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Poland

Independent Warsaw and Krakow: Capitals Past and Present

Program No. 18187RJ
Experience the wonders of Poland as you stroll cobbled paths and enjoy the country’s rich social and cultural history, discovering a trove of museums, monuments and cafes at every turn.
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  • Independent Warsaw and Krakow: Capitals Past and Present
Independent City DiscoveriesSmall GroupCity DiscoveriesMulti-City Discoveries
Length
9 days
Rating (4.92)
Activity Level
Starts at
2,299
Flights start at
1,150

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Itinerary
While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our published materials, programs are typically advertised more than a year prior to their start date. Read More.
While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our published materials, programs are typically advertised more than a year prior to their start date. As a result, some program activities, schedules, accommodations, personnel, and other logistics occasionally change due to local conditions or circumstances. Should a major change occur, we will make every effort to alert you. For less significant changes, we will update you during orientation. Thank you for your understanding.
Duration
9 days
8 nights
What's Included
13 meals ( 7B, 4L, 2D )
5 expert-led lectures
7 expert-led field trips
2 performances
An experienced Group Leader
7 nights of accommodations
Taxes and customary gratuity
Road Scholar Assurance Plan
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Activity Note
Hotel check-in available from 2:00 p.m. Remember to bring your nametag (sent previously). Getting on/off a motorcoach. Walking a short distance to dinner.
Afternoon:
Orientation: 5:00 p.m. The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions. Program-related travel will be by private motorcoach unless otherwise noted. This is a Road Scholar Independent program. It is designed for participants who want high-level Road Scholar instruction, a few group activities, and who are capable and comfortable setting out on their own for a significant part of the day/night. There will be several hours each day of educational content. Most meals will be on your own (excluded from the program cost) to enjoy what you like, and there will be substantial free time for personal independent exploration. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Periods in the schedule designated as “Free time” and “At leisure” offer opportunities to do what you like and make your experience even more meaningful and memorable according to your personal preferences. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding. Before dinner, we will take a motorcoach to the Old Town, where we’ll go on a short walk to dinner as we get oriented.
Dinner:
At a local restaurant.
Evening:
At leisure.
Activity Note
Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 12 miles, approximately 2 hours riding time. Walking/standing about 2 miles, up to 2 hours. Some stairs to negotiate. Extent/duration of walking and other free time activities according to personal choice.
Breakfast:
In the hotel dining room.
Morning:
We will enjoy a field trip with the Group Leader by motorcoach and on foot, seeing sites including Lazienki Park, the Royal Route, the Chopin Monument, and the Palace on the Water, before driving along the Royal Route to the city center to see the Ghetto Monument.
Lunch:
We will stop at a local restaurant for lunch and be treated to a Polish Pierogi party.
Afternoon:
Free time. Take this opportunity for personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most. Please refer to the list of Free Time Opportunities. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. For art lovers, we recommend the National Museum, a house of art from ancient to contemporary. Warsaw’s historic center is home to the Royal Castle, a symbol of Warsaw and of Poland herself, as well as the charming Palace on the Water. The former residence of Polish kings and the seat of parliament, it was deliberately razed to the ground by the Nazis during WWII, then subsequently reconstructed with extraordinary painstaking care, thanks to the generosity of the Polish public. At 5:00 p.m., we’ll meet for a hospitality hour at the hotel. Your Group Leader will be happy to help you organize your free time, or answer any questions you may have.
Dinner:
Explore local fare on your own.
Evening:
We will attend a Chopin concert at the Fryderyk Concert Hall in the Old Town, which we’ll head to by motorcoach. In Poland, Chopin’s music defines a nation and the country's long struggle for independence, described by German composer Robert Schumann as “cannons hidden among blossoms.” No one before Chopin, nor anyone since, has been able to create a sonic universe from the melodies and rhythms surrounding Poles.
Activity Note
Getting on/off a tram. Walking/standing about 2 miles, up to 2 hours. Some stairs to negotiate. Extent/duration of walking and other free time activities according to personal choice.
Breakfast:
In the hotel dining room.
Morning:
