12-day best of Poland tour

Warsaw

Day 1: Welcome to Poland!

Welcome to Warsaw!

Your trip to Poland begins with your arrival at Warsaw airport. A driver will pick you up from the airport and transfer you to your hotel. Unpack and relax for a while, before enjoying a delicious dinner at the hotel.

After your meal, head back to your room for a good night’s sleep. Get ready for some exciting days ahead, filled with mesmerizing sights and fabulous experiences!

Warsaw

Day 2: Discover the Sights of Warsaw

A city that rose from the ashes of the war, Warsaw offers a chance to understand Poland’s history through a visit to the Old Town and New Town.

Your day begins with a walk down Krakowskie Przedmiescie Street where the past and the present merge beautifully.

Admire the post-war reconstructed buildings, and take a look at the City Hall, National Football Stadium, Warsaw Jewish Ghetto, and Multimedia Fountain Park. You will also stop at the picture-perfect Royal Baths Park (Łazienki Park). This is a home to monuments, villas, and palaces. Enjoy a delicious lunch in a restaurant in the park as well.

Another highlight of the tour is a visit to the Wilanow Palace and Gardens, a wonderful example of Baroque architecture that was completed in 1696 and survived the war.

After this eight-hour guided tour, you are free from the late afternoon onwards to spend your time as you wish.

Warsaw - Zelazowa Wola - Krakow

Day 3: Zelazowa Wola, the Birthplace of Chopin

Journey to Zelazowa Wola, the birthplace of classical composer Frédéric Chopin. The manor and museum are surrounded by a picturesque park where you can listen to the beautiful notes of Chopin’s music wherever you go.

See how the Polish aristocrats lived in the 17th century during a visit to the Palace in Nieborow, a wonderful example of Baroque architecture.

Later, you will head to the monastery in Niepokalanow founded by St Maksymilian Kolbe who sacrificed his life to save the life of a prisoner at the Auschwitz prison camp. On your way back to Warsaw, you will see a gorgeous English-style garden in Arkadia. 

After the return to the city centre and a short rest later you will take a fast and comfortable train to Krakow. Here your driver will pick you up directly at the station and take you to your hotel.

Krakow

Day 4: Discover Krakow

Prepare yourself for some captivating sights and experiences on your tour of Krakow, one of the oldest Polish cities. Go on a guided walking tour of the historic Old Town, a World Heritage Site.

Explore Wawel Hill’s stunning complex of buildings including the Royal Castle with a Renaissance courtyard. Enjoy panoramic vistas from atop the Wawel Cathedral tower and don’t forget to touch the gigantic Sigismund Bell for luck!

A short break later, visit Kazimierz district and discover its Christian and Jewish quarters. Next up on your Krakow tour is the Podgorze district with its Jewish Ghetto established in 1941.

If you have seen the movie Schindler’s List, you will be aware of Oscar Schindler’s Factory - your next stop.

Finish your day on a musical note with a one-hour Chopin concert. Afterward, enjoy a traditional dinner and head back to your hotel.

Krakow - Auschwitz - Wieliczka

Day 5: Visit Auschwitz-Birkenau and the Salt Mines of Wieliczka

Today, you will visit Auschwitz-Birkenau, the largest of German Nazi concentration camps, a symbol of terror and genocide. Located close to Krakow city, you can join the guided group tours at the site that is a grim reminder of the horrors of the Holocaust.

Step into a different world altogether when you go on a tour of one of the oldest salt mines in Europe, located in Wieliczka. It is a place so incredible that it is often called an underground salt cathedral. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978, the 13th Century site is visited by more than a million tourists every year. A local guide will supervise the entire tour of two and a half hours.

With a 300 km long mine passage and a depth of 327 meters, you will be awestruck as you discover the three levels and several chambers of the mine that produced kitchen salt.

Afterward, head back to your hotel for some well-deserved rest.

Krakow - Zakopane - Szczawnica

Day 6: Rafting in the South of Poland

Travel to the south of Poland, home to the Dunajec River and the Tatra mountains. After a two-hour journey from Krakow which includes a halt at a wooden church in Debno, you will head to the Dunajec River.

The river makes its way through a fantastic landscape that includes towering cliffs and limestone rock formations in the breathtaking Pieniny Mountains.

You can see all these spectacular sights on a two-hour leisure rafting trip!

