12-Day Private Tour of Poland with Hotels

Upon your arrival in Warsaw, our guide will meet you and take you to the hotel. In the afternoon, enjoy a half-day tour of modern Warsaw with our guide, including a visit to the viewing platform of the Palace of Culture and Science to see Warsaw from the XXX floor. Next, enjoy a welcome dinner at one of the famous restaurants in central Warsaw.

Breakfast and a full-day tour of Warsaw, including a visit to Łazienki Gardens for a guided walk to the palace and the monument to Frederick Chopin. Short break for lunch.

Next is the second part of your tour, including the Old Town, which was beautifully rebuilt after World War II, with the impressive Royal Castle, the seat of the kings of Poland. This is where the Constitution of May 3 was proclaimed in 1791, the second-oldest constitution in the world after that of the United States. Visit the Chopin Monument in Warsaw and learn about the Polish Constitution. Dinner at a regional restaurant in the Old Town, followed optionally by a Frederic Chopin music concert.

Breakfast and departure south through Poland to Zakopane, one of the most popular resorts in the Tatra Mountains. On the way, stop in Częstochowa to visit Jasna Gora Monastery and the Shrine of the Black Madonna with its miraculous icon. The tour is led by a local monastery monk. Lunch break. Continue your journey south. In the early evening, 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, due to its picturesque location, one of the most beautiful places in the country. Dinner and overnight stay at a hotel in Zakopane.

Breakfast and a private sightseeing tour of Zakopane, whose wooden architecture blends into the natural landscape. Copied in other parts of Poland, the Zakopane style is known as the Zakopianski style. Visit the Jaszczurowka Chapel, a magnificent example of wooden architecture in Zakopane, and the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fatima in Krzeptowki, built by the people of Zakopane to thank Our Lady of Fatima for saving Pope John Paul II after an assassination attempt. Then admire the breathtaking view of the Tatra Mountains from the top of Gubalowka Mountain and shop for highlander (Gorale) handicraft souvenirs in the local shops. Lunch at your own expense and free time. Tonight's dinner will be served at a typical highlanders' inn with a live music show.

After breakfast, enjoy a relaxing day and take a spectacular rafting trip on the Dunajec River in Pieniny National Park. On the way to Pieniny Park, stop in Niedzica, known for its 14th-century castle and lake. Your rafting trip ends in Szczawnica-Zdrój, one of Poland's best-known spa resorts. Take a lunch break, with the option to visit the spa house to taste the famous, healthy spring water. In the afternoon, drive to the medieval city of Krakow, with a possible stop in Debno, a small village on the “Wooden Architecture Trail,” where you can see St. Michael's Church, dating from the 15th century. Dinner and overnight stay at a hotel in central Krakow.

Breakfast at the hotel, followed by a sightseeing tour including Wawel Royal Castle, home to three dynasties of Polish monarchs. The stately halls and exquisite chambers are filled with priceless art, valuable antique furniture, and rare antiquities. The collection of monumental 16th-century tapestries is unparalleled. You will also visit Wawel Cathedral, a place of worship dedicated to St. Stanislaus and St. Jadwiga, Queen of Poland. Its 18 chapels are true architectural masterpieces. The enormous Zygmunt Bell, dating from 1520, is one of the largest in the world. This is where Polish kings were crowned and buried. Take a short break for lunch with coffee, then visit the Old Town with its restored Main Square, featuring magnificent townhouses and palaces. There, stop at St. Mary's Basilica to admire the magnificent wooden altar by Wit Stwosz. In the center of the square stands the Cloth Hall, built before 1349 and renovated in the 16th century.

The afternoon is free to relax or visit the famous Wieliczka Salt Mine, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Dinner will be served at a local restaurant in the Old Town.

Breakfast, then travel to Auschwitz, stopping en route in Wadowice, the hometown of John Paul II (museum and basilica where he was baptized).

Later, visit the former Nazi concentration camp Auschwitz-Birkenau, the infamous death factory. Today, as a museum, it stands as a silent witness to human tragedy. Enjoy a tour with a local museum guide. Return to Krakow. Free time and dinner at your own expense. Overnight stay at a hotel in Krakow.

After breakfast, leave Krakow and travel north through Poland. Along the way, pass the Polish “Eagles’ Nests Trail,” known for its series of medieval castles and palaces. Take a short break to visit Ogrodzieniec Castle, described as Poland’s “most beautiful ruin” and partially restored in recent years. Continue to Lodz, a large city known as “Polish Manchester” due to its long industrial traditions dating back to the 19th century, which have now been revitalized. Check in at the hotel and take a tour of the city and its most famous sights. Dinner is at your own expense tonight.

After breakfast this morning, depart for Gdansk. On the way, stop in Lowicz, a typical Mazovian town known for its folk art. Particularly noteworthy are its colorful costumes and beautiful paper cutouts. Visit the local museum.

Continue to Torun—the city of Nicolas Copernicus, the famous Polish astronomer. Take a guided walk along the Old Town streets, including a visit to the Copernicus House Museum, the Crooked Tower, and a tasting of the region’s famous gingerbread. Arrive in Gdansk in the evening, check in at a hotel, and have dinner at the hotel.

Breakfast and a guided tour of Gdansk’s Old Town: St. Mary’s Basilica, the Neptune Monument, Zuraw Gdanski, the harbor, the “Roads to Freedom” exhibition, and the “Monument to the Fallen Shipyard Workers.” Next, visit the monument at Westerplatte, where World War II began. At the Gothic cathedral in Oliwa, you can listen to a concert on a Baroque pipe organ. Next, enjoy free time for lunch and visit Sopot, the famous Polish spa on the Baltic Sea, also known for Europe’s longest wooden pier. Dinner or lunch at one of the famous “sailors’ restaurants,” serving local dishes. Overnight at a hotel in Gdansk.

Breakfast and departure for Malbork for a guided tour of the medieval fortress of the Teutonic Knights—the largest brick castle in Europe. Malbork Castle, 15th century. This powerful Teutonic fortress is one of the finest examples of medieval fortifications in Europe. Return to Warsaw, with a possible stop in Grunwald, site of one of the greatest battles of the Middle Ages, or at an open-air museum in Olsztynek showcasing wooden architecture from the 18th to the 20th century. Arrive in Warsaw in the early evening. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast and, if your departure time allows, a brief visit to the Warsaw Ghetto. Transfer to Warsaw Airport for your return flight. Your tour of Poland ends.