Historic Towns / Warsaw - Torun - Malbork - Gdańsk /

7 day historic towns Tour: Warsaw - Torun - Malbork - Gdańsk 

During this tour we would like to introduce you to a variety of Polish landscapes and regional cultures. Starting in Warsaw– the capital of Poland ,through to Toruń ,the birth place of Nicolaus Copernicus to Malbork Castle, the home of the Grand Master of Teutonic Knights and then the Tri- City in the the Pomerania Region with its famous Gdansk- city of freedom.

Day 1
Arrival in Warsaw, an evening stroll through the Old Town, welcome dinner in a regional restaurant, overnight stay at a hotel.

Day 2
Breakfast, guided tour of Warsaw: the Royal Castle, The Royal Route, the Old Market Square, the Barbican, Krakowskie Przedmieście, Łazienki with its splendid gardens and the Palace on the Water. Dinner in a regional restaurant, overnight stay at a hotel.

Day 3
Breakfast, transfer to Toruń, guided tour of Toruń - the city tour includes the house of Nicolas Copernicus, the Town Hall, St. Mary’s and St. John’s Church, the ruins of the Castle of the Teutonic Knights. Afternoon free time, dinner in a local restaurant, overnight in a hotel.

Day 4
Breakfast, transfer to Malbork – the city is on the UNESCO list for having one of the world's most unique monuments: Malbork Castle - the former residence of the Grand Master of Teutonic Knights - it also contains Poland’ s largest collection of amber. Transfer to Gdańsk, dinner in a restaurant, overnight in a hotel.

Day 5
Breakfast, guided tour of Gdansk - the majestic Old Town: Golden Gateway, Neptune’s Fountain, the Artus Court, the Uphagen House and Dluga Street, MariackaStreet, the wooden Crane on the River Motlava and a stroll around the yacht harbor. Mariacka Street. The Solidarity Monument at Gdansk Shipyard, the birthplace of the solidarity movement. Continuation of the trip with a transfer to Oliva where we will enjoy a recital of organ music in the Oliva Dome with its famous organ. Return to Gdansk, dinner and overnight stay at a hotel.

Day 6
Breakfast. Guided tour of Sopot - a lively seaside resort popular for relaxation, the port in Gdynia and Gdynia Aquarium stroll along  tanks full of fish, a maritime museum based in an historic ship, return to Gdansk. Free time in the center, dinner in a 'fisherman's restaurant', overnight stay at a hotel.

Day 7
Breakfast, a boat trip around the port of Gdansk passing the Westerplatte, where the Second World War started and Hel Peninsula with a variety of popular summer resorts, a romantic fishing villages with old fishermens' houses and lighthouses. Return to Gdansk, departure.

The final price depends on standard of accommodation, number of visiting persons and date of your visit.
Let us know these details to get the best price grzegorz.b@excitingpoland.com  

Warsaw
A city resounding with life, young in heart, a mix of old and new, where historic huses face modern buildings and commercial centers. This verdant city, with abundant greenery of parks and gardens, was rebuilt after WWII. An important university center. The Old Town (historic center of the city) has been inscribed on the UNESCO’s list of world heritage. Mermaid – the emblem of Warsaw, featured on the city’s coat-ofarms Old Town Square, ul. Wybrzeże Kościuszkowskie.

Royal Castle
Old residence of the dukes of Mazovia and Polish kings, totally destroyed during WWII and meticulously rebuilt.

Sigismundus Column
A meeting point of young people and emblem of Warsaw.

Castle Square Old Town Square
surrounded with tenement houses from the 15th to 18th century, rebuilt after destructions of WWII.

St. John’s Cathedral
the crypts with tombs and sarcophagae of prominent Poles are open to visitors.

Barbican
this imposing structure from the 16th century and the partly preserved ramparts marked the boundary of New and Old Town. Today it is hosting a summer gallery of paintings and performances by street musicians.

New Town Square
A charming asymmetric square of varying level, with St. Casimir’s Church belonging to the convent of Holy Sacrament Sisters.

St. Anne’s Church
A view tower and student ministry center.

Krakowskie Przedmieście
The opening street of so-called Royal Route. Two renowned Polish higher schools: Warsaw University and Academy of Fine I have moved the capital from Cracow to Warsaw and now in remembrance I have to stand on this column Sigismundus Column Since 14th I have defended the residents of Warsaw in appreciation of their hospitality. Arts are located at Krakowskie Przedmieście.

