Pilgrimage to Poland
Domestic and International Travel Since 1947
11 days / 10 nights – Air & Land.
Hosted by Father Roman Pasieczny
from St. Lawrence Catholic Church in Utica
TOUR FEATURES:
First class hotels, rooms with private bath or shower
English-speaking tour guide /chaperone and local tour guides
Private air-conditioned motor coach/minibus
Two Meals daily
Luggage handling
Sightseeing as per itinerary
ENTRANCE FEES:
Warsaw: Royal Castle and Lazienki Palace
Gdansk: St. Mary’s Basilica
Malbork: Malbork Castle
Czestochowa: Jasna Gora Monastery
Krakow: St. Mary’s Church, Wawel Castle and Wawel Cathedral
Wieliczka: Salt Mine
Wadowice: Museum of John Paul II
Oswiecim: Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum
Zakopane: Cable car to Gubalowka Mountain
DAILY ITINERARY:
DAY 1 Friday , May 11 th
USA – WARSAW
Depart from the USA on an overnight flight to Warsaw, Poland’s dynamic capital.
DAY 2 Saturday, May 12 th
WARSAW [Welcome dinner]
After arrival, you will be met and transferred to your hotel in the heart of the city. The afternoon is free. At 6:00PM, meet your guide and the rest of the group in the hotel lobby. Drive along the beautifully renovated Royal Route with its historical monuments and residences. Stop at Castle Square for a short walk through Old Town, and then join us for welcome dinner at a local restaurant. Your meal will include typical Polish dishes.
DAY 3 Sunday, May 13th
WARSAW [Breakfast, Lunch]
This morning, we introduce you to the highlights of Warsaw. A half-day sightseeing tour includes Old Town, beautifully rebuilt after World War II, with the impressive Royal Castle, seat of the kings of Poland. Here the Constitution of May 3rd was proclaimed in 1791, the second oldest constitution, after the US Constitution, in the world. You will admire some of its 300 rooms and see the Canaletto Room with 23 of his paintings, the Throne Room, the magnificent Knight’s Hall with six large paintings by Marcello Bacciarelli, the Marble room with its 22 portraits of Polish kings and the largest and most impressive of all the castle’s chambers, the Ballroom. After lunch served at a local restaurant in Old Town, we continue our tour with a drive to the area of the former Warsaw Ghetto. En route, you will see the building of the National Opera House and Town Hall. During your tour of Warsaw we invite you to the famous Warsaw chocolate factory "Wedel" to taste the delicious hot chocolate at the "Wedel Old Fashioned Shop". This evening you will take an unforgettable musical journey through the world famous compositions of our greatest composer, Frederic Chopin, at a piano recital. A glass of sparkling wine will be served during intermission.
DAY 4 Monday, May 14th
WARSAW – CZESTOCHOWA – ZAKOPANE [Breakfast, Lunch]
After breakfast, we depart for Zakopane – one of the most popular vacation resorts in the Tatra Mountains. En route, we stop in Czestochowa to visit the Jasna Gora Monastery and the Black Madonna Shrine with its miraculous icon. Lunch will be served a local restaurant in Czestochowa. In the evening we arrive in Zakopane beautifully situated at the foot of the Tatra Mountains, in the valley between Gubalowka and Giewont. It is the most popular resort in Poland and one of the most beautiful places in all of Poland, owing to its picturesque location. Once, a small mountain village, Zakopane became a fashionable artist’s retreat at the beginning of the 20th century.
DAY 5 Tuesday, May 15th
ZAKOPANE – KRAKOW [Breakfast, Dinner]
In the morning, you will have a sightseeing tour of Zakopane, whose wooden architecture blends with the natural landscapes and it is copied in other parts of Poland and is known as Zakopianski Style. You will visit the Jaszczurowka Chapel, a great example of the wooden architecture in Zakopane, and the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fatima at Krzeptowki, which was built by the people of Zakopane to thank the Lady of Fatima for saving the Pope after an attempt on His life. Admire the breathtaking views of the Tatras from the top of Gubalowka Mountain and shop for souvenirs of arts and crafts of the Highlanders (Gorale) in the local shops. After lunch on your own you will depart for Krakow. Walk with guide in the Old Market Square, including viist at St. Mary’s Church. Tonight’s dinner will be served at a local restaurant in Krakow’s Old Town Market Square.
