In Transit: Depart US/Canada on international overnight flight to Warsaw.

Morning: Arrive at Warsaw Frederic Chopin International Airport (WAW). Check in at hotel. Time to relax and get settled into your rooms.

Lunch: Light refreshments at the hotel.

Afternoon: Introduction to the program. Orientation excursion in Warsaw. See historical sites of Warsaw, such as the Ghetto Memorial, the Monument of the Warsaw Uprising, and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Dinner: Welcome dinner at a local restaurant.

Lodging: Ibis Warsaw Old Town

Meals Included: Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: Breakfast in the hotel dining room.

Morning: Lecture: "History of Poland in its European Context." Coffee/tea break. Lecture: "The Catholic Church in Poland Under Communism and in the Transition to Democracy." Excursion to the St. Stanislaw Kostka Church, which was Solidarity priest Jerzy Popieluszko’s parish church until he was murdered by militant security police in 1984 – a major event in Polish political life of the 1980s that ensured his canonization. After Popieluszko’s funeral, attended by over half a million people, his church developed into a major Solidarity sanctuary. See a poignant memorial to Jerzy Popieluszko as well as an exhibition dedicated to him. Excursion to the Wilanów Palace, along the Royal Route with its beautiful aristocratic residences. Wilanów Palace, one of the most interesting Baroque structures in Warsaw, was the summer residence of King Jan III Sobieski. Wilanów was not destroyed during World War II. Dozens of rooms open for visits are fitted out with period furniture and decoration in various styles. On the upper floor, there is a Gallery of Polish Portraits with an extensive collection from the 16th to 19th centuries.

Lunch: Light lunch at a local restaurant.

Afternoon: Free time to explore on your own.

Dinner: Explore local fare on your own.

Evening: Chopin music concert. During a short intermission, a glass of sparkling wine will be served.

Lodging: Ibis Warsaw Old Town

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Zelazowa Wola / Lowicz Regional Museum / Dinner with a local Polish family

Breakfast: Breakfast in the hotel dining room.

Morning: Lecture: "Current Polish Economic and Social Issues." Departure to Zelazowa Wola and excursion to the old, traditional manor house of Chopin’s Family. The house is now a museum that includes much of Chopin’s original memorabilia. The tranquility and charm of the place, the house itself, and a park adorned by over 100 specimens of plants donated by different countries makes for a pleasant stop. Continue to Lowicz, a small town known for cultivating the folk traditions in music, dress, embroidery and paper cutouts.

Lunch: Light lunch at a local restaurant.

Afternoon: Excursion to the Lowicz Regional Museum with a rich ethnographical exposition. Excursion to Sromów and a private Crafts Museum founded by a skilled artisan and passionate crafts collector. Set in a large garden full of gnomes and other models, the museum is housed in three modern buildings, two of which feature a series of historic scenes and village life - a country wedding, a pageant of kings, a Corpus Christi procession, the four seasons on the farm, etc. Other exhibits include paper cuts, regional costumes, folk paintings, decorated wooden chests and embroidery. The third building houses a collection of old horse carts and carriages.

Dinner: For dinner, we will be hosted by a young Polish family living in a wooden cottage at the base of Lowicz Castle ruins. A traditional Polish welcome with a loaf of bread and salt followed by typical dishes of Polish cuisine.

Evening: Grand welcome by the regional Lowicz folk band, folk music concert, and presentations of paper cutouts from colored paper. Farewell cannon shot. Return to Warsaw for overnight.

Lodging: Ibis Warsaw Old Town

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: Breakfast in the hotel dining room.

Morning: Morning departure for Krakow. En route stop in Czêstochowa to see the Jasna Gora Monastery with the Black Madonna. It is one of the most important places of religious worship in the Christian world, with tradition of pilgrimages dating back to the 14th century. The enormous role of Jasna Gora in the religious and cultural life of the nation can be seen from the names commonly used for this place: Capital of the Kingdom of Poland, the Confessional of the Nation.

Lunch: Light lunch at a local restaurant.

Afternoon: Continue to Oswiecim. Visit the Auschwitz & Birkenau Museum. The site of the camp now houses the Oswiecim State Museum, which displays exhibits and documents concerning Nazi crimes. Arrive in Krakow. Check in at the hotel.

Dinner: Dinner in the hotel dining room.

Lodging: Hilton Garden Inn

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: Breakfast in the hotel dining room.

Morning: Morning lecture: "Jews in Poland Before and After World War II." Walking excursion through Krakow, which retains the largest concentration of historical monuments and cultural treasures in Poland. Stroll through the Market Square, considered to be one of the largest town squares in Europe. The surroundings of the square have remained unchanged for almost 700 years. See St. Mary’s Church with the famous wooden altar, the Town Hall Tower, the Cloth Hall and the burghers’ houses. Every hour, you can hear the bugle call to the four corners of the tower of St. Mary’s Church. See Wawel Hill, a UNESCO site, with its Castle and Cathedral where Poland’s kings were once crowned. See the Royal Chambers, which are the largest and most impressive exhibition restored in their original Renaissance and Baroque styles, and the most valuable items – the magnificent 16th century Flemish tapestries; probably the largest collection of its kind in Europe. Excursion to the Kazimierz Jewish district in Krakow. In former times, Kazimierz was a separate town inhabited by Polish Jews and a major center of Jewish religion, learning and culture.