Holy Cross Church
The hearts of Chopin and Władysław Reymont, laureate of Nobel Prize in Literature, are entombed in the pillars of the left nave ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście 3.

Piłsudskiego Square
The venue of national celebrations, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier from 1925, where urns with soil from the battlefields of Polish soldiers during WWII are entombed. Polish soldiers guard the tomb, located near the Saxon Garden from the 18th century and a new Metropolitan office building designed by Sir Norman Foster.

Royal Baths (Łazienki)
A park of 76 hectares located in the center of the city, summer residence of the last king of Poland, is one of the most beautiful garden complexes in Europe.

Łazienki – Chopin’s Monument
set in the rose garden, at a pond; throughout the summer Chopin piano recitals are performed at the foot of this famous Polish monument. Wilanów The gateway to Royal Route, is located 6 km apart from the center of the city. Sightseeing: the Palace – summer residence of King Jan III Sobieski, the defeaterof Turks near Vienna, and a vast park. Poster Museum in Wilanów with a collection of Polish posters since 1892.

National Museum
with a gallery of ancient (frescos from Farras)and medieval art, Polish and European painting, Polish art of the 20th century and European decorative art.

Palace of Science and Culture
the most controversial building in Warsaw, erected in the 1950’ as a gift by the Soviet Union. Hosts several research and commercial establishments, museums, theatres and cinemas. A viewing platform on the 30th floor offers an expansive view over Warsaw and its surroundings.

Warsaw Worth Visiting Kordegarda
The Gallery of Art was founded in 1956. It is one of the finest collections in the world illustrating major achievements in painting, sculpture and decorative arts.

Gallery Zachęta
Zachęta National Gallery of Art is the oldest exhibition site in Warsaw, with a tradition stretching back to the mid 19th Century. It is located in the heart of Warsaw, next to the Saski Park, and in the immediate vicinity of the University of Warsaw and the Academy of the Fine Arts.

Galery Koło Market
A flea market. Old furniture, paintings and icons, china and other gadgets are offered.

BUW
New building of Warsaw University Library, with rooftop gardens and a splendid view over Vistula River.

Zamkowy Square is the starting point of the former Royal Route, which runs south to Wilanów Palace. On the embankment above the Vistula River stands St. Anne's Church, founded in the 15th century by Princess Anna of Mazovia, with Rococo and Classicist wall paintings and a large facade. The view from the church tower includes Mariensztat, an autonomous part of the city in the 18th century with its own law and town hall. Nearby is the Polonia House, which was once the Museum of Industry and Trade, where Maria Skłodowska-Curie worked before she left for France. Curie went on to discover radium and polonium, for which she was awarded with the Nobel Prize. On the same side of Krakowskie Przedmieście Street stands Radziwiłł Palace, which today is the residence of the president of Poland. A little further down the street, on the Warsaw University campus, is Kazimierzowski Palace, which was originally the summer residence of King Ladislaus IV and later home to the Knights' School, where Tadeusz Kościuszko was a student. Opposite the university, in the annex of Czapski Palace, is the parlor of Frédéric Chopin's parents. Today the palace houses the Academy of Fine Arts. Beyond Trzech Krzyż Square are Ujazdowskie Avenue and adjacent park areas. The Botanical Gardens and Royal Łazienki Park, a magnificent palace-and-park complex founded by King Stanisław August Poniatowski, create a true oasis of green in the city centre. The Old Orangery preserves Europe's only 18th century court theatre with original fittings and beautiful wall paintings. There is also a sculpture gallery. Nowy Świat Street Warsaw Technical University The Royal Route ends in Wilanów, where King Jan III Sobieski established his residence. The Baroque palace, surrounded by a historical park, has retained part of its collections and original organisation. The Poster Museum, located on the palace grounds, features the work of great contemporary Polish artists.

Toruń (200,000 inhabitants) is proud of its Old Town, which has been added to UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List. Founded in 1233 by the Teutonic Knights, the city is home to many splendid examples of historical architecture. The Old Town Hall combines the elements of Gothic with late Renaissance. Opposite, there is a monument commemorating Nicolaus Copernicus. In the house of his birth, a collection of documents and instruments from the epoch can be viewed. His name was given to the Toruń University. The sumptuous church of St Mary is famous for its stellar vault.

