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Discover one of the most beautiful cities in Europe and its UNESCO-protected historic centre with like-minded travel companions.
Set on the banks of the Vistula River near the foothills of the Carpathian Mountains, Krakow ranks with Prague and Vienna as one of the architectural gems of central Europe. Once the home of Copernicus and Pope John Paul II, Krakow rivals Prague for sheer beauty and boasts more than 6,000 historic buildings ripe for exploration.
Highlights
Enjoy a guided walking tour of the medieval city and Poland’s former capital.
Visit to Wawel, the castle district, one of Europe’s most striking royal residences.
Choose to visit to Auschwitz-Birkenau, or enjoy free time in Krakow.
Optional tour of the cathedral-like salt mines.
Inclusions
The price of this holiday is per person, based on one person in a double/twin room for sole occupancy. The price includes:
Return flights to Krakow
Three nights' in four-star accommodation
Daily breakfast and a welcome dinner
All local accommodation taxes
Return airport transfers
The services of a Riviera Travel tour manager throughout
Hotel porterage
All tours as mentioned
Not included: Optional trip to the Salt Mines £25 approximate cost, payable locally.
1
Arrival in Krakow - At the airport, you'll be met by a member of our team before taking your flight to Krakow. On arrival in Krakow, a coach will take you to our centrally located hotel to check in.
Within walking distance are the main sights so, if you have the time, why not start to explore? But don’t forget to be back in time for our welcome dinner and drinks this evening – it's the perfect opportunity to get to know your travel companions better.
2
Krakow tour - After breakfast we will have a walking tour of Krakow, following which we defy you to disagree that this is one of the most beautiful cities you have ever seen. During our tour we will see the amazing Rynek, the main square, lined with exquisite medieval buildings and always busy with locals going about their daily business, exchanging a few words or enjoying a coffee in one of the numerous street cafés. In the centre is the Cloth Hall, which as its name suggests, has been used for textile trading since the 16th century.
Today it is full of small stalls selling beautiful, locally made amber jewellery and an art gallery. Overlooking the square is St. Mary’s church so richly decorated with fine paintings, gold-leaf and silverware, it could be mistaken for a cathedral. The 14th century-stained glass is particularly ornate with striking beams of light creating a kaleidoscope of colour in the chancel below. Since medieval times, from the top of one of the two ornate spires a trumpeter sounds a warning of potential attack every two hours.
You will also see the immense Florian Gate and the remains of the medieval fortifications built to defend the capital of Poland and the church where years later Pope John Paul II held Mass to a grateful congregation. We will see a host of other sights too, including the University and Collegium where the famous astronomer Copernicus theorised that the earth was not the centre of the solar system – bravely driving a coach and horses through centuries-old scientific thinking!
Later we visit the Wawel castle district which, dating back to the 11th century, is built on a bend on the river Vistula below and dominates Krakow. This was the political and cultural capital of Poland for over 500 years and today the myriad of buildings comprises amongst others, the Royal Palace, Cathedral, Senators’ Hall, Treasury and Armoury.
We will see the cathedral that is the final resting place of the Polish monarchs. You can tour the Palace and Royal chambers which host an impressive range of rooms that have been restored to their original and stunning Renaissance and Baroque state, overflowing with fine furniture, works of art and Europe’s largest collection of tapestries. There will be free time to explore the rest of the complex, including the wonderful three-tiered Renaissance courtyard.
This afternoon, should you wish, you will have the option of a tour to the famous Salt Mines (your tour manager will advise locally of the times and costs).
3
Auschwitz & Birkenau - We thought long and hard about how appropriate it would be to include this morning’s destination in a holiday – Auschwitz and Birkenau. These places need no introduction. As a company, our philosophy is that we try to inform our clients about all aspects of the countries we visit, which includes the history as well as visits to ‘tourist musts.'
Auschwitz has been left virtually as it was when it was liberated in 1945. It is now a museum and monument. This morning’s guided tour will be extremely moving. First, we visit Auschwitz and then nearby Birkenau and the notorious watchtower from where we can appreciate the sheer scale of the atrocities that happened.
We return to Krakow during the afternoon and the mood will immediately lift as we have time to explore Krakow’s beautiful range of attractions. Alternatively, if you wish to stay in Krakow for the full day, you are free to do so.
4
Return home
Novotel Krakow Centrum
The hotel has excellent facilities including a gym, indoor swimming pool, spa and wellness facilities (local charges may be applicable), and a restaurant serving a continental buffet breakfast. Should you wish to dine in the hotel in the evening, the restaurant serves international cuisine in a cosy yet modern setting. There’s also a chic bar and lounge to enjoy a cup of coffee or perhaps a nightcap.
The spacious, modern rooms are all air-conditioned and feature complimentary Wi-Fi, television, tea and coffee making facilities, a hairdryer, minibar (local charges apply) and safe. Please note air-conditioning is seasonal and dependant on outside temperature.
