Warsaw - Lodz - Kazimierz Dolny - Majdanek - Lublin - Chelm - Wlodawa - Zamosc - Belzec - Lezajsk - Rzeszow - Tarnow - Zakopane - Auschwitz - Krakow

Includes  stay in Krakow during the Annual Jewish Cultural Festival 2014

Starting in Warsaw:
2014 - Jun 25
$3,335 per person in dbl room land only, Single occupancy $4,260

INCLUDED SERVICES:

• Airport transfers in Warsaw & Krakow
• English-speaking tour escort assistance
• English-speaking local guides
• Private air-conditioned motorcoach
• Meals as per itinerary: B=breakfast, L=lunch, D-dinner
• Sightseeing & entrance fees as per itinerary
• Luggage handling at hotels (one piece per person)
• Hotel charges and taxes

YOUR HOTELS:

• 2 nights at Radisson Blu Sobieski in Warsaw
• 1 night at Double Tree by Hilton in Lodz
• 1 night at Grand Lublinianka in Lublin
• 1 night at Mercure Old Town in Zamosc
• 1 night at the Grand Hotel in Rzeszow
• 2 nights at the Grand Stamary in Zakopane
• 4 nights at the Radisson Blu in Krakowr
  

WED, JUN 25: WARSAW (D)

Arrival in Warsaw and transfer to the hotel. Orientation walk along the Warsaw’s Old Town with its beautiful tenement houses, galleries and restaurants. Welcome dinner at a local restaurant located in the Old Town.

THU, JUN 26: WARSAW (B)

Full day tour of Warsaw including Jewish sites: Nozyk Synagogue, Okopowa Jewish Cemetery – the largest one in Warsaw founded at the beginning of the 19th century, the Warsaw Ghetto area – including the site of the bunker on Mila Street, 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. Afternoon visit to the Museum of the History of Polish Jews.

FRI, JUN 27: WARSAW – LODZ (B, D)

Morning departure for Lodz – one of the largest Jewish centers in Poland until the outbreak of World War II. Several large textile mills were in the hands of Jewish industrialists: the Poznanskis, Kohns, Ejtingons, Wislickis families. A good place to find out how the barons of industry lived in Lodz, before World War II, is the “Ksiezy Mlyn” residence, awarded a honorary medal of the Europe Nostra Organization for the excellent reconstruction. 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. Strongly represented is a Jewish painter Jakiel Adler. We visit Jewish „cemetery palaces” situated in the Jewish cemetery, the largest Jewish graveyard in Europe. See the Radegast train station - the site of the Litzmannstadt Ghetto Monument. Also see the monument of Jan Karski. He was a Polish World War II resistance movement fighter and later professor at Georgetown University. Enjoy a Shabbat style dinner in Lodz.

SAT, JUN 28: LODZ - KAZIMIERZ DOLNY - MAJDANEK - LUBLIN (B)

After breakfast we drive to Kazimierz Dolny, a picturesque town and one of the most beautifully situated little towns in Poland. From the town’s beginnings, Jews formed an important part of the community, before World War II they formed over half the town’s population. Afternoon continue to Majdanek, the third largest concentration camp after Treblinka and Auschwitz. Late afternoon arrival in Lublin for overnight.

SUN, JUN 29: LUBLIN – CHELM - WLODAWA - ZAMOSC (B)

Morning tour of Lublin, where the Jewish community appeared 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. Visits will include: the synagogue, the old Jewish cemetery established in the first half of the 16th century, the new Jewish cemetery founded in 1828. After our morning tour we leave Lublin and will be visiting “shtetls” in southeastern Poland. First stop is Chełm to see a synagogue from 19th century and cemetery, next stop will be in Włodawa, a town which became a popular Chassidism center in the 19th century, to see the splendid Grand Synagogue. Continue to Zamosc for overnight.

MON, JUN 30: ZAMOŚĆ – BELZEC – LEZAJSK – RZESZOW (B)

In the morning see Zamość synagogue, school, Mikvah and hospital located on the Jewish Street and a cemetery established outside the town at the beginning of the 17th century. Drive to Belzec to visit the monument commemorating half a million Jews murdered by the Nazis. Continue to Lezajsk - where Jews arrived early 16th century. Now, it is a special place for all pilgrimages of Chassidim who come to visit Chassidic Rabbi Elimelech Lippman’s grave every year. Drive to Rzeszow for overnight.

TUE, JUL 01: RZESZOW – TARNOW – ZAKOPANE (B, D)

Depart for Zakopane. En route visit Tarnow, where the first Jewish settlers came in the Middle Ages. See the well preserved Jewish tenement houses; the Bimah, Mikvah, square of the Ghetto Heroes and Jewish cemetery. Continue to Zakopane for overnight. Dinner at a local highlander inn with folklore.

WED, JUL 02: ZAKOPANE (B)

Zakopane is in a valley at the foot of the Tatra Mountain in the Podhale region inhabited by Polish Highlanders who manage to keep their culture alive and distinct from mainstream culture for centuries. During your tour of you will see the distinctive wooden architecture here. Take a funicular to Gubalowka Mountain to admire the view over the Tatras. Later we take a leisurely raft ride down the Dunajec river through the Pieniny Gorge .Return to Zakopane for overnight.

THU, JUL 03: ZAKOPANE –AUSCHWITZ - KRAKOW (B)

Morning departure from Zakopane to see the largest death factory in the history of humanity - Auschwitz-Birkenau. The site of the camp now houses the Auschwitz State Museum, which displays exhibits and documents concerning Nazi crimes. Upon arrival to Krakow visit the Galicia Museum that exists to commemorate the victims of the Holocaust and celebrate the Jewish culture of Polish Galicia.

FRI, JUL 04: KRAKOW (B, D)

Tour of Krakow’s Old Town with the Main Market Square with its magnificent houses and palaces and the Cloth Hall in the middle of the Market Square, originally built before 1349. Visit Kazimierz, the former Jewish town with its own Market Square, Town Hall and thriving culture. Watch a short movie about Kazimierz district in the of Center for Jewish Culture. See the 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. Afternoon visit to the Oscar Schindler Factory. In the evening enjoy your Shabbat Dinner joined by Chief Rabbi of Poland, Michael Schudrich; Chief Rabbi of Galicia, Edgar Gluck; Jewish Cultural Festival Director, Janusz Makuch, and Festival performers along with the Jewish community for a festive, kosher dinner to benefit the Jewish Community Centre of Krakow.

SAT, JUL 05: KRAKOW - WIELICZKA – KRAKOW (B)

Morning excursion to Wieliczka Salt Mine. For over 700 years, many generations of Polish miners created an unforgettable underground world of chambers, grottoes, and chapels all decorated with beautiful statues sculpted in salt. The Wieliczka Salt Mine is on the UNESCO list of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage. After the tour we drive back to Krakow. Afternoon at leisure. Tonight join the biggest Jewish concert stage in the world “Shalom on Szeroka Street” Seven hours of non-stop Jewish music. Free admission to this outdoor event.

SUN, JUL 06: KRAKOW (B, D)

Day at leisure. It is the last day of the Jewish Culture Festival and you can join the events going on this day. Cost of 1-day pass to the Festival is approx 35-40 Euro per peson. Farewell dinner.

MON, JUL 07: KRAKOW (B) END OF TOUR

After breakfast tranfer to airport for your flight home.

B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner