Pearls of Poland / Poland in one visit /

Tour program

1. Warsaw City Tour
You arrive in Warsaw and are welcomed by our local guide. Transfer to our hotel in a private bus. In the afternoon you will start the city tour of Warsaw. The capital of Poland was totally destroyed in WW II and then rebuilt. You will visit the Old Town, Lazienki Park, with its Frederic Chopin monument and the Palace on the Water, the Warsaw Uprising Monument and the Royal Castle. In the evening a welcome dinner in our hotel.

2. Drive: Warsaw-Malbork-Gdansk
After an early morning breakfast we start our tour to Gdansk, the capital of Poland's seaside. On our way we will stop in Malbork to see the medieval fortress of Teutonic Knights – the greatest castle in Poland. The Malbork Castle, a 15th c. powerful stronghold of the Teutonic Knights, is one of the best examples of medieval fortification in Europe. Continue the drive to Gdansk. Check-in at a local hotel in the evening.

3. Gdansk City Tour
After breakfast we’ll begin the sightseeing tour of the maritime center of Poland, the historical port town of Gdansk and birthplace and home of Solidarity; the Cathedral, Neptun Monument, Zuraw Gdanski, the harbor, and avisit to the monument at Westerplatte. Then see Sopot, the health resort with the longest pier in Europe. In the Gothic Cathedral in Oliwa you can listen to a concert on a magnificent baroque pipe organ. Dinner and overnight in the hotel in Gdansk.

4. Drive: Gdansk-Torun
After breakfast, we drive to Torun – one of the most beautiful cities of Poland, picturesquely located on the both banks of the Vistula River. After check-in at a local hotel, visit the beautiful Old Town and Museum of the famous Polish astronomer – Nicolas Copernicus. Free evening. Overnight in Torun.

5. Drive: Torun-Poznan
After breakfast, drive to Poznan and a visit to Gniezno – the historic capital of Poland. There will be tiime for experiencing the city on your own.

6. Poznan – City Tour and drive to Czestochowa
A morning tour around the city of Poznan. Among the many famous places we are going to see will be the impressive Town Hall and the country’s oldest cathedral with the tombs of the first Polish rulers. In the afternoon we will start our trip to Czestochowa. We will celebrate an evening mass at Jasna Gora Monastery in Czestochowa. Overnight in a hotel in the city.

7. Visiting Jasna Gora in Czestochowa and drive to Zakopane
A morning visit to the famous Black Lady – Queen of Poland Sanctuary. The Pauline Fathers will introduce you to the Jasna Góra Monastery, its history, which begins in 1292, its treasures and the miraculous icon of Black Madonna, the Queen of Poland. In 1930 Karol Wojtyla came here for the first time with his father and prayed to Black Madonna. He visited Jasna Gora seven times as a Pope. We will leave Czestochowa before noon to start our drive to Zakopane. On our way, we will stop in Wadowice – John Paul II’s hometown. Arriving in Zakopane in the evening. Accommodation in our hotel.

8. Zakopane City Tour
A morning city tour of Poland’s “winter capital” including Chocholow Village. Then a cable car ride up to Mount Gubalowki, where we will see a panoramic view of the area. An excursion to Koscieliska Valley will complete our tour. Dinner in a regional restaurant. Overnight in Zakopane.

9. Dunajec Rafting and Krupowki in Zakopane
After breakfast, we will drive to the Pieniny National Park for Dunajec River rafting with Uplander's log-rafts. Enjoy a view of the two beautiful castles of Niedzica and Czorsztyn, before you enter the deep gorge surrounded by white limestone peaks. In the evening there is free time to visit Krupowki and enjoy the beauty of the town. Overnight in Zakopane.

10. Drive: Zakopane-Wieliczka-Krakow
We will leave Zakopane in the morning to visit the Wieliczka Salt Mine. This 800 year old salt mine is the oldest in Europe. Walk through the underground salt stone world: the splendid St.Kinga’s Chapel with salt sculptures and relicts, corridors housing the original constructions and post excavation chambers as well as the subterranean salt lakes. After the tour we will continue our drive to Krakow, with a stopover in Lagiewniki, where we will visit the Lagiewniki Cathedral - Sister Faustyna’s Sanctuary of Divine Mercy. Arriving in Krakow in the evening and overnight in the city.

11. Krakow City Tour
After breakfast we will begin our tour of Krakow. Because it was not destroyed during the World War II, Krakow is a treasure house of architecture and art, having been collected since the 10th century. Our walking tour will start with the Wawel Hill. We will visit the Royal Castle and the Coronation Cathedral, the burial place of kings and famous Poles. In the royal chambers you can discover the priceless collection of Flemish tapestries. Today’s walking tour also includes the Old Town surrounded by defense walls, the Barbican, the Market Square dominated by St. Mary’s Church with the famous XV c. linden wood altar, then the Cloth Hall housing a multitude of souvenir shops. Then a special tour of Jagiellonian University, one of the oldest in Europe. Dinner and night in our hotel in Krakow.

