23 Days Enthralled by Europe's East - Featuring Poland's Stunning South Tour Package
Duration: 23 Days / 22 Nights
Priced From: $6,579 (All pricing reflects per-person Land Only expenses)
Dates: Sep, Aug
Displaying a fascinating mixture of Slavic eastern and German western influences Poland's capital city, Warsaw, immerses travellers in a unique world of mystifying contrasts and sets an apt tone for our 25-day adventure exploring the hidden gems of these three Eastern European lands of plenty. Meandering through cobblestone streets, we visit the churches, palaces and marketplace in the Old Town, much of which has undergone considerable restoration efforts since the Second World War, and we marvel at the broad range of architectural style. We stop in at no fewer than a dozen cities and towns as we continue through scenic countryside, enjoying world-famous attractions in the larger urban areas like Gdansk and heading into rural Poland for a taste of the day-to-day life of its friendly inhabitants. Flying into Belarus, we find a land whose plethora of historic monuments are dedicated to the casualties and victims of the Great Patriotic War, or Second World War as the West knows it. From war memorials, to graveyard villages and from the Trees of Life, which commemorate the 433 villages destroyed by the Nazis, to the Memory Wall, which lists the Nazi concentration camps and their victims, Belarus is a nation whose very identity is rooted deep in the events of its tragic past. Though it suffered heavy physical damage during the War, Belarus underwent extensive restoration and rebuilding, efforts that have since returned its devastated ancient sites back to their former glory. From here, it's on to Ukraine, a land that boasts world-famous UNESCO Heritage Sites, fascinating underground catacombs and innumerable historical sites of interest, such as the setting of the famous 'Charge of the Light Brigade' during the Crimean War. We wander along palatial-fringed avenues, stop off in a number of museums brimming with ancient artefacts and learn first-hand about life in Ukraine by mingling with the welcoming locals along the way.
Tour Itinerary
Day 1 Arrive in Warsaw
Arrival in Warsaw. After WWII, a reconstruction campaign by its citizens resulted in today's meticulous restoration of Warsaw's Old Town with its churches, palaces and market-place. It is an outstanding example of a near-total reconstruction of a span of history covering the 13th to the 20th century. Overnight in Warsaw. Dinner if required.
Day 2 Warsaw - Kazimierz Dolny - Lublin
We depart this morning for Kazimierz Dolny, a pearl of Polish Renaissance architecture and a picturesque historic town on the Vistula River. The town features countless wonderfully preserved mediaeval sites: a beautiful Market Square, several old churches, granaries, and the ruins of a castle overlooking the town. It is also a favourite place with artists and writers who find inspiration in this picturesque setting. Our journey continues to Lublin. On arrival we will visit the Old Town with its impressive Krakow Gate dating back to 14th century; Town Hall, the Dominican Church founded in the 14th century, presently in the renaissance style. An especially interesting place is the Cathedral with its acoustic sacristy. One of the most important monuments of Lublin is the priceless Byzantine-Russian frescoes in the Church of Holy Trinity situated within the castle fortification walls. The castle was built in the 13th century but it was rebuilt many times; the last reconstruction took place in the 19th century when it was converted into prison. Overnight in Lublin. Breakfast and dinner.
Day 3 Lublin - Zamosc: City Tour
We continue to Zamosc, the fortress-city. Zamosc is one of Europe's best preserved Renaissance town centres and is classified by UNESCO as "an outstanding historical monument". On arrival we will tour the town, founded in the 16th century by the chancellor Jan Zamoysky on the trade route linking western and northern Europe with the Black Sea. Modelled on Italian theories of the 'ideal city' and built by the architect Bernando Morando, a native of Padua, Zamosc is a perfect example of a late-16th-century Renaissance town. It has retained its original layout and fortifications and a large number of buildings that combine Italian and central European architectural traditions. Balance of the day at leisure in this charming city. Overnight in Zamosc. Breakfast and dinner.
Day 4 Zamosc - Lancut - Krakow
Today we travel by road to Lancut where we visit Lancut Castle. Erected in the seventeenth century, the Lancut Castle has been re-designed a number of times. The buildings and the park now have the late nineteenth and early twentieth century appearance, whereas the interiors represent a variety of styles, from Baroque to eclectic to Art Nouveau. The interiors were opened to the public in the inter-war period, and since 1944 the Castle has been Poland's largest residential museum. We continue to Krakow, one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. It was originally the home of the Polish royalty (between 1038 and 1596), before the capital was moved to Warsaw. The cobblestoned streets, majestic churches (almost 100!), and old world charm make Krakow an unforgetable destination. Overnight in/near Krakow.* Breakfast and dinner. * NOTE: Krakow, and most of Poland, is enjoying a touristic renaissance and is currently experiencing a shortage of hotel accommodation in some locales. Accordingly, we cannot promise that our Krakow hotel will be central.
