The Regal Cities of Poland and Lithuania

Itinerary

1. Day 1 Arrival in Krakow

   Krakow may not be the largest city in Poland, but it is by far the most popular with travelers. Less industrial than Warsaw, Krakow was once Poland’s royal capital, and unlike the rest of the country, came out of World War II with its gorgeous architecture mostly unscathed. One glance at the city’s perfectly preserved and restored Old Town and it will be abundantly clear why Krakow is on the UNESCO World Heritage list. This compact historical district houses the largest square in Europe, where you can stroll, shop from the market, and sample some tasty Polish delicacies. Krakow’s cultural life is rich and there are more than enough classical and jazz concerts to attend during your stay. Just walk through Old Town any evening and you’ll find warmly lit cafes, restaurants and bars. Some of the most prominent sites in and around the city are linked with the grim, albeit highly important historical facts, as evidenced by the memorials in the Jewish Kazimierz district and the Auschwitz concentration camp located nearby - chilling and vivid reminders of World War II. You can also explore Poland’s natural wonders from Krakow, with visits to the atmospheric Wieliczka Salt Mine, and the Tatra Mountains all comfortable day trips.

   Upon your arrival to Kraków Airport, our driver will be waiting for you at the arrivals and will take you to your accommodation in Krakow. The journey should take about 30 minutes.

   

   Settle in and Enjoy

   If you've just arrived, before starting on tours, head out and get a feel for this unique city. If you're staying near the main square ("Rynek,") take a leisurely stroll, visit the Cloth Hall, and have a coffee with a view at Cafe Szal. If you start near the Kazimierz district, treat yourself to a delicious dinner at Starka restaurant. Either way, let yourself get charmed by Krakow.

   Suggestion to explore on your own

2. Day 2 Your First Full Day in Krakow

   

   Krakow Private Walking Tour

   Today you’ll get a feel for the story of the city with a private tour with a local expert. There's much to discover as you walk the famed Royal Route through the city's heart, on this tour filled to the brim with historical facts and anecdotes. You'll wander from the Barbican and St. Florian's Gate to the spectacular royal hilltop Wawel Castle, visiting the Main Square with its Cloth Hall and St. Mary's Basilica along the way.
   

   • Activity Level : Moderate
   • Duration : 3 hours

   Included in your vacation package price

   

   Krakow Wawel Royal Hill Group Tour

   Discover Krakow's aristocratic past on this interesting excursion to the Wawel Royal Castle. It's a great chance to explore the most important hill in Poland while listening to your guide telling you all about the history of Poland's royal families. You'll get a brilliant sensory experience and learn more about history at the same time.

   • Activity Level : Moderate
   • Duration : 1 hour 30 minutes

   Included in your vacation package price

   Sample Unique Polish Cuisine

   Krakow's food scene is rich in delicious food, from traditional pastries to open-faced sandwiches that make for beloved late-night snacks. You can try a variety of dishes by joining one of the food tasting tours or a folk show for a memorable and fun way to explore the city's culinary heritage.
   

   Suggested activities for an additional cost, depending on your choice

   

   Krakow Food Tasting Group Tour

   If you want to discover a rich, multidimensional world of traditional Polish food and beverages, we invite you to join this exceptional tasting expedition! You will have a chance to try Polish dishes that are inevitably connected with the country's folklore, history and culture. During the tour, your guide will share with you all the intriguing tales and anecdotes related to the Polish cuisine.

   • Activity Level : Moderate
   • Duration : 4 hours

   Suggested activities for an additional cost, depending on your choice

   

   Krakow Home Cooked Small Group Tour

   Do you want to learn how to make pierogi like an expert? Join this Krakow tour to get an inside guide to cooking Polish food in the home of a local home cook. There's no better way to get in touch with Poland's rich culinary traditions.

   • Activity Level : Light
   • Duration : 4 hours

   Suggested activities for an additional cost, depending on your choice

3. Day 3 Your Second Full Day in Krakow

   

   Wieliczka Salt Mine Group Tour With A Private Driver

   Prepare to be amazed at the devotion that drove miners to carve figures, monuments and altar pieces into the walls of an 800-year-old salt mine. This underground world has earned a place on the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage list. As you descend 360 of the tour's total 800 steps into the salt mine, you'll feel like you're entering a vast underground city complete with huge caverns and underground lakes, 135 meters beneath the surface. One of the most unique aspects is the largest underground chapel, devoted to Saint Kinga, a Hungarian princess who is said to have spurned a marriage proposal by the Polish king by tossing his engagement ring into a salt mine in Transylvania.

