Warsaw - Kaszuby Region - Gdansk - Torun - Gniezno - Wroclaw - Trzebnica - Czestochowa - Auschwitz - Wadowice - Ludzmierz - Zakopane - Wieliczka - Lagiewniki - Krakow

Starting in Warsaw:  2015 - May 15

Land only: $ 2049 USD  ( $ 2149 CAD )
Per person in dbl room land only.  Single room $ 2499 USD  ( $ 2599 CAD)

INCLUDED SERVICES:

• Airport transfer in Warsaw and Krakow
• English speaking tour escort
• English speaking local guides
• Meals as per itinerary: B=breakfast, L=lunch, D=dinner
• Sightseeing & entrance fees as per itinerary

YOUR HOTELS:

• 1 night at Warsaw Sofitel Victoria
• 2 nights at Bazuny Hotel & Spa in Bazuny
• 1 night in Torun Bulwar Hotel
• 2 nights in Wroclaw at Qubus Hotel
• 1 night Hotel Galicja Oswiecim
• 1 night at Grand Nosalowy Dwor & Spa in Zakopane
• 2 nights Novotel Krakow City West

 

DAY 1, FRI MAY 15 WARSAW ( WELCOME DINNER )

Arrive Warsaw and transfer to your hotel. Check in to the hotel and enjoy the rest of the afternoon at your leisure.
Welcome dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight in Warsaw at Sofitel Victoria Hotel.

DAY 2, SAT MAY 16 WARSAW – KASZUBY ( B, D )

After breakfast a brief sightseeing tour of Warsaw will include drive along the Royal Route with its historical monuments and residences and then stop at Castle Square for a short walk throught the Old Town. Early afternoon we board our coach to travel north to the Kaszuby region of Poland. Dinner and overnight in Koscierzyna at Bazuny Hotel & Spa.

DAY 3, SUN MAY 17 KASHUBY REGION ( B, L, D )

After breakfast we enjoy a full day of touring the region including the towns and villages of Wiele, Parchowo, Lipusz, Kalis, Borzyszkowy, Koscierzyna, Ugoszcz, Stezyca. The first significant group of Polish immigrants to settle in Canada were Kashubians from this part of Northern Poland, they arrived in Renfrew County of Ontario in 1858, where they founded the settlements of Wilno, Barry’s Bay, and Round Lake. By 1890 there were about 270 Kashubian families working in the Madawaska Valley of Renfrew County, mostly in the lumber industry of the Ottawa Valley.
Sunday Mass will be celebrated in one of these towns. Dinner and overnight at Bazuny Hotel & Spa.

DAY 4, MON MAY 18 KASZUBY - GDANSK - TORUN (B, L, D)

After breakfast we will drive to the beautiful city of Gdansk for a tour of the Old Town with Golden Gate which opens onto Long Market with its grand mansions decorated with late Renaissance and Baroque facades where the richest burghers of Gdansk once lived, the Artus Court - a building used for Hanseatic League meetings renowned as the most beautiful court among all of Europe’s Hanseatic cities, St. Mary's Basilica, Mariacka Street, with its gabled terraced houses and elegant boutiques.
Lunch in Gdansk. In the afternoon (weather permitting) enjoy a ferry ride to historic Westerplatte to see the place where WWII started. From here our next stop will be at Oliwa to visit the Cathedral famous for its one of a kind organs and enjoy a short concert. Late afternoon we drive to Torun, the birthplace of Nicolaus Copernicus and one of the most magnificent historic cities of Poland. Its Old Town has been included in the UNESCO’s list for its impressive 13th century Town Hall, superb churches and streets that recall Torun’s past glory. Dinner and overnight in Torun at Hotel Bulwar.

DAY 5, TUE MAY 19 TORUN – GNIEZNO – WROCLAW (B, D)

After breakfast a short walking tour of Torun and then we leave to drive towards Wroclaw. Enroute we will stop in Gniezno, the first capital of Poland. The most important thing to see in Gniezno is the 14th-century Gothic Cathedral, with its priceless memorabilia, relics, and the tomb of Saint Adalbert that draws Catholics from all over Europe. The Cathedral witnessed the coronation of the first five Polish kings, and the archives contain several of Poland’s earliest manuscripts. We continue to Wroclaw. Dinner tonight will be at a local restaurant. Overnight at the Qubus Hotel.

