Day 1 Newark

Depart the USA on your overnight flight to Gdansk, Poland.

 

Day 2 Gdansk

Upon arrival, a MJ Tours representative will meet you and transfer you to your hotel. Flights are expected to arrive in the afternoon. The rest of the day is free for you to relax or explore on your own. Tonight, join your Tour Manager and fellow travelers for dinner.

 

Day 3 Gdansk / Sopot / Gdynia

After breakfast, take a tour of Gdansk to learn about Lech Walesa, the Solidarity activist and Nobel Peace Prize winner. Walk along the “Royal Way,” see the 17th-century Golden Gate, the Neptune Fountain in front of the Artus Court, and the City Hall, which dates back to the 14th and 15th centuries. Visit St. Mary’s Church, Poland’s largest Gothic church, then head to Sopot for a stroll along the longest pier in Europe. Continue to Gdynia, where the harbor hosts many ships open to visitors. The destroyer Blyskawica is a national treasure and the only remaining ship built before World War II, and the Dar Pomorza is a Polish sailing frigate now preserved as a museum ship. Return to the hotel in Gdansk after a full day of exploring.

 

Day 4 Malbork / Warsaw

The day begins as you travel to Malbork to visit the Castle of the Teutonic Knights, a mighty Gothic fortress built in the 13th and 14th centuries and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. An outstanding example of medieval defensive and residential architecture, the area consists of three castles surrounded by separate fortifications. After exploration of the castle, continue on to Warsaw, the largest city in Poland. 

 

Day 5 Warsaw

Steeped in history, Warsaw is one of Europe's most strategic cities. Explore this capital on an included full-day tour. Walk along the Royal Way to see some of the most beautiful sites in the Old Town and charming Market Square. Pass St. John’s Cathedral and visit the Royal Castle, carefully restored to its pre-World War II splendor, with many original furnishings intact. Formerly the official residence of Poland’s kings and home of the Parliament, it now houses the Castle Museum. During the visit to the Warsaw Rising Museum, an early 20th-century architectural landmark, see how multimedia effects bring the insurrection's story to life. Lakes, pavilions, mansions, an observatory,ormal gardens, and many palaces await your exploration in Lazienki Park. The statue of Frederic Chopin, built to honor Warsaw’s  the Orangery, ffavorite son, is another highlight there. After a full day of sightseeing, the evening is yours to discover Warsaw at your own pace.

Day 6 Czestochowa / Krakow

After breakfast, depart for the charming town of Kraków. Along the way, lunch is included at a local restaurant, followed by a visit to the famed Monastery of Jasna Góra in Częstochowa – the third largest Catholic pilgrimage site in the world and the national shrine of Poland. The miraculous icon of Our Lady of Częstochowa is housed in the Chapel of the Black Madonna. For centuries, the Polish people have believed that this reverent painting holds supernatural powers. Check into the hotel in Kraków and enjoy an evening at leisure.

Day 7 Krakow

Kraków is the former capital of Poland, the home of the late Pope John Paul II, and the only major city in Poland to remain unscathed by World War II. Stroll along the cobblestone streets on a walking tour through the Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. See the Market Square, the largest in Europe, which features Cloth Hall - the world’s oldest ‘shopping mall’. Visit St. Mary’s Church, where the fireman trumpeter plays the Kraków Hejnal (bugle call) daily at noon. Wawel Castle, the coronation site of Polish monarchs, perched atop a hill, overlooks the Vistula River. When you visit Wawel Cathedral, get up close to the Sigismund Bell, Poland’s largest bell, and enjoy a fantastic view of the Old Town from the tower. This afternoon, enjoy an included visit to the Wieliczka Salt Mine, another UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most famous attractions near Kraków. Walk through 20 chambers on three underground levels to explore the incredible grottoes of crystalline carvings, the subterranean lake with stunning colors, and the Chapel of St. Kinga, an impressive “cathedral” with every feature carved out of solid salt.
 

Day 8 Kazimierz / Auschwitz

Today’s journey takes you to the Auschwitz-Birkenau Concentration Camp Museum of Martyrdom. Between 1940 and 1945, more than one million prisoners perished in the gas chambers of this Nazi concentration camp. In 1947, the Polish government preserved these grounds as a State Museum, and in 1979, it also became a UNESCO World Heritage Site, symbolizing the horrors of the Holocaust. The visit includes a film showing the camp’s liberation, the flower-lined Death Wall, national memorials, the railway line, and the remains of hundreds of barracks, all of which serve as a powerful reminder of the lives lost. Kazimierz District, which has been the historic center of Jewish culture since the 16th century. The main attractions include Szeroka Street (where Schindler’s List was filmed); Isaac, High, and explore the Kazimierz Old Synagogues; Remu’h Synagogue and its cemetery; and the “Pod Orlem” (Eagle) Pharmacy. This evening, join your fellow travelers for a farewell dinner.

 

Day 9 Zakopane

Depart on a scenic full-day trip to Zakopane, the capital of the Tatra Mountains, well known for its unique wooden architecture. Visit the village of Chocholow, famous for its highlander architecture, where you’ll taste traditional sheep cheese Oscypek in a shepherd’s hut. A lunch featuring typical highlander cuisine is provided at a local restaurant before returning to Kraków.

 

Day 10 Krakow / Newark

This morning, transfer to Kraków Airport for your flight home. All too soon, your adventure ends, but you’ll carry memories of Poland’s history, charm, and beauty that will last a lifetime.