DAY 6 Wednesday, May 16th
KRAKOW – AUSCHWITZ – WIELICZKA - KRAKOW [Breakfast, Lunch]
In the early morning we drive to Auschwitz to visit the Martyrdom Museum of the former Nazi concentration camp, the infamous factory of death. Later we drive to the Wieliczka Salt Mine, an unforgettable tourist attraction with underground chambers, grottoes, and chapels carved from salt.
DAY 7 Thursday, May 17th
KRAKOW – LOWICZ – TORUN [Breakfast, Lunch]
After breakfast, we leave for Torun. On the way, we will stop in Lowicz, a typical Mazovian town famous for folk art: colorful costumes and beautiful paper cut-outs. You will be invited for a home-hosted lunch by a local family, whose charming cottage is located at the foot of the former Lowicz Castle. You will be welcomed in a typical Polish way, with bread & salt, and enjoy your meal served by the young married couple in their lovely house. You will have time to talk about their day to day life and have your dessert in a beautiful garden. We continue to Torun, where the balance of the day is at leisure.
DAY 8 Friday, May 18th
TORUN – GDANSK [Breakfast, Lunch]
In the morning, we see the highlights of Torun. It is the birthplace of Nicolaus Copernicus and considered one of the most magnificent historic cities of Poland. Its Old Town has been included in UNESCO's list for its impressive 13th century Town Hall, superb churches and historic streets preserving Torun's past glory.A visit to Eskenow House - Torun Museum is included in your itinerary. Lunch will be served at a local restaurant in Torun. In the afternoon, we drive to Gdansk. Upon arrival, we take a brief walk through the town's Old Town.
DAY 9 Saturday, May 19th
GDANSK – GDYNIA – SOPOT – OLIWA [Breakfast, Lunch]
After breakfast, we tour Gdansk in depth. We start from the Upland Gate - a fragment of the city's former fortifications and one of its main gates. Just behind it, we pass by a baked-brick construction consisting of the Prison Tower and the Torture House - relics of the 15th century Gothic defense walls. The Golden Gate, situated next to the Prison Tower, opens onto Long Market - a magnificent street, with grand mansions decorated with late Renaissance and Baroque facades. A real feast for the eyes!!! It is here that the richest burghers of Gdansk once lived. Next, we come upon the Main Town and the Artus Court - a building used for Hanseatic League meetings. It is renowned as the most beautiful court among all of Europe's Hanseatic cities. Just behind it stands the tower of St. Mary's Basilica, a part of the most precious and largest red-brick Gothic church in Gdansk. On our way back we pass by Mariacka Street, with its gabled terraced houses and elegant boutiqueswe drive to Gdynia, youngest of the tri-city complex, which also includes Sopot, the famous and fashionable seaside resort. Here you can still see the oldest and longest wooden pier in Europe. We will also visit Oliwa Cathedral famous for one-of-a-kind pipe organ, to enjoy a concert. Lunch will be served at a local restaurant. In the afternoon free time.
DAY 10 Sunday, May 20th
GDANSK – MALBORK – WARSAW [Breakfast, Lunch, Farewell Dinner]
We depart for Warsaw with stop in Malbork for lunch and visiting the Teutonic Knights Castle. It is the largest brick building in Europe and one of Poland’s greatest tourist attractions. We arrive to Warsaw for last night overnight. Farewell dinner at one of popular restaurants.
DAY 11 Tuesday, May 21st
WARSAW [Breakfast]
After breakfast this morning, we transfer you to the airport for the return flight home.
Contact us: 248.743.2660
Please contact us for more information and reservation