Day 5 Krakow: Walking Tour
Krakow is very compact, and the whole central region with its cobblestone streets is full of well-preserved architecture, Gothic churches and splendid museums. On our sightseeing tour we visit Wawall Hill with the Royal Castle, Market Square, and the 16th century Renaissance Cloth Hall. We continue onward to Jagiellonian University and St Mary's Church with the Wit Stwosz altar. This was designed in 1489 by Wit Stwosz of Nuremburg and is the finest sculptural work in Poland. We also explore Old Market Square. Your afternoon is free to further explore this beautiful city. Overnight in Krakow. Breakfast and dinner.
Day 6 Krakow: Wieliczka Salt Mines
Today we travel to the Wieliczka Salt Mines. On our 5km (3 mile) journey below the earth's surface we will see the salt-formed caves and grottoes, a subterranean lake and a chapel with statues carved from salt. The mines' 11 levels of galleries stretch 300km (186 miles), and some 20,000,000 tonnes (22,000,000 tons) of rock salt were extracted over 700 years. According to local legend, the deposits were discovered in the 13th century by a Hungarian princess named Kinga, whose lost ring was found in a block of salt extracted here. We return to Krakow the balance of the day at leisure. Overnight in Krakow. Breakfast and dinner.
Day 7 Krakow - Auschwitz & Birkenau - Czestochowa - Warsaw
This morning's programme is important for understanding the complex and compelling nature of the region's history. We visit the Oswiecim (Auschwitz) and Brzezinka (Birkenau) Nazi concentration camps preserved as memorials to the 1.5 million people of 28 nationalities who perished here, the overwhelming majority of whom were Jewish. We then stop at Czestochowa, the "spiritual home" of Poland where pilgrims from every corner of the country come to Jasna Gora (Luminous Mountain) Monastery to worship the image of the Black Madonna, Poland's most important icon. Legend says that the icon was painted by St Luke the Evangelist on a piece of cypress wood from the table used by Mary in Nazareth. The icon was brought from Jerusalem and installed in the monastery around 1384. We continue to Warsaw. Overnight in Warsaw. Breakfast and dinner.
Day 8 Warsaw: City Tour & Wilanow Palace
Warsaw has shrugged off its dour Eastern Bloc image, and is finally showing its true colours. The vibrant heart of the largest country in "New Europe", Warsaw is now poised to make is presence felt as a business and cultural hub. We begin our sightseeing today with a drive along the Royal Route and a brief orientation drive around the city before beginning our walking tour of the Old Town, a UNESCO protected site. We visit the Historical Museum and then have some free time in the vicinity for shopping and lunch. We then proceed to Wilanow Palace, the former residence of King Jan III Sobieski and today housing a superb art collection. We proceed to Lazienki Park for a walk through the park to visit the Palace on the Water. We visit the Castle Square Uprising Monument and then drive over to the Praga area for a view of the river. Overnight in Warsaw. Breakfast and dinner.
Day 9 Warsaw - Zelazowa Wola - Torun
Today we travel northward to Torun via Zelazowa Wola and the house of composer, Frederic Chopin, where we break for lunch. We continue to the picturesque medieval town of Torun. Torun escaped World War II with little damage and many of its buildings remain untouched since the Middle Ages. A highlight of our tour today will be the Nicolaus Copernicus Museum, Copernius House. The museum collects materials about the life and work of Copernicus: a library, old prints and books from the time of Copernicus, various editions of his work, "Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres," and models of the astronomical instruments he used. Overnight in Torun. Breakfast and dinner.
Day 10 Torun - Malbork - Gdansk
Today we travel from Torun to Malbork. On arrival we will visit Malbork Castle (a UNESCO site), the largest castle in Poland and one of the oldest in Europe. This is a splendid example of a classic medieval fortress with multiple defensive walls, a labyrinth of rooms and chambers with great architectural details and decorations. We will have free time for lunch and exploration followed by a transfer to Gdansk where we will have a tour on arrival. Gdansk is absolutely charming, and the architecture with its tall, narrow buildings, peaked roofs and decorative facades combine perfectly with the cobblestone streets. The famous Gdansk Shipyards are visible from most parts of the city. We visit the marvellous Old Town and its main street--Dlugi Targ (Long Market). Overnight in Gdansk. Breakfast and dinner.