At the hotel, we will enjoy a discussion and lecture from a local expert on current Polish economic and social challenges. After a break, we will then take in a second lecture on the unique Polish experience of the second half of the 20th century, including the influence of Catholicism, Communism, and democracy. After the lectures, we will take public transportation to the POLIN Museum, where we will enjoy a self-guided visit. Located on the site of the former Warsaw Ghetto, the POLIN Museum includes a journey through the 1000-year history of Polish Jews.
Lunch:
We will have lunch at a local restaurant.
Afternoon:
Free time. You could re-enter the POLIN museum with your ticket. Other suggestions include the Wilanow Palace, a precious monument of the Baroque, the Museum of the History of Polish Jews, and the Warsaw Rising Museum, an homage to the heroes of the Warsaw Uprising in 1944 and where the Polish spirit and pride is on full display.
Dinner:
Explore local fare on your own.
Evening:
At leisure.
Activity Note
Luggage will be transferred via van directly to the Krakow hotel; only hand luggage needed. Getting on/off a train; riding approximately 3 hours. Walking/standing for about 2 miles total for the day, up to 3 hours in Krakow.
Breakfast:
In the hotel dining room.
Morning:
After checking out of the hotel and walking (about 1/3 mile) to the station, we’ll transfer via train to Krakow, which retains the largest concentration of historical monuments and cultural treasures in Poland. Upon arrival in Krakow, we’ll enjoy an expert-led walk in the old town, including the Market Square and St. Mary’s Church.
Lunch:
We will enjoy a light lunch at a local restaurant in Krakow.
Afternoon:
We’ll settle in at the hotel, then attend an orientation meeting and hospitality hour before adjourning for the evening.
Dinner:
On your own.
Evening:
At leisure.
Activity Note
Getting on/off a tram. Walking/standing about 1 mile, up to 2 hours to and around Wawel Hill. Some stairs to negotiate. Extent/duration of walking and other free time activities according to personal choice.
Breakfast:
In the hotel dining room.
Morning:
At the hotel, we will take in a lecture from a local expert: “Jewish Renaissance in Contemporary Poland.” After the lecture, we will walk to Wawel Hill to enjoy an expert-led field trip. This fortified architectural complex is a testament to the golden age of Krakow in the “City of Kings”.
Lunch:
Explore local fare on your own.
Afternoon:
Free time. Suggestions include the Mehoffer House Museum, Matejko House Museum, and Royal Castle and Cathedral. You may like to visit the National Museum and take in its current exhibitions.
Dinner:
On your own.
Evening:
At leisure.
Activity Note
Getting on/off motorcoach, driving approximately 3.5 hours, about 90 miles; Walking up to 3 hours, approximately 3 miles; Terrain includes gravel paths, uneven terrain; Standing up to 2 hours.
Breakfast:
In the hotel dining room.
Morning:
We will depart early by motorcoach to visit the Auschwitz & Birkenau Museum, a symbol of the Holocaust. The site of the camp houses the museum, where documents concerning Nazi crimes are exhibited. A local expert will lead us through the camp and museum.
Lunch:
At a local restaurant.
Afternoon:
After lunch, we will attend a presentation on former prisoners of Auschwitz. We will then board the motorcoach and return to Krakow. The remainder of the evening will be free time.
Dinner:
On your own.
Evening:
At leisure.
Activity Note
Getting on/off a tram. Walking/standing about 1.5 miles, up to 2 hours. Some stairs to negotiate. Getting on/off motorcoach, driving approximately 30 minutes, about 15 miles. Extent/duration of walking and other free time activities according to personal choice.
Breakfast:
In the hotel dining room.
Morning:
At the hotel, we will have a discussion and lecture with a local expert on the great personalities of Poland, including people like Chopin, Marie Curie-Sklodowska, Pope John Paul II, Lech Walesa, Czeslaw Milosz, and Wislawa Szymborska, who changed Poland and the world. After the lecture, we will take public transportation to the Czartoryski Museum for an expert-led visit. This is one of the oldest museums in Poland and houses works including “Lady with an Ermine” by Leonardo da Vinci.
Lunch:
On your own.
Afternoon:
Free Time. Your Group Leader will be happy to help you organize your free time or answer any questions you may have. Before dinner, we’ll set out via motorcoach on an expert-led field trip to Kazimierz, the ancient heart of Jewish Krakow, via public transportation. For almost 700 years, Krakow was home to a large Jewish community. In the past, Kazimierz was a distinct town with its own market square, town hall, and Poland’s oldest synagogue, called the Old Synagogue. Its thriving culture blossomed in the 16th century. Following the tragedy of WWII, Kazimierz was deserted, but today enjoys a far-reaching renaissance.
Dinner:
We’ll transfer by motorcoach to a local restaurant. Share favorite experiences and enjoy camaraderie with new Road Scholar friends during our farewell dinner.
Evening:
During dinner, we will enjoy a klezmer concert. The rest of the evening is at leisure. Prepare for check-out and departure in the morning.
Activity Note
Hotel check-out by 12:00 Noon. See your program’s “Getting There” information regarding transfers.
Breakfast:
In the hotel dining room. This concludes our program.
Morning:
If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on another rewarding program in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!
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