12. Krakow - Auschwitz
After breakfast we depart for a trip to Auschwitz, the Nazi concentration camp and now a martyrdom museum. After this experience, we go back to Krakow to spend the free afternoon in this beautiful old city. In the evening, we will have farewell dinner in our hotel.

13. Return flight from Krakow
We leave our hotel after breakfast to drive to the airport. Departing Krakow.

Date: on request - suggested September 4-16, 2008

Price: aproximate price for group of 25-30 persons: 1130 Euro / person = 1780 $ / person.
Ask for your price: info@excitingpoland.com  or +48 77 4232848

Price includes: transfer by luxury coach according to the tour program, service of professional English speaking tour director, accommodation (12) in selected 3*/4* hotels in twin rooms, breakfasts (12) and dinners (12), service of English speaking local guides in visited cities, reservations for entrance tickets according to the program, taxes and porter services at the hotels, entrance tickets according to the tour program.

Additional info and fees:  additional services for pre- and post-tour stay on request, single room and double bed available on request, personal orders and possible tips for driver and tour director not included.  

Welcome to Warsaw interesting and happening city in Europe!
Today the city has undergone a huge transformation process. Many old buildings gave way to modern sky scrapers and dilapidating old town was restored. Worth seeing subsection includes sample walks around Warsaw and has suggestions on trips outside of Warsaw.

Warsaw – a charming capital
Warsaw is a city with many faces where tradition intermingles with modernity. From the terrace on Zamkowy Square, where the Royal Castle and St. Anne's Church are located, is a view of the new Świętokrzyski Bridge. The dominating silhouette of the city centre belongs to the Palace of Culture and Science, which today shares the city skyline with numerous office towers. You can feel the breath of history in the Old Town, on Nowy Świat Street and everywhere where the city's roots have been preserved.

We hope you enjoy your stay in one of the most interesting and happening places in Europe!
This site enables you to make the most of your travel to Warsaw. It offers export recommendations for sights to visit, places to stay, car rentals, excursions, restaurants as well as provides useful practical traveller’s information. Hotels, car rentals and excursions can be now reserved online using our fast and reliable service. If you wish to contact us regarding personalized trip to Warsaw or Poland please e-mail us and one of our reservation clerks will get back to you with useful information.

Gdańsk - the capital of Pomerania
Gdańsk is the Polish maritime capital with the population nearing half a million. It is a large centre of economic life, science, culture, and a popular tourist destination. Gdańsk, capital of the Pomerania, lying on the Bay of Gdańsk and the southern cost of the Baltic Sea the city is a thousand years old. Gdańsk has a modern international airport and two ferry terminals servicing regular lines between Gdańsk and Copenhagen via Trelleborg (Denmark), and Gdańsk and Nynashamn (Sweden).

In its "golden age" the city enjoyed the specific status of a municipal republic. It was also a melting pot of cultures and ethnical groups. The air of tolerance and the wealth built on trade made culture, science, and art. flourish. Today, works by outstanding Gdańsk masters can be admired in museums, churches, and galleries. These collections, as well as the historic sites of enchanting beauty witness a thousand years of the city's continued existence. The break-through events of the most recent turbulent period are documented in the multi-medial exhibition: "Roads to Freedom". The exposition recalls the local struggle for freedom and justice, and the birth of the "Solidarity.”  

Gdańsk cultivates its centuries-long tradition in the field, and its nickname of the world capital of amber. Just like in the olden days the city owes much to its sea port. The harbour, largest along the Polish coast and in the entire Southern Baltic basin, continues to develop.

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.

Poznan one of the oldest cities in Poland by the Warta River.
Poznan's impressive cathedral is the earliest church in the country, containing the tombs of the first Polish rulers: duke Mieszko I, king Boleslaw the Brave, king Mieszko II, dupe Casimir I the Restorel, duke Przemyslaw I and king Przemyslaw II. Today the city is a vibrant center for trade, industry, and education. Poznań is Poland's 5th largest city and 4th biggest industrial center.

Poznań is known around the world as an important international trade-fair centre. Every year about 30 international and national events are held here. Specialist trade fairs, such as the Polagra Fair, featuring food products, and the Budma Fair, featuring building materials, are among the largest sectoral events in Europe.

