Poland
Independent Warsaw and Krakow: Capitals Past and Present
Program No. 18187RJ
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Independent Warsaw and Krakow: Capitals Past and Present
Independent Warsaw and Krakow: Capitals Past and Present
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Participant Reviews
Based on 22 Reviews
SHOWING
We had a wonderful experience visiting Poland with Road Scholar. Our Leader Krystain was amazing. The people of Poland were so friendly and what a beautiful country. We learned so many things and met very nice people in our group.
— Review left June 1, 2026
There are so many things to do in Warsaw and Krakow. The program includes a lot of free time to choose places not included in the itinerary. I recommend doing some research before the trip. I also think an "independent "city" program is best done with a travel companion, not as a solo traveler.
— Review left May 31, 2026
This was my first Road Scholar trip, and I'm now a believer. The guide, Krystian Wesolowski, was terrific. He created a warm and friendly atmosphere immediately, and thus our group bonded, which greatly enhanced the experience. Krystian went out of his way to solve problems and was always patient with us. He is a huge asset to the Warsaw and Krakow trip.
The activities were thoughtfully chosen and mostly worthwhile. I would suggest skipping the Czartoryski Museum in Krakow, however, or at least not taking the live guided tour, which was too long and detailed.
The lectures were mostly very good, though the last one, on famous Poles, was somewhat problematic. The lecturer was very engaging and likable, but I would suggest she hone her material down to maybe 10 or 15 notables. Again the detail was overwhelming. And her slide show would have been far more effective if the room was able to be darkened.
Both hotels were excellent, the Polonia Palace especially so. And their breakfast buffets were tremendous. The restaurants were wonderful and the meals delicious. The last dinner, at Klezmer-Hois with a live klezmer performance, was particularly outstanding, and a wonderful way to conclude the trip, as was the accompanying tour of the old Jewish section, delivered by Julie, a terrific guide.
The Krakow hotel was right on the Vistula. My companion and I took a short river cruise just a few minutes from the hotel. It was delightful, relaxing, and so convenient to the hotel. I would urge you to consider adding it as an activity, preferably at the start of the Krakow segment, as it was a lovely introduction to that magnificent city.
One other suggestion: you should not schedule connecting flights originating at O'Hare that have a mere 80 minutes between planes. Our flight was late, and we missed our second flight. An aggravating start.
In summary, this was a remarkable travel experience. Road Scholar's superb reputation is well earned.
— Review left May 23, 2026
This was a fantastic trip. It was a window into a society that transitioned from communism to capitalism. I was fascinated to learn so much about Polish history, and contemporary Polish society. Warsaw and Krakow seemed remarkably safe for walking around alone and at night. The group leader, Krystian, was organized, informative, and willing to share his own experiences growing up through the transition from communism to capitalism. There was a lot of Jewish content on this trip. If you go, I would recommend going 1 day ahead of time to check out the Museum of Life under Communism, and find your way to the remnant of the Warsaw ghetto, and stay an extra day in Krakow to go to the Sat Mines.
— Review left December 18, 2025
Not for me. Expensive for what it includes .
— Review left November 6, 2025
Program was excellent our guide superb I recommend it for those interested in enlarging their view of central and east Europe
— Review left September 30, 2025
Overall outstanding trip with excellent lectures, tours, transportation, accommodations, meals, and organization. Both Warsaw and Krakow exceeded my pre-conceived notions regarding their respective prosperity, cleanliness, and friendliness.
I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this trip.
— Review left September 27, 2025
Wow! I had dreamed of going to Poland all my life as my grandparents were from there as young adults. I am not Jewish so was unsure of the Itinerary. But I did not expect it to be what I found: Interesting, painful history; amazingly friendly people; beautiful music; informative lectures; and good food. Our trip mates were friendly, educated and interesting. But what made this trip a 15 out of 10 was our tour guide Krystian. He was knowledgeable, attentive, and patient. Of all of the great guides we've had with Road Scholar he stands out. He attended to both the group and the needs of the individual. A strong leader, he also was thoughtful and sensitive. He even took pictures and sent them to us. A truly rare individual. I came home extremely proud to be Polish
We highly recommend this tour
— Review left June 27, 2025
This was my first Road Scholar trip and it was a combination of good and not so good. The mix of group activities, free time, and restaurants were not well chosen. The lectures were mostly good, the one by Andrzej Filpiak was excellent, as were the local guides, although we didn’t have one in Warsaw. The trip leader Kristyian was not an experienced tour leader and was a disappointment. He was substantively knowledgable about many things but was not organized, or attentive to details, and didn’t provide enough advance information about the days activities or offer suggestions when I asked. Overall I enjoyed learning about Poland’s rich history and meeting a diverse group of people. Our last evening tour and dinner in Kazimierz in Krakow was great fun.