Lunch: Lunch in a local restaurant located in the Kazimierz district, the former Jewish quarter of Krakow. A highlight is a Klezmer music concert.

Afternoon: Free time.

Dinner: Dinner in a local restaurant.

Lodging: Hilton Garden Inn

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: Breakfast in the hotel dining room.

Morning: Excursion to the Wieliczka Salt Mine, a world class attraction. Over 700 years, many generations of Polish miners created the underground world with the rich interior decoration of the chapels, the original linings of the galleries, and the underground salt lakes. The Wieliczka Salt Mine is on the list of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage Sites. Departure for Budapest.

Lunch: Picnic lunch en route.

Afternoon: Continue on to Budapest. Arrive at hotel, check in and get settled. We will gather for a general information meeting.

Dinner: Dinner in the hotel dining room.

Lodging: Hotel Corvin

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: Breakfast in the hotel dining room.

Morning: Lecture on the geography and history of Hungary.

Lunch: Lunch in the hotel dining room.

Afternoon: Sightseeing excursion by bus with short walk around Hero’s Square and the Castle District. During our bus ride, we will get acquainted with the structure of the city; the Grand Boulevard, the important avenues, the large parks, and we will crown our day with a picturesque view from the top of the Gellért Hill.

Dinner: Boat ride on the Danube with buffet dinner.

Evening: Boat ride on the Danube. As it gets dark we will enjoy the view of the illuminated city as we view its most important sights along the Danube; Parliament, Chain Bridge, Castle Hill, the New National Theatre, etc.

Lodging: Hotel Corvin

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: Breakfast in the hotel dining room.

Morning: Lecture on Hungary today (sociology, politics).

Lunch: Lunch at a local restaurant.

Afternoon: Jewish history walk including a short walk in the one time ghetto. Visit the largest synagogue of Europe, and the Jewish Museum of Budapest.

Dinner: Dinner in the hotel dining room.

Evening: Free time. Spend the evening exploring the city, or attending a concert or opera.

Lodging: Hotel Corvin

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: Breakfast in the hotel dining room.

Morning: All day excursion to the Danube Bend by bus. Esztergom was the capital of the Medieval Hungarian State for centuries. It has also been the Hungarian center of the Roman Catholic Church and today it is the residence of the Archbishop of Hungary. We will visit the Picture Gallery of the Christian Museum and the largest Roman Catholic church in the country. Visegrád, a former royal seat, is a small village today with about 2000 inhabitants.

Lunch: Lunch in a hunting lodge with a beautiful view over the Danube Bend.

Afternoon: Szentendre, a small, picturesque Baroque-Rococo style town, is the center of the Danube Bend. It is the Episcopal seat of the Eastern Church in Hungary. Szentendre is famous for its museums and art galleries.

Dinner: Dinner in the hotel dining room.

Lodging: Hotel Corvin

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: Breakfast in the hotel dining room.

Morning: Informal question and answer information session with local experts.

Lunch: Explore local fare on your own.

Afternoon: Free time to explore and visit museums. Free time optional program: Visit one of the traditional thermal baths, where you can try the indoor and outdoor pools, the steam bath, sauna, etc. (If you plan to take this option, please bring a bathing suit along with you.)

Dinner: Farewell party and dinner with folklore entertainment in the hotel.

Lodging: Hotel Corvin

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Breakfast: Breakfast in the hotel dining room.

Morning: Departure for Prague.

Lunch: Picnic lunch en route.

Afternoon: Continue to Prague. Arrive at hotel, check in and get settled. General information meeting.

Dinner: Dinner in the hotel dining room.

Lodging: Hotel Ibis Prague Old Town

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: Breakfast in the hotel dining room.

Morning: We embark on a city excursion in Prague. Explore the Old Town and the Charles Bridge.

Lunch: Lunch at a local restaurant.

Afternoon: Discussion and lecture on the history and geography of the Czech Republic and post communist countries.

Dinner: Boat excursion with dinner.

Lodging: Hotel Ibis Prague Old Town

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: Breakfast in the hotel dining room.

Morning: Half-day excursion to Nizbor where we will see the glassworks.

Lunch: Lunch at a local restaurant.

Afternoon: We explore the Jewish Ghetto.

Dinner: Dinner with a folklore performance.

Lodging: Hotel Ibis Prague Old Town

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: Breakfast in the hotel dining room.

Morning: Excursion to the Brevnov Monastery. Lecture on the religious situation in the Czech Republic.

Lunch: Lunch at the Brevnov Monastery.

Afternoon: A visit to the magnificent Prague Castle complex.

Dinner: Explore local fare on your own.

Lodging: Hotel Ibis Prague Old Town

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Breakfast: Breakfast in the hotel dining room.

Morning: Discussion and lecture on privatization and transformation of the Czech economy.

Lunch: Lunch at a local restaurant.

Afternoon: We will enjoy a classical concert in the Church of St. Nicolas in the Lesser Town. This beautiful, heavily decorated church is one of central Europe's finest Baroque buildings.

Dinner: Farewell dinner at a local restaurant.

Lodging: Hotel Ibis Prague Old Town

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: Breakfast in the hotel dining room.

Morning: Transfer to the Prague Ruzyne International airport (PRG) for departures.

Meals Included: Breakfast