Roundtrips
Art Tour
“Warsaw is a thrilling busy city with many faces where tradition intermingles with modernity. In spite of many historical ups and downs, it was always a dynamic, Western-style metropolis. Its phenomenal character is expressed by its everlasting youthfulness, in spirit and appearance, a mixture of the old and new. The dominating silhouette of the city centre belongs to the Palace of Culture and Science, which today shares the skyline with numerous office towers. You can feel the breath of history in the Old Town, on Nowy Świat Street and everywhere the city’s root have been preserved. Razed to the ground during World War II, Warsaw was rebuilt by the effort of the whole nation. The Old Town - its historical centre and the heart of the capital was painstakingly restored to its former splendour and it is now included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Warsaw not only is the centre of business and administration but also of science, culture and arts. Today Warsaw is Poland’s most cosmopolitan, dynamic and modern city, with many luxury hotels, elegant shops and diverse services. Whether you are interested in theatre, good food, shopping, museums or bazaars you will find something just for you”.
Royal Łazienki Palace and Park Complex
The capital of Poland from the 11th to the 16th century, Cracow is a centre of history, culture and learning like no other. A former residence of monarchs, a treasury of art and architecture that survived the destruction of World War II, and home to one of the first universities which was established in the mid-14th century, today is one of the most historically valuable cities in Europe. The enchanting Old Town, ringed by a park, is listed as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site. The impressive Royal Castle proudly rising from Wawel Hill, the Main Square - the most magnificent marketplace of medieval Europe, the Cloth Hall decorated with mascarons and featuring 13th-century market stalls, St. Mary’s Church with its famous altar by Veit Stoss and the bugle call played from the tower, the historic university buildings, streets with numerous nooks and crannies, cafés vibrant with life - all this together creates the unique charm of the “Magic town”.
Zakopane - Poland’s winter capital, located at the foot of the Tatra Mountains, attracts visitors with its enchanting landscapes, original architecture and genuine Podhale highland folklore. The town is the highest in Poland, and is a centre for winter sports, a base for hiking along the Tatra trails, as well as host to many folklore events. The famous main street, Krupówki, which is always teeming with life, is great for a stroll or a browse through the local craft shops. And don't leave until you've tried some of the speciality oscypek cheese. Numerous inns on the street offer original Podhale regional dishes.
Day 1 Warsaw
Arrival at Warsaw International Airport. Meeting the tour guide. Transfer to hotel. Check-in. Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel.
Day 2 Warsaw: The Royal Łazienki Palace & Old Town
Breakfast. Departure for a Warsaw city tour. Sightseeing includes the Royal Łazienki Palace and Park Complex (a visit to the Palace on the Water and a stroll around the picturesque park), the Royal Route, the colourful Old Town: the Castle Square with the column of King Zygmunt III Vaza, the majestic Royal Castle, St. John’s Cathedral, the Old Town Square with the statue of the city’s symbol Mermaid, the Barbican, a former entrance gate to the city, the New Town. The Old Town’s charming little streets and alleys are home to numerous galleries, cafes and restaurants. In the Old Town Square, which becomes
a busy open-air gallery in the summer, painters sell landscapes, panoramas of Warsaw and portraits of passers by.
In the afternoon an optional tour:
1) a tour “Warsaw Artisans and Artists”
The Old Town, loved by all tourists is also a place of famous ateliers. Their history and traditions date back to many generations. Professions and artistic skills dying out in present times here are expressed in the form of beautiful objects made with the use of rare today old techniques. The tour includes visits in chosen ateliers (atelier of artistic metalwork, crystal-cutting shop, glass painting atelier, engraving atelier) and Zapiecek Modern Art Gallery.
2) a visit to Zachęta National Gallery of Art
Dinner at one of local restaurants. Return to the hotel. Overnight stay.
Day 3 Warsaw - Cracow
Breakfast. Check out and continuation of the programme:
Option 1.: a visit to the National Museum housing a collection of Greatest Polish collection
of ancient and medieval art as well as foreign paintings.
Option 2. drive to Wilanow Palace and Park Complex for a stroll in the romantic park and a visit to the Poster Museum - the only one in Poland. Its collection amounts to approximate 60 thousand items and is the greatest collection of artistic poster in the world as well as the evidence of success of the Polish poster school, renown for many years.
Transfer to the Main Train Station for a train trip to Cracow. Arrival in Cracow. Transfer to the hotel. Check-in & dinner. An evening stroll around the beautifully illuminated Market Square. Overnight stay.
Day 4 Cracow: The Old Town & Czartoryski Museum
Breakfast. Meeting with the tour guide. A day to discover the charms of old Cracow. Sightseeing includes the Royal Route: Kanonicza street and Grodzka street and the Franciscan Church when you can see four awesome stained-glass windows by Wyspianski - the outstanding Polish artist. Sightseeing continues in the colourful Ground Square - with Cloth Hall and St. Mary’s Church famous for its altar by Veit Stoss - one of the largest Gothic altars in Europe, carved in linden wood. Some free time for relaxing over a cup of coffee and shopping in the Main Square, where the commercial traditions date back to the Middle Ages.
Leonardo da Vinci’s famous painting “Lady with the Ermine”
Departure for a visit to Czartoryski Museum housing a rich art collection, including Leonardo da Vinci’s famous painting “Lady with the Ermine”- a masterpiece of Renaissance art as well as the precious Landscape with a good Samaritan by Rembrandt. The decorative arts collection comprises Polish, West-European and Oriental exhibits, and includes glass, porcelain, silver, textiles, militaria, maiolicas, etc. There is also a rich collection of ancient - Egyptian, Etruscan, Greek and Roman - art.
There will be a chance to have a look at paintings by local artists exhibited at the Florianska Gate - a part of former defence walls of the city replaced with Planty Park which encircles Old Cracow to this day. Sightseeing ends wit a stroll around the Matejko Square where the Cracow Academy of Fine Arts is located. Return to hotel. Dinner at one of local restaurants. Overnight stay.
Day 5Cracow - Wieliczka - Cracow
Breakfast. Drive to Wieliczka - a Unesco-Listed salt mine, that has been in operation since the Middle Ages. For sightseers, there is a special route leading through an extraordinary fairytale world of corridors, chambers and galleries. Among Wieliczka’s treasures are amazing chapels carved into the salt. The most famous is the stunningly beautiful Chapel of St. Kinga decorated with salt sculptures and chandeliers made of salt crystals. After the tour of the Salt Mine return to Cracow.
Wieliczka - a UNESCO-Listed salt mine
In the afternoon continuation of the programme:
Option 1.: a visit to the Manggha Centre of Japanese Art and Technology, beautifully situated on a picturesque bend of the Vistula River opposite the Wawel Royal Castle.
The Centre (a branch of the National Museum in Cracow) was designed by an eminent Japanese architect, Arata Isozaki. It is The roof of the modern building resembles the sea in many old Japanese paintings. The centre is a contemporary structure that both complements and contrasts with the ancient art of Japan. It houses a rich collection of old Japanese art regarded as one of the largest in Europe.
In the evening: Classical Music Concert by The Orchestra of the City of Cracow in the St. Peter and Paul’s Church- a unique opportunity to experience favourite classic works live in the heart of the Old Town
Option 2.: Evening in Kazimierz - the historic Jewish district. A stroll around the mysterious narrow streets
and dinner at a restaurants serving Jewish cuisine accompanied by a concert of klezmer music.
Return to hotel for overnight stay
Day 6 Cracow - Zakopane - Cracow
Breakfast. Departure for Zakopane.
A tour of Zakopane: funicular ride to Mt. Gubałówka, a stroll along Kościeliska street, the oldest street in the town, featuring historical regional architecture and a visit to the “Villa Koliba” housing Museum of Zakopane Style. Free time on Krupówki, the main street of Zakopane, a great place for a walk and souvenir hunting.
Optional tours:
1) a visit to the art gallery of the Władysław Hasior Gallery with an exhibition of original works
of the controversial contemporary artist.
2) a visit to Villa Atma housing the museum of Karol Szymanowski, one of the greatest Polish composers.
Return to Cracow via the village of Chochołów, a living open-air museum of wooden architecture.
Reminder of the day at leisure. Overnight stay.
Day 7 Cracow: Wawel - Warsaw
Breakfast. Check out and departure for Wawel Hill for a stroll around the courtyard of the impressive Royal Castle and a visit to the Royal Chambers that houses one of the world’s most precious collections of decorative tapestries produced from wool and silk intertwined with golden and silver thread, commonly referred to as arrasy. After sightseeing some free time for last minute shopping and transfer to the Main Train Station for a trip to Warsaw. Arrival in Warsaw. Transfer to hotel. Check-in. Dinner and overnight stay.
Day 8 Warsaw - departure
Breakfast. Check-out and drive to Warsaw Okęcie Airport for your departure flight. The end of programme.
Trip 