— Review left May 27, 2025
Hi folks, I just wanted to say how much I enjoyed my trip to Poland. It was my first time doing a Road Scholar trip and I really enjoyed the experience and the people I met. Our guides were wonderful and knowledgeable. Piotr Hardy, our guide in Warsaw was exceptional. He was patient and was able to talk on many topics. Agnieszka was harder to understand but clearly well versed as a guide in Krakow.
If I could make one suggestion - it would be a good thing to have two guides working together. Our group had people with differing abilities and personalities. I think a second person could give individual attention to those who clearly needed it.
The Whisper was brilliant and was a big help in crowded places. The itinerary was well balanced. Meals and hotels were more then adequate.
I do have a question about my name tag/lanyard. Can I mail it back? It is reusable and I probably wont be going on another trip for 9 months.
Looking forward to signing up for my next trip. Thank You, Lynn
— Review left November 4, 2024
A must experience even for the individual traveling alone. Thank you Road Scholar your future explorer. Cathy is
— Review left October 22, 2024
Warsaw and Krakow (Krakow in particular) are beautiful towns that are relatively uncommercialized. This was a rare chance to get a sense of historical Europe.
— Review left October 19, 2024
The Warsaw and Krakow independent trip is awesome. You will learn so much and still have enough individual time to explore your unique interests.
— Review left July 1, 2024
I LOVED the "Independent" way of learning! Walking tours or lectures in the mornings, then free to explore on our own. There was so much to see and do in both cities that I appreciated having the independent time to choose. And yet, I made friends with many of the participants and loved hearing their adventures and stories.
I would strongly encourage others to try this independent format. With support from our excellent guides, Krystian and Julia, my days were full and enriching. I am grateful to have made this trip to Poland. It has opened my eyes to a deeper understanding of a country and a people too often overlooked by travelers in the West. So if you can, GO TO POLAND!
— Review left June 21, 2024
Super disorganized trip. Each day felt like “winging it” as opposed to planned.
— Review left April 26, 2024
I enjoyed the program and group breakfasts and dinners. If I could change anything it would be a bit slower pace and better communication perhaps via texts or pop up reminders.
— Review left June 29, 2023
Poland is a welcoming destination, Completely safe, interesting history, great music, art, delicious food and very easy to get around.
— Review left June 23, 2023
An excellent introduction to Poland. We got a good primer on Polish history and a deeper understanding of the tragic story of Polish Jews. It was good to see Warsaw, and to at least see the ghetto site, but it made sense to spend more time in Krakow, with so many of its stunning sites undamaged. The leader was excellent, going the extra mile for individual interests. The instructors were good, with two outstanding. This was our first "independent" trip, and we would have preferred a few more group excursions and meals, partly to get to know other participants. But overall, a wonderfully rich experience.
— Review left October 16, 2019
This was a marvelous, well-organized, very educational trip with 21 interesting adults and one of the most outstanding, knowledgeable, agreeable leaders I've ever experienced. Well done Road Scholar! We will be back for more trips as soon as we can save up the money!
— Review left October 2, 2019
This program really enhanced our visit to Poland. We learned so much more than we would have if we had did this on our own. We particularly enjoyed the Independent format as it gave us both structure and ample opportunity to explore on our own.
— Review left May 27, 2019
A good balance between the educational lectures and free time. I learned a lot and had time to explore and discover.
— Review left April 26, 2019
If you've EVER wondered about Poland - this is the trip to take; sites, flavors, histories, horrors, successes, pride and more! We thought we "knew", but were really quite naive about an amazing country and resilient people who make Americans looks pretty "lazy". This was an important and humbling experience. PLUS - the vodka and chocolate are fabulous! This is a highly recommended "independent study" program. If you're "good to go" with some great suggestions, this one's for you.
— Review left April 19, 2019