Nicolaus Copernicus
The famous astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus was born and lived in the medieval town of Toruń, which is now on the UNESCO World’s Cultural Heritage List. Copernicus was the first astronomer who said that the earth is not the centre of the universe, but rather the planets revolve around the Sun. Maybe this is what makes our sky so attractive for aviators. Polish air clubs have training courses for aircraft and glider pilots. Hang-gliding and increasingly popular motor-gliding can also be enjoyed in Poland. Enthusiasts of hot-air ballooning and parachuting are also catered for.

address:
Muzeum Zamkowe w Malborku
ul. Starościńska 1, 82-200 Malbork

Description:
Malbork with its extensive Gothic castle complex. The Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights once lived in this fortress. “Light and sound” spectacles are held here as well as knights' tournaments for those who find looking at museum collections is not enough.

This 13th-century fortified monastery belonging to the Teutonic Order was substantially enlarged and embellished after 1309, when the seat of the Grand Master moved here from Venice. A particularly fine example of a medieval brick castle, it later fell into decay, but was meticulously restored in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Many of the conservation techniques now accepted as standard were evolved here. Following severe damage in the Second World War it was once again restored, using the detailed documentation prepared by earlier conservators.

Treasures of the earth Amber, a fossilized resin from coniferous trees which also has therapeutic properties, has been collected on the shores of the Baltic Sea since at least the 1st century B.C. In the times of the Roman Empire, merchants came to Gdańsk from the Mediterranean basin in search of amber. The History of Amber exhibit at the Malbork Castle Museum presents marvelous examples of amber and amber jewelry.

THE TRICITY – POLAND'S SEASIDE WINDOW ON THE WORLD
Gdańsk with a population of just under 500 000 is situated on the Bay of Gdańsk and the Baltic Sea, beside the delta of Poland's longest river, the Vistula. The site has been inhabited since the 10th century. Today it is the main center of an urban complex that also includes Sopot and Gdynia, an urban agglomeration that stretches picturesquely along the coast. Since the very beginning of its history, Gdańsk has been one of the most important commercial and industrial cities on the Baltic Sea. The city became a member of the Hanseatic League, the most powerful trade organization in northern Europe at the time, in the mid-14th century, which ensuring the city prospects for rapid development and power.

Gdańsk's greatest period of prosperity lasted until the end of the 16th century. In those days, 75 percent of Polish exports went through the port of Gdańsk, chiefly grain, which went to all the countries of Europe. Nationalities from throughout Europe came to the city, including settlers from areas that are today located in Germany, the Netherlands, England, Scandinavia, Russia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, France and Italy. The city's political system resembled mercantile republic. Beautiful buildings were erected in Gdańsk, designed by the best northern European architects of the time. During World War II, which actually began in Gdańsk with the attack of Nazi forces on the Westerplatte peninsula, the city suffered greatly. It was bombed by the Red Army in 1945 and many buildings were utterly destroyed. Many of Gdańsk's historic buildings were rebuilt after the war.

The more recent history of the Tricity area comprises an essential part of the Polish consciousness. It was here that the strikes of 1970, 1980 and 1988 began, ultimately leading to the destruction of the communist system. Lech Wałęsa led the 1980 strike at the former Lenin Shipyard in Gdańsk, which became the cradle of the Solidarity social movement. The trade-union leader went on to become a winner of the Nobel Peace Prize and president of Poland. Memory of the past is very much alive in the city today. Three large crosses stand at the attract lots of guests.

SIGHTSEEING IN THE TRICITY
Very intriguing are the smaller “beads” of the Tricity necklace on the Gdańsk-Gdynia route. Wrzeszcz has an atmosphere from the late 19th and early 20th century, including eclectic style houses and Vienna Secession-style villas. Sights worth seeing include a 19th-century brewery and a settlement of workers' cottages. This is the hometown of Günter Grass, winner of the Nobel Prize for literature. Oliwa, site of the International Organ Festival, is famous for its cathedral, containing an original Rococo organ. Unusual spectacles and concerts The Tricity is well known for its unique theatrical performances. The summer stage of the Municipal Theatre in Gdynia operates next to the pier in Orłowo. Its "foundations" are immersed in the Bay of Gdańsk and viewers are able to admire performances from the beach.