Day 11 Gdansk: Kaszuby Region
Today we explore the Polish folklore of the Kaszuby Region. Kashubia, the northern part of Poland, is characterized by the beauty of its landscapes and its numerous architectural monuments. The heart of Kashubia is the Carthusian district (Kartuzy), known as the "Kashubian Switzerland" and one of the most beautiful parts of Poland. Owing to the preponderance of hills, hillocks, forests and numerous lakes, Kashubia has come to be known as "the land of a thousand lakes". The Kashubian Regional Museum in Kartuzy will introduce you to some of the intricacies of Kashubian domestic, cultural and religious traditions. Kashubians are a very ancient ethnic group of Slavonic Balts. They resisted polonisation for centuries but regard themselves as Poles. After the partitions of Poland, despite systematic Germanisation, the Kashubians maintained close ties with Poland. They did not lose their identity, historical heritage or original culture. We stop in Wdzydze Kiszewskie to visit the oldest ethnographical open-air museum in Poland, picturesquely located within the Wdzydze Landscape Park. The museum includes buildings collected from the central and southern Kashubia region. Overnight in Gdansk. Breakfast and dinner.
Day 12 Gdansk - Olsztyn - Warsaw
This morning we travel back south to Warsaw via Olsztyn, a city located in the heart of one of Poland's favorite vacation areas. We'll pause here to see the room in which Copernicus lived during a visit to the Museum of Warmia and Mazuria, housed in the old Gothic castle. We'll also visit the Gothic St. James Cathedral before continuing our journey. We arrive in Warsaw later in the afternoon. Overnight in Warsaw. Breakfast and dinner.
Day 13 Warsaw, Poland - Kyiv, Ukraine
Today we fly from Warsaw to Kyiv ("Kiev" in Russian), capital of Ukraine. Overnight in Kyiv. Breakfast and dinner.
Day 14 Kyiv: City Tour
Today we have a busy day touring Kyiv, including the cathedral of Hagia Sophia, the oldest cathedral in Ukraine. Founded in the early 11th century, and largely rebuilt during the 17th and 18th centuries, it is now a museum with beautiful Christian frescoes. St Sophia Cathedral is inscribed on the UNESCO list of the most important monuments of the world's cultural heritage. We also see the Golden Gate, St Andrew's Church, designed by Rastrelli, the famous architect who built the world famous Winter Palace in St.Petersburg; St Michael's Monastery, monuments to Yaroslav the Wise, Princess Olga, monument to Prince Vladimir, who converted Rus' to Christianity. We also visit the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra Monastery where we will be able to see the famous caves, one of the most sacred places of Orthodox Christianity; unique museums of precious historical items, and collections of ancient books and icons. This afternoon we head to the suburbs of Kyiv to the sobering memorial at Babi Yar. Kyiv had a Jewish population of 175,000 on the eve of the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941. The Nazi forces captured the city in mid-September; within less than a fortnight, on the 29th and 30th, nearly 34,000 Jews of the ghetto were brought to a suburban ravine known as Babi Yar, near the Jewish Cemetary, where men, women, and children were executed over two days. In subsequent months, most of the remaining population was exterminated. Overnight in Kyiv. Breakfast and dinner.
Day 15 Kyiv - Lviv
Today we fly from Kyiv to Lviv, the "capital" of Western Ukraine and one of the country's most impressive cities. The Ukrainian Catholic Church, forced underground by Stalin in 1946, re-emerged here with Glasnost in the late 1980s to play a significant role in a new Ukrainian independence movement. Balance of the day at leisure. Overnight in Lviv. Breakfast and dinner.
Day 16 Lviv: City Tour
Lviv, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, has a rich and impressive history. Numerous historical events are concerned with the city. The walls of old Lviv buildings still keep the spirit of past centuries; cozy streets and fascinating monuments make it a unique attraction among the Ukrainian and Eastern European cities. Lviv's architectural landscape joins the monuments of numerous styles and different epochs. From the gothic 14th century Latin Cathedral, to the baroque of St. George (Sviatoho Yura) Cathedral. Renaissance-style Bernardine Monastery and Chapel of Boimes coexist with the strict simplicity of Armenian Church. We have a city tour including the following major sites: the High Castle or Prince Hill, where the fortress used to be, with the panorama lot; the Church of St. Nicholas (13th century); the Church of Assumption and the Kornyakt Belfry (16th century); the Church of St.Parasceve (17th century) and its unique 70-icon iconostasis; the Cathedral of Dominicans (18th century); the Old Pharmacy; Market Square (over 40 14th-18th century buildings; St.George's Cathedral (18th century); St.John's Cathedral (14th century); the "Vienna-like" Prospekt Svobody (Liberty Avenue); the magnificent Opera House (exterior). You may wish to take in an optional performance at the Lviv Opera if schedules permit. Overnight in Lviv. Breakfast and dinner.
