architect Lipot Baumhorn of Budapest on the eve of World War I. From Nitra continue to Zvolen, where the Park of Generous Souls was recently established. This unique memorial commemorates those courageous Slovak citizens who died saving Jews during the Holocaust in Slovakia. Also visit Kremnicka, where Jews, POWs and partisans were murdered by the Nazis after the suppression of the Slovak National Uprising in 1944. Take a break in Banska Bystrica, the main city of central Slovakia, known for its town square with attractive burgher houses, and outdoor cafes and restaurants. Visit the Slovak National Uprising Memorial and Museum and continue to the Tatras. Dinner at hotel.

 

DAY 4 - WEDNESDAY

This day will highlight the most precious Jewish monuments of eastern Slovakia. You will visit the recently restored synagogue of Spisske Podhradie, a UNESCO World Heritage-listed site under Spis Castle, one the largest castles in Europe. The highlight of the day will be your visit to Presov's Orthodox synagogue, one of the most beautiful in Europe. The synagogue is used by the local Jewish community; the famous Barkany Judaica Collection is installed in the women’s gallery. Complete the day with a visit to another UNESCO-listed World Heritage location – Bardejov. The town used to be the vital Chassidic centre in eastern Slovakia prior to the Holocaust. No Jews live here today, but you may still see precious monuments of Jewish heritage, including the Old Synagogue Compound and the Bikkur Cholim Synagogue. Return to the Tatras along a different route featuring classic Slovak rural landscapes.

 

DAY 5 - THURSDAY

This is a 'day off' from inspecting Jewish heritage sites, but you will get to see one of the most beautiful corners of Slovakia – the Zamagurie region. After a morning stopover in Kezmarok, known for its wooden Lutheran church, arrive at Cerveny Klastor, which is the gateway to the Pieniny National Park. The highlight of the day will be a guided rafting trip along the picturesque Dunajec River, which forms the border between Poland and Slovakia. Enjoy a picnic lunch with live folk music at a mountain chalet, then complete the day by visiting an open-air museum where you will see examples of typical folk architecture. Dinner at hotel.

 

DAY 6 - FRIDAY

After morning departure from the Tatras, you will stop over in Liptovsky Mikulas, where you can view the town's neo-Classical synagogue from 1846. Continue to Zilina, where you will see a small exhibition of the Museum of Jewish Culture and the famous synagogue designed by German architect Peter Behrens during the 1930s. A light lunch will be served in Trencin, a charming town overlooked by a majestic castle. The local synagogue, one of the most interesting in the world, has recently been re-opened as an arts centre. Late afternoon arrival in Bratislava. Check in at hotel. Join the service at Bratislava's Heydukova Street Synagogue and enjoy Shabbat dinner at the Jewish Community Center in Bratislava.

 

DAY 7 - SATURDAY

A free day in Bratislava, which you can use to visit the city's numerous galleries and museums. Optional Shabbat service at the synagogue, followed by Kiddush. In the afternoon enjoy a relaxed walk around the Old Town of Bratislava and pre-paid visit to the Primate’s Palace, where the Peace of Pressburg was signed in 1805. Dinner at hotel.

 

DAY 8 - SUNDAY

Relax in the morning in Bratislava. Afternoon transfer to the airport for homebound flight.

 

Note: This is a tailor-made tour. The Slovak Jewish Heritage Tour can be organised for a closed group of a minimum of 6 participants on any given date (some date exceptions may apply)

Slovak Jewish

Heritage Tour