   • Activity Level : Moderate
   • Duration : 4 hours

   Please ask your travel advisor for the cost to add this to your package

   Watch the video

   

   Chopin Music Concert

   To any classic music aficionado, concerts of the Chopin's musical works present themselves as a real treat. Here, you will have the opportunity to appreciate a Polish musical genius in the unique atmosphere of Krakow's Market Square. We invite you to listen to Chopin's most famous piano pieces performed by talented and award-winning young pianist.

   • Activity Level : Easy
   • Duration : 1 hour

   Included in your vacation package price

   Watch the video

4. Day 4 Traveling to Warsaw by Train / Arrival in Warsaw

   You'll be heading north to Warsaw today. There are frequent trains between Krakow and Warsaw, one every two hours or so. We will provide train tickets with seat reservations based on your preferred departure time and arrange for a transfer from your accommodation to the train station. The journey takes about 3 hours. If you'd like to take your time while enjoying more privacy, we can also organize a private transfer with stops along the way in Lodz or Czestochowa. It makes the journey longer but adds a visit to your choice of these remarkable destinations.

   

   You can upgrade your transfer

   Warsaw by Private Transfer with a Tour in Lodz

   Upgrade for an additional cost

   Warsaw, the capital of Poland and its largest city, has bounced back from the devastation of World War II, reconstructing the historic center, and earning UNESCO World Heritage status in the process. This is a bustling metropolis with a charm that’s distinct from other cities in Poland. Here you’ll find art museums and theaters galore, with lively performances and exhibitions throughout the year, as well as frequent festivals of all sorts. The culinary scene here is top-notch, with several well-respected restaurants offering classics of Polish cuisine and modern masterpieces from European gastronomy. Warsaw has distinct neighborhoods that are perfect for exploring on foot, but it’s also fun to get an appreciation for the size of the city by being chauffeured. You can explore different layers of Warsaw’s history, from World War II to its Jewish heritage and communist past. You’ll definitely want to sample the local cuisine while you explore the city, and there’s no shortage of opportunities to do so, from street stalls to fine dining. When you’re ready to go farther afield, the region surrounding Warsaw offers gorgeous lakes, castles and other notable cities and villages. There is no shortage of ways to enjoy your time in this vibrant city.

   When you arrive at the Warsaw train station, a driver will meet you there and take you directly to your accommodation in the city center.

   

   Views and Foods

   If you've just arrived, we suggest visiting the Krakowskie Przedmiescie, a famed street that forms the northern end of the Royal Way. Here, you can climb to the top of the St. Anna's Church Bell Tower, which provides an amazing view of the Royal Castle and the Old Town. After this not insignificant exercise (there are 150 steps to climb), treat yourself to a nice dinner at the nearby U Fukiera restaurant. Through delicious Polish cuisine, you'll start immersing yourself in the local culture. Smacznego!

   Suggestion to explore on your own

5. Day 5 Your First Full Day in Warsaw

   

   Acquaint Yourself with the Polish Capital

   Explore Warsaw's history, culture, architecture, and more with an expert local guide, as they take you through the city's most important historical sites, from the Royal Castle and Old Town, to the Palace on the Isle and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Warsaw is sprawling, so you'll save plenty of time and energy by traveling abroad a communist-era minibus.

   • Activity Level : Moderate
   • Duration : 3 hours

   Included in your vacation package price

   Understand Poland's History Through its Key Museums

   One of the indisputable truths about Warsaw is that it is the home of some of Poland's most impressive and innovative museums. Be sure to visit the POLIN Museum, which celebrates the long history and continued heritage of the Jewish community in Poland, the Warsaw Rising Museum that commemorates the 1944 Warsaw Uprising, and the National Museum, famed for its extensive art collection.
   

   Suggestion to explore on your own

6. Day 6 Your Second Full Day in Warsaw

   

   Evening Warsaw Private Tour by Communist Minibus

   On board of the communist minibus, your guide will take you through 20th century city: you will find the original parts of pre-WWII Warsaw and hear the story of the communist country and unknown Praga district. Experience Warsaw at night to try to understand it while looking at it from another angle or just enjoy your time while your guide takes care of your needs!

   • Activity Level : Light
   • Duration : 3 hours

   Please ask your travel advisor for the cost to add this to your package

7. Day 7 Traveling to Vilnius by Airplane / Arrival in Vilnius

   Today you're saying 'do widzenia' to Warsaw as you're off to the Lithuanian capital Vilnius. We'll arrange for a driver to take you to the airport in plenty of time for your departing flight. We've included economy one-way tickets to Vilnius on a short direct flight in your package price.