After your rafting trip, the driver will take you to the foot of the Tatra Mountains. Here, you will visit the Zakopane mountain resort –a nature, culture, and sports destination. A splendid nature area in summer, the mountain turns into a winter sports hub during the cold months.

During your tour, you will also enjoy lunch and shop at the Highlander market.

Return to your hotel at the end of the day.

Krakow - Tyniec

Day 7: Discover the Lesser-Known Sights of Poland

Make the most of your time in Poland by discovering sights that are off the usual tourist trail!

Your journey begins at Kosciuszko Mound, a historical site dedicated to the memory of Poland’s national hero - Tadeusz Kosciuszko. Located just 4 km from the Main Square, the top of the mound holds the remains of a fortress.

It also offers remarkable panoramic views of the city from 85 meters above the ground. You will then travel back in time to the Middle Ages on a visit to the Benedictine Abbey in Tyniec overlooking the Vistula River. Listen to the engrossing tales about the Abbey (the oldest monastery in Poland).

Your next stop is the 17th-century Camaldolese Monastery in Bielany, a serene and mystical place. Witness the everyday hermitic lifestyle of the humble Camaldolese Monks. A truly calming experience! Later, you can use your free time to explore the city or take some rest.

Wrocław - Poznan

Day 8: Tour the Beautiful City of Wroclaw

Discover the wonderful sights of Wroclaw, one of the biggest Polish cities situated along the Odra River and experience its multicultural ambiance.

On a 4-hour guided tour, you can see the magnificent mix of architectural design–in more than one hundred elegant bridges that connect different parts of the city as well as in the mansions, palaces and chapels in Flemish and Baroque styles.

See the sights at the Main Square with its 13th century Town Hall, visit the St. John the Baptist Cathedral, and explore the former island of Ostrow Tumski. You can discover the captivating Jewish history of Wroclaw at the White Stark Synagogue.

A visit to the Jewish Cemetery is the last stop of your guided tour. Afterward, you have two hours of free time to explore the city on your own.

Later, once you have rested for a bit, you will head to the famous city of Poznan.

Poznan

Day 9: City Tour in Poznan

Explore the historic city of Poznan, capital of the Greater Poland region. The birth of Poland as a nation can be traced back to this city, one of the oldest sites in the country’s history.

On this 4-hour tour, explore the delightful Main Square with its unique Town Hall and see the colorful townhouses of former merchants. You will also visit the Royal Castle that dates back to 1249 and the Cathedral located in Ostrow Tumski which contains a burial site for the first rulers of Poland.

After lunch, the next part of your journey takes you to Malta Lake and the surrounding park where you can unwind at a thermal bath!

Enjoy some retail therapy after the tour and soak in the atmosphere of this enchanting city.

Torun - Malbork - Gdańsk

Day 10: Visit Malbork's Famous Castle

Heading to the Polish sea and Gdansk, your  driver will take you to the town of Malbork to visit a great castle located there - a medieval fortress of the Teutonic Knights.

This is the largest castle in Poland, inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Malbork was a former capital of the Teutonic State. This huge brick castle on the river, surrounded by belts of defensive walls with gates and towers, is definitely one of the most imposing medieval defensive structures in Europe.

As the second item, en route, you will stop in a charming historical city of Torun - one of the most beautiful places in Poland. A professional local guide will take you on a private guided tour (up to 3 hrs) around this unique and remarkable city.

After a tour and lunch, you will continue your journey to Gdansk.

Gdańsk - Sopot - Westerplatte

Day 11: Tour Gdansk and Visit Sopot

Your private local guide will take you a memorable tour of the highlights of Gdansk. Among many attractions, you will visit the historical port town - the birthplace and home of the Solidarity Movement.

You will see the Cathedral, famous Neptune’s Monument, Zuraw Gdanski, and the harbor. Visit a famous district of Westerplatte, which is also one of the most important items of this tour. This is where the second world war began an early morning of September 1st, 1939. 

After some time for rest and break for lunch, a guide will take you to Sopot - the health resort city located only a few minutes drive from Gdansk. Sopot is famous for the longest pier in Europe. You will also visit a famous gothic Cathedral in Gdansk-Oliwa.

Gdańsk Airport

Day 12: Farewell, Poland!

It’s time to bid goodbye as your trip comes to an end. Your driver will take you to the airport for your flight back home.

You will take back so many memories and experiences! Safe travels home and visit again soon!