The Atelier Theatre is located on the beach next to the historical Grand Hotel in Sopot. In summer, André Hubner-Ochodlo, a German artist with Ukrainian roots, comes here to present Polish-German-Jewish repertoire. The Theatrum Gedanense Foundation, under the patronage of the Prince of Wales, organizes Shakespeare Days and the National Shakespeare Festival in Gdańsk. Also active in Gdańsk is Schola Cantorum Gedanensis, considered the best Polish choir, and Capella Gedanensis, which specializes in the music of old Gdańsk. The historical organs of the Oliwa Cathedral, St. Mary's Church and St. Nicholas' Church attract many outstanding musicians. The Forest Opera in Sopot was the venue for Wagner festivals before World War II, while today it hosts concerts and the International Song Festival.

Something for gourmets The Tricity is famous for fish. The Fish Hall in Gdynia offers all kinds of seafood. The Polish Baltic coast is rich in herring, cod, salmon, eel, turbot and flounder. Hel hosts an annual competition for the most interesting herring dish. Beer famous across Europe has been brewed in Gdańsk for centuries. Other local specialties include Goldwasser – a clear herb liqueur with gold flakes, Piołunówka – a modern version of absinthe, and Dzika Pszczoła (Wild Bee) – a honey vodka with forest herbs. Amber is a typical souvenir from Gdańsk. If you fail to find any on the shore, there are ready-made amber decorative items and jewellery on sale at numerous souvenir stores in the Tricity. 

Halfway between Gdańsk and Sopot is Oliwa, famous around the world for its precious organ, housed in Oliwa cathedral. A few kilometers west of Sopot is Gdynia. This city was built from scratch, on the site of an existing village, in the 1920s and '30s. It was designed as the port and shipbuilding center for Poland, which regained its independence in 1918. Gdynia's modern center is a favourite shopping area among Tricity residents. Places to relax include the nearby Nadmorski (Seaside) Boulevard, which runs at the foot of a scenic park right on to Sopot. Gdynia is home to one of the world's largest shipyards, built in 1923.

On both sides of the pier there is a wide sandy beach. On the sides of the Bohaterów Monte Cassino Street there are countless shops, cafés and restaurants. A well renowned Sopot Forest Opera has 4500 seats. In the summer months many performances, musicals and musical festivals are held here. To the east of Gdańsk only a narrow stripe of land separates the Vistula Lagoon from the Baltic Sea. The Vistula Sandbar belongs in part to Poland and in part to the Kaliningrad District (Russia). On the isthmus there are some really impressive beaches. The reed on its southern side nests rare water bird species.

address:
81-345 Gdynia, Al. Jana Pawła II

description:
DAR POMORZA" (Gift of Pomerania), called the White Frigate, has been closely associated with Gdynia for 70 years. She was built in 1909 in the Blohm & Voss shipyard in Hamburg as a training ship for the German merchant maritime school. After her launch on 18 September 1909 the ship was named "Prinzess Eitel Friedrich" and set off for her virgin cruise to Christiansand and Antwerp. When Germany lost the First World War the ship was taken over by the French, who brought her to the port in Saint Nazaire. In 1926 she was renamed "Colbert" and was to replace the French school sailing boat "Richelieu". The plan was however never fulfilled. A year later the ship’s new owner was Baron de Foreste, who intended to transform her into an ocean sailing boat, but this idea also remained nothing more than a plan.

In 1929 the ship was bought from the funds raised at the public collection by the Pomeranian National Fleet Committee for the amount of 7,000 pounds sterling. It was to replace the worn school barge "Lwów". Then the frigate was renamed again "Dar Pomorza" (Gift of Pomerania) to commemorate the generosity of the local community. In June 1930 the ship was for the first time anchored in the roadstead in Gdynia, and on 13 June the bishop St. Okoniewski blessed the ship and her flag.

The frigate was given to the State Maritime School in Gdynia and became the second (after the "Lwów") cradle of Polish navigators.

Within her 51 years in the school "Dar Pomorza" took 102 school cruises, covering half a million sea miles. 13,384 students of the Maritime School were trained on her decks.

On 4 August 1982 the "Dar Pomorza" was formally removed from school operations, and at the same time a flag was raised on her successor "Dar Młodzieży" (the Gift of the Youth), designed and built in Gdańsk.

On 16 November 1982 "Dar Pomorza" was given to the Polish Maritime Museum.

The Hel Peninsula is an attractive centre of summer tourism. Thirty-five kilometres long and sometimes only as narrow as 200 metres, it cuts into the Bay of Gdańsk. In the village of Hel located at the south-eastern end of the peninsula there are beautiful old fishermen’s huts. The fishing village of Jastarnia is also a tourist attraction, as well as the renowned holiday site Jurata. The village of Chałupy is known for its topless beaches.