Highlights of Poland

Transfers to your hotel depart Kraków airport. Meet your Travel Director for a walk around the Rynek Główny, Europe's largest and most beautiful town square. See the famous Sukiennice Cloth Hall, St. Mary’s Basilica and the many historic townhouses, palaces and churches. Enjoy getting to know your fellow guests over a fabulous dinner.

In the morning you can join an Optional Experience to visit the Wieliczka Salt Mine or relax until your ascent of Wawel Hill to see the Renaissance castle and visit the cathedral with a Local Expert. Head across the former Jewish Quarter of Kazimierz to Podgórze to see Ghetto Square.

Journey into the Tatras, the highest range of the Carpathian Mountains. Arrive at the resort town of Zakopane, famous for its wooden houses and winter sports, and explore on a city orientation. Enjoy a rousing dinner, accompanied by Goral Highlander folklore entertainment at a local restaurant.

Travelling past the birthplace of Pope John Paul II, your first stop will be the city of Oświęcim, better known throughout the world by its German name, Auschwitz. With a Memorial Guide-Educator, experience a moving visit to the memorial and museum of Auschwitz and a stop at Birkenau. Travel along the Oder River to the city of Wrocław, known in Polish as Miasto Spotkań or the meeting place. During its long history, Wrocław has belonged to Poland, Bohemia, Austria, Prussia and Germany. With your Local Expert, see the brightly coloured facades of the noble mansions and the flower markets on the Plac Solny. Take in the Baroque splendour of the Rynek, and be introduced to Wrocław's cheeky gnomes. This evening, join your Travel Director for a Craft Beer at the Piwnica Świdnicka, the oldest restaurant/cellar in Poland, founded in 1273.

In Poznań visit Ostrów Tumski, known as Cathedral Island, a fascinating place of legend, often overlooked by other visitors. Explore Poznan with Insight Choice. Choose to immerse yourself in the history of the city and enjoy a walking tour. Alternatively, learn the secrets behind the St. Martin’s croissant, a local delicacy, and enjoy a tasting.

Stop at Gniezno to visit the cathedral and see the famous winged bronze doors. Continue to Toruń, expanded by the Teutonic Knights in 1233. Join a Local Expert to discover this outstanding example of medieval architecture, now a living museum and UNESCO World Heritage Site. On a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience, meet an artisan baker for a taste of delicious gingerbread, baked following a traditional recipe and using only locally sourced ingredients. Spend time exploring at your own pace. Follow the Vistula River to the Baltic Sea and Gdańsk, with a lovingly restored historic district.

Spend the morning with a passionate Local Expert. Learn captivating and fun facts about the city and see the Westerplatte, the scene of the first fighting between Polish and German troops in 1939, and the Gdańsk Shipyards where Lech Wałęsa formed the anti-Soviet Solidarność in 1980. Continue through the medieval city, where buildings date back to the time of the Hanseatic League. Enjoy a free afternoon and perhaps choose to visit the elegant seaside town of Sopot?

With a Local Expert, visit the Castle of the Teutonic Order in Malbork, founded in 1274 by the Teutonic Knights on the banks of the Nogat River. The castle is a stunning example of a medieval fortress and the largest brick Gothic castle in the world. Next travel south to the capital of Warsaw. With the rest of the day at your leisure, perhaps attend an evening concert of Poland’s best-loved composer, Frédéric Chopin?

See the Palace of Culture and the Chopin Monument in Łazienki Park with a Local Expert. Visit the Monument to the Ghetto Heroes, followed by a walk through Warsaw’s Old Town, entirely rebuilt since World War II. At your dinner, enjoy a fine selection of local dishes with wine at a cosy Warsaw restaurant.

Time to say goodbye to your new friends as your journey through Poland comes to an end.