Day 17 Lviv: "Golden Horseshoe" Tour
Today we have a trip to the "Golden Horseshoe of Lviv," visiting Olesky and Pidhirts castles, as well as Zolochivsky Castle, site of one of the three Chinese palaces remaining in Europe. Olesky Castle (13-18th century) was built on hill by one of the sons of the Galician-Volynian prince, Yuriy Lvivych. The castle was described as a mighty fortress in documents dating to 1327. During the 15th and 18th centuries the Tatars made frequent attacks on the castle. In the 16th century it was rebuilt in the Italian Renaissance style. Today a museum and art gallery are located in the castle. Pidhirtsy Castle (1635-40). The castle complex includes: a palace surrounded by a system of ditches and walls, a Roman Catholic Church, a Baroque gate, and a park with various buildings from the 17th-18th century. Zolochiv Castle is a former residence of a Polish count, surrounded by defensive ramparts. The Chinese Palace stands nearby. Balance of the day at leisure. This evening you might consider an optional visit to the Lviv Opera (if available; your Tour Leader can help plan this excursion). Overnight in Lviv. Breakfast and dinner.
Day 18 Lviv - Simferopol - Yalta
Today we transfer to the airport for our flight to Simferopol (possibly via Kyiv). We continue by road to Yalta. Yalta is a seaside resort on the Crimean Peninsula, long a favoured spot for Russian and Ukrainian elite who constructed palatial homes here. We visit the magnificent Alexander Nevsky Cathedral with its intricate Byzantine adornment. Overnight in Yalta. Breakfast and dinner.
Day 19 Yalta & Sevastopol
We visit the magnificent Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, with its intricate Byzantine adornment, and Anton Chekhov's house and museum commemorating this esteemed writer. Our coastal drive brings us to Livadia Palace, summer home of Tsar Nicholas II, built in 1911 in elegant renaissance style. Livadia later hosted the 1945 Yalta Conference when Churchill, Stalin, and Roosevelt met at the end of WWII to carve Europe into spheres of influence. We transfer to Sevastopol where we will visit the site of the Crimean War (1864-1865) and the scene of the famous "Charge of the Light Brigade". We also have an Excursion to the ancient Greek town of Khersones, before transferring back to Yalta. Overnight in Yalta. Breakfast and dinner.
Day 20 Yalta - Odesa
Today we drive to Odesa ("Odessa" in Russian) and transfer to our hotel. From the ancient times the area was inhabited by Scythians, Sarmats, Greeks, and Slavs. In the times of Kyiv Rus it was a part of this huge Slavic state. In the 13th century it was annexed to the Tartar-Mongol Empire, "The Golden Horde". At the beginning of the 15th century it was annexed to Lithuania, and in some 50 years, to Turkey. In 1791 the territory became a part of the Russian Empire. Overnight in Odesa. Breakfast and dinner.
Day 21 Odesa: Catacombs & Belgorod
This morning we will make an excursion to the Odesa Catacombs, which create an underground labyrinth stretching the expanse of the city. Our tour begins at a Cossack military settlement just outside the city and involves a 500 metre underground walk with a stop at a World War II command post and local museum with a recreation of the resistance headquarters. Later we travel to Belgorod-Dniestrovsky and visit the impressive fortress on the banks of the Dnister River. First settled by the Greeks, then the Romans, the site was subsequently controlled by Cossacks, Tartars, Russians and Romanians. The 13th century fortress, founded by Stefan II of Moldavia on a strategic spur of land overlooking the Dnister estuary, is among Ukraine's largest. Its walls stretch nearly 2 km (1.25 miles) and its moat, once filled by an artificial tributary of the river. Overnight in Odesa. Breakfast and dinner.
Day 22 Odesa: City Tour
Today we have a city tour, including many architectural sites of 19th-20th centuries, many of them designed by world famous architects and engineers. Most notable are the Opera House (resembling the Vienna Opera and the Dresden Court Theater) built in 1884-87; the Marine (Potyomkin) Stairway (1837-41)--one of the largest stairways in the world; and the heart of Odessa and immortalized in Sergei Eisenstein's 1925 film, Battleship Potemkin; Deribasivska [Deribasovskaya] Street with plenty of shops and pubs. We will visit the five-domed Uspensky Cathedral, visit Shevchenko Park with views of the Black Sea, and the Fine Arts Gallery (formally Count Pototsky's Palace), now housing Russian and Ukrainian paintings dating back to the 15th century. Overnight in Odesa. Breakfast and dinner.
Day 23 Departure
Departure from Odesa. Breakfast. Scaslyvoji podorozhi!!
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9/09
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