The historical landmarks in this city are also well worth seeing. The observation terrace of the Economics Academy skyscraper, 80 m above ground, offers an excellent view of the city's old quarter, Ostrów Tumski, where the cathedral stands today and where once stood the castle of Prince Mieszko I and his son Bolesław the Brave, crowned in 1025 the first king of Poland. Their sarcophaguses can be viewed in the Golden Chapel of the cathedral. Besides gold cups and monstrances from the churches of Wielkopolska, the Archdiocese Museum houses Poland's only painting by Anthony van Dyck.

Poznań's most beautiful church is the huge Baroque Parish Church of St. Stanisław. This is one of Poznań's most mysterious buildings, since parts of the crypts have not yet been investigated. Rumors say that crates of sketches by great Polish painters Jan Matejko and Wojciech Gerson, purchased for the Poznań City Museum just before World War II, were hidden here. Organ concerts are held in the church every day in the summer, with proceeds going to the renovation of the historic organ. Billy goats on the Town Hall The city authorities were housed in the Renaissance Town Hall until 1939, and today the building is home to the Poznań History Museum. At noon two mechanical billy goats clash horns on the Town Hall tower in the middle of the Old Market Square. The fasade of the houses surrounding the square, once the homes of the wealthiest residents, feature Renaissance and Baroque motifs.

our first choice! the capital of Polish Tatras.
From here, you can reach virtually every single mountain nook in Tatras. Starting your day with a thrilling climb, continuing emotions in a great theatre, ending in one of Zakopane's numerous bars and pubs, your stay here will certainly be remembered. Tourists will find many attractions in Zakopane, starting with walks through the picturesque mountain valleys, wild terrain bicycle rides and horse rides and line railway rides to Kasprowy Wierch, Gubałówka and Butorowy Wierch. In winter the enthusiasts of white madness come to Zakopane to ski down the professionally prepared routes. On the lighted, evened-out with ratracks slopes of Nosal, Gubałówka and Polana Szymoszkowa you can see people skiing till late evening, sometimes even night hours. Krupówki, the cult walking place of Zakopane, is crowded all day and evening long. You can rest from the bustle of everyday life and regain your vigour here.

Cracow- an ancient magic city.
Cracow offers a wide spectrum of museums, art galleries full of exhibitions, theatres, historic cellars, clubs, cafes & restaurants with live music, is an exciting destination for the travelers on the world map!
The city’s cultural heritage is mirrored in its intellectual achievements – the Jagiellonian University is the oldest in Poland. The student population of the city numbers almost 100,000 and this large student population fires a lively nightlife scene that burns brightly in the atmospheric cellar bars away from the tourists above. Cracow has sharply contrasting seasons with cold, snowy winters and fresh springs and autumns. Visitors should beware of the locals’ use of the word fresh – an optimistic reference to blatantly cold weather. The labyrinthine cellars of the Old Town are an ideal place to escape the winter chill. However, come summer, the quintessential Cracow experience is relaxing in a pavement café on the main square enjoying one of the long and balmy nights.

Cracow (Krakow) is now well established as a major tourist destination. At the height of summer, Poland’s fourth largest city throngs with tour groups, all manner of tourist tack and countless pavement cafés that seem to occupy every cobble of the main square. Out of season, late at night or even in the first slivers of morning light, it is clear why so many people flock to visit. This magical city, situated in the southeast of the country, between the Jura uplands and the Tatra Mountains, on the banks of the Wisla (Vistula) River, has one of the best-preserved medieval city centres in Europe. Dozens of churches cover almost every architectural period and are surrounded by monasteries and abbeys – walking through the Old Town streets is like drifting back through the musty pages of a historical novel.

Cracow – a tourist horn of plenty
Cracow, Poland's former royal capital, is one of the most attractive spots on the tourist map of Europe. This is a place where legends, history and modernity intertwine. The city, which lies on the banks of the Vistula River, is famous for its priceless historical monuments of culture and art.

Auschwitz-Birkenau (Oświęcim-Brzezinka in Polish)
All over the world, Auschwitz has become a symbol of terror, genocide, and the Holocaust. It was established by the Nazis in the suburbs of the city of Oswiecim which, like other parts of Poland, was occupied by the Germans during the Second World War. The name of the city of Oswiecim was changed to Auschwitz, which became the name of the camp as well. June 14, 1940, when the first transport of Polish political prisoner deportees arrived in Auschwitz, is regarded as the date when it began to function. Since 1940 it was the location of a concentration and later of the extermination camp. By January 1945 around 2 million people had been killed here, mostly Jews but also Gypsies, as well as political and war prisoners. The camp was designed to be an organized death factory. Everything was thoroughly put into accounts. On leaving the camp, the SS blew up part of the facilities. The barracks once crammed with prisoners, the torture and execution sites and the rail-tracks leading straight to the camp remained on place to stand witness to this appalling cruelty. Tourists can watch the movie made by the Soviet troops during the camp’s liberation. This memorial site can be visited every day. It was added to UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List.