DAY 6, WED MAY 20 WROCLAW - TRZEBNICA - WROCLAW ( B , D )

Today we will drive to the Sanctuary of St Hedwig (Jadwiga) in Trzebnica which was founded in the year 1203. We will celebrate Mass and then spend some time visiting the Sanctuary. The grave of St Hedwig is located in a chapel to the right of the high altar. In the afternoon we return to Wroclaw where we will have a walking tour starting with the oldest part of the city “Ostrow Tumski” one of the most beautiful and perfectly preserved sacral architecture complexes in Europe and we will end our tour at the Old Town Market Square . Dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight at the Qubus Hotel.

DAY 7, THU MAY 21 WROCLAW – CZESTOCHOWA – AUSCHWITZ ( B , D )

After breakfast we depart Wroclaw and drive to Czestochowa where we visit the Jasna Gora Monastery with the country’s national shrine and holy picture of the Black Madonna. After our visit you will have some free time before we continue to Auschwitz, the biggest Nazi concentration & extermination camp, now a UNESCO Heritage site and memorial to commemorate the victims of the Holocaust. Dinner and overnight on the outskirts of the town of Oswiecim at Hotel Galicja.

DAY 8, FRI MAY 22 OSWIECIM –WADOWICE – LUDZMIERZ - ZAKOPANE ( B , D )

After breakfast we continue our journey south stopping first in Wadowice, the place of birth of our beloved Pope St.John Paul II. We will visit the Basilica where Karol Wojtyła was baptized and made his First Communion as well as the JPII Family Home Museum. Afterwards you will have free time and perhaps enjoy a “kremowka” John Paul II’s favorite dessert before we re-board the bus and drive to our next stop which is Ludzmierz . The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Ludzmierz is home to Our Lady of Ludzmierz, known as the Shepherdess of Podhale. The cult of Our Lady of Ludzmierz is strongly identified with the Goral people who live in the surrounding Tatra Mountains. Afternoon arrival in the picturesque highlander village of Zakopane. Enjoy a sightseeing tour of Zakopane including a cable car ride to the top of Mt Gubalowka where you have a great view of the Tatra mountains Back at the bottom of the mountain is a market full of shops selling local specialties such as wood carvings sheepskins & local cheese. Dinner at a local highlander inn. Overnight at the Grand Nosalowy Dwor Resort & Spa.

DAY 9, SAT MAY 23 ZAKOPANE – WIELICZKA – LAGIEWNIKI - KRAKOW ( B , L )

After breakfast we leave Zakopane and drive north to Krakow. We will first visit Wieliczka, an amazing UNESCO Heritage Site. The salt mine here is one of the oldest ( 13th c.) mining sites in the world. The underground route is a labyrinth of galleries and caverns with unique sculptures all carved out of salt. After the tour we will have a lunch at a local restaurant and then continue with a short drive to Lagiewniki, the capital of the Divine Mercy, to visit the Blessed Sister Faustina Convent and the Shrine of the Divine Mercy. After a short visit we drive to our hotel in Krakow. Evening at your leisure. Overnight in Krakow.

DAY 10, SUN MAY 24 KRAKOW ( B , D )

This morning we will have a walking tour of Krakow including the Royal Wawel Hill, the Old Town with the Cloth Hall, the Barbican , St Mary’s Church with the 15th century Witt Stwosz Altar inside, and Florianska Gate . The tour will end in the Old Town. Afternoon at your leisure to explore Krakow further or for last minute shopping. Farewell dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight in Krakow.

DAY 11, MON MAY 25 KRAKOW, end of tour ( B )

After breakfast we transfer to the airport in Krakow.

 

DAILY MASSES WILL BE ARRANGED AND SCHEDULE ADVISED AT A LATER TIME .

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B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner