DAY 1: CRACOW
Arrival in Cracow, hotel accomodation, dinner
and overnight.
DAY 2: CRACOW
FD guided tour of the city: the Old Town, the Old
Market Square, the Wawel Royal Castle with its unique
collection of Flemish tapestries, the Cathedral, the
Collegium Maius-the Jagiellonian University oldest
existant building, the Barbican (the biggest in Europe),
the Florian Gate, the Cloth Hall with Renaissance
outer decorations, St. Mary’s Church with its famous
altar by Wit Stwosz. Lunch in restaurant. Afternoon
visit to the Czartoryski Museum boasting some of the
most well known painters in Europe including Da Vinci
(Lady with an ermine), Rembrandt (The landscape with
a good Samaritan) and Raphael. Dinner in the Castle
of Niepołomice accompanied by a folklore performance.
DAY 3: CRACOW-PIESKOWA SKALA-WIELICZKA-CRACOW
Excursion to the Pr±dnik region and to the Ojców National
Park (Jurassic limestone of fantastic shapes) –on
the rocks are towering the ruins of 14 h-century fortress
castles which form so-called eagle’s nest trail. Guided
visit to the most impressive Pieskowa Skała Castle
in Gothic-Renaissance style housing a vast collection
of European art from the Middle Ages to the mid-19th
century.
Lunch in Castle’s restaurant. Afternoon visit to Wieliczka
salt mine -the oldest salt mine in Europe
(built in 12th century), which has been operating
for 700 years, enrolled on the UNESCO World Cultural
Heritage list. Late evening return to Cracow. Dinner
and overnight.
Optional: Renaissance and Baroque music concert.
DAY 4: CRACOW-BARANÓW SANDOMIERSKI
Departure for Baranów Sandomierski, famous for its
late Renaissance castle. The former seat of the Leszczyński
family, it is one of few so well preserved magnate
residences. Built in the late 16th and early 17th
centuries to a design by Santi Gucci, and modeled
after Wawel castle in Kraków, surrounded by a breathtaking
park, the castle fits perfectly into the landscape
of the Vistula plains. Apart from historical interiors
it houses a high-standard hotel in which you will
stay for a night.
DAY 5: BARANÓW – KAZIMIERZ - WARSZAWA
Morning departure to Warsaw with stop in Kazimierz
Dolny -a valuable architectural and landscape complex
picturesquely located on the Vistula River bank, guided
visit to the Old Town Market Square with old mansions
in late Renaissance style, old churches and antique
granaries. Lunch in restaurant. Drive to Warsaw, hotel
accomodation. Dinner and overnight. Optional: Chopin
music concert (with a glass of sparkling served at
a short interval) at the Palace on the Water in the
Łazienki Park.
DAY 6: WARSAW
FD sightseeing tour of Warsaw-country’s chief economic
and cultural centre-including the Old Town- the Castle
Square, King Sigismund III Waza Column, the Royal
Castle, St.John’s Cathedral, St. Anna’ Church., the
Wilanow Palace. Lunch in restaurant located in the
Old Town. Dinner and overnight.
Optional: evening performance at the National Opera
House.
DAY 7: WARSAW-NIEBOROW-GNIEZNO-CZERNIEJEWO (POZNAN)
Morning departure to Nieborow-visit to the former
magnates’ residence, the Baroque palace built in 17th
century by Cardinal Michał Radziejowski and designed
by Tylman Van Gameren. The palace is famous for its
exquisitely decorated interiors and a unique collection
of fine arts, furniture, sculptures and old prints.
Lunch en route. Continue to Gniezno-the first capital
of Poland with a 1,000-year history, situated on seven
hills surrounded by lakes; visit to the Gniezno Cathedral
(with famous bronze door, masterpiece of Roman art),
where first Polish kings were crowned. Drive to Czerniejewo-
a town located 55 km from Poznan, visit to the beautiful
Classicist palace built in 1780, located in a vast
English park. Dinner at the palace restaurant (roasted
lamb, sauerkraut stew, Polish sausages, beer). Overnight
in the palace or at the hotel in Poznan (depending
on availability).
DAY 8: ROGALIN-KORNIK-RYDZYNA
Morning drive to Rogalin, visit to the Rococo-Classicist
palace, a former residence of Raczynski family,
surrounded by an English and French style parks, now
a branch of the National Museum in Poznan, housing
a vast collection of Polish and foreign paintings.
Continue to Kórnik, visit to the neo-Gothic style
castle surrounded by a beautiful park, now a museum
housing collections of antique furniture, Polish and
foreign paintings and artistic handcraft. Lunch en
route. Visit to the Baroque castle of Rydzyna. Dinner
and overnight in Rydzyna or at the 3-star hotel in
Wrocław. Optional: antique or classical music concert.
DAY 9: WROCLAW
Short city tour of Wrocław-the capital of the Silesia
region, located on the Odra River-including the Old
Town with its beautiful manor houses and Baroque University
building. Lunch in restaurant.
Drive to Ksi±ż-vist to the monumental Baroque castle
(the biggest in the Silesia region) built in 13th
century, surrounded by magnificent gardens. Continue
to the Polish-Czech border.
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