   
   

   Please note that the flight included in your package is non-refundable. In case you would prefer more flexibility, we can check the flexible fares for you and let you know about the price difference. In addition, the price of the flights is subject to change until we receive your deposit.

   With one of the oldest surviving Old Town neighborhoods in Europe, as well as a collection of classic architecture from Baroque to Gothic and everything in between, Vilnius is sure to astound you. Walking around the city and marveling at the sites is a pleasure in itself, but there’s much more to do here because Vilnius is also a vibrant cultural epicenter, with concerts and art exhibitions happening regularly. There are also numerous outdoor activities and day trips to enjoy while you stay in the city. It might surprise you, but hot air balloons are a popular pastime in and around Vilnius, and the city is one of the few in Europe that allows hot air balloons to float directly over the city, so you’re guaranteed a spectacular view whether you opt for a flight over the city or nearby Trakai. There’s also a rich Jewish heritage to explore here, including the former synagogue and the larger and smaller ghetto. We’d also recommend delving into the darker areas of the city’s past and exploring the communist era and the history of the KGB in Vilnius at the KGB Museum. Don’t miss Uzupis, a bohemian neighborhood of galleries, restaurants, and cafes that doubles as a tongue-in-cheek sovereign state, complete with its own charming constitution, three-boat navy, and flags (one per season).

   A driver will be waiting to meet you at the airport and take you to your accommodation in the center of Vilnius.

   

   Unique Uzupis

   Take the opportunity to explore one of Vilnius’ most colorful neighborhoods, Uzupis. It goes back to 1995, when a group of artists erected a statue of Frank Zappa in the area and declared Uzupis an independent republic. Soon flags were being created and the energy of the place seemed to attract eccentrics from all over the country. Today the mayor of Vilnius actively supports the republic and often takes part in the many activities going on there. There’s plenty to do in the neighborhood, so don’t be afraid to explore, here you’re bound to find some very photogenic people and places.

   Suggestion to explore on your own

8. Day 8 Your First Full Day in Vilnius

   

   Discover the Best of Vilnius

   Today you’ll be getting in touch with the real Vilnius, with help from an expert local guide. Your guide will show you the ins and outs of the city, regaling you with stories from the past and present. You’ll learn more about Vilnius’ Jewish, Polish, Russian and Lithuanian heritage while discovering the city’s most impressive sites, including Old Town, St. Stanislovas and Vladislovas Cathedral, Vilnius University, the Presidential Palace and more. Your guide will pick you up and drop you off at your accommodation, or can suggest areas for further exploration after your tour concludes.

   • Activity Level : Light
   • Duration : 3 hours

   Included in your vacation package price

   

   Soviet Vilnius Private Walking Tour

   What was everyday life like for Lithuanians under Communism? You'll find out on this informative tour. Highlights include the concrete blocks covered with pro-democracy slogans that formed part of the 1991 barricades, several Communist-era sights along Vilnius' main shopping street, the monument to the victims of the mass deportations to Siberia, and the Museum of Genocide Victims, within a former KGB residence and prison.
   

   • Activity Level : Light
   • Duration : 3 hours

   Please ask your travel advisor for the cost to add this to your package

   Watch the video

9. Day 9 Your Second Full Day in Vilnius

   

   Trakai Group Hot Air Balloon Flight

   This is a unique excursion that's both beautiful and adventurous. There's nothing like hot air ballooning at sunrise or sunset when the light is just magical and the Lithuanian countryside reveals itself. We went hot air ballooning in May 2015 as part of the #JayWayBaltics blogger trip and made a short video of the experience. Because of the variability of weather conditions and the need for filling spaces in the balloon, you will need to be flexible in terms of the time and day for this activity.

   • Activity Level : Easy
   • Duration : 5 hours

   Included in your vacation package price

   Watch the video

   

   Flavors of Vilnius Private Walking Tour

   With a fascinating fusion of Jewish, Polish, Italian, and Russian influences, Vilnius is a cultural feast of architectural and culinary proportions. Get lost in the narrow streets of the Old Town Vilnius while sampling tasty treats and bold brews from specialty food shops, cafes, and bars along the way! Does it get any better than that?

   • Activity Level : Light
   • Duration : 3 hours

   Please ask your travel advisor for the cost to add this to your package

10. Day 10 Departure Day

    Based on your flight time, we'll have a driver meet you at your accommodation and take you to the airport.