Day 1: Warsaw arrival
Arrive in Warsaw at any time. Warsaw Chopin Airport is well connected to the city center by train and bus. After checking into your hotel, take an orientation walk around your neighborhood. Your tour leader will meet you in the evening for a welcome briefing followed by an optional group dinner at a traditional Polish restaurant, where you can sample pierogi, barszcz, and zurek while getting to know your fellow travelers.
Day 2: Warsaw
Set out on a guided walking tour of Warsaw’s Old Town, a miraculous reconstruction of the city’s medieval core. Marvel at Castle Square, the Royal Castle, and St. John’s Cathedral, all rebuilt after near-total annihilation during World War II. Visit the Chopin Museum to learn about Poland’s greatest composer, housed in a beautifully restored Baroque palace. In the afternoon, explore the POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews, an architectural masterpiece and one of Europe’s finest museums, which tells the thousand-year story of Jewish life in Poland. The evening is free — consider attending a Chopin piano recital, a quintessential Warsaw experience.
Day 3: Train to Wroclaw
Board a morning express train to Wroclaw, a journey of approximately 3.5 hours through the Polish countryside. Upon arrival, a short orientation walk introduces you to Wroclaw’s layout, centered on the magnificent Rynek (Market Square), one of Poland’s largest and most beautiful. The afternoon is yours to begin exploring. Cross the Tumski Bridge to Cathedral Island, the city’s oldest quarter, and watch the lamplighter light the gas lamps as dusk falls — a tradition unchanged for over a century.
Day 4: Wroclaw
Begin your full day in Wroclaw with a visit to Ostrow Tumski (Cathedral Island), the spiritual heart of the city. See the Gothic Cathedral of St. John the Baptist and climb its tower for panoramic views. Next, visit the Raclawice Panorama, an astonishing 360-degree cycloramic painting depicting the 1794 Battle of Raclawice — a unique and immersive artistic experience. Spend the afternoon hunting for Wroclaw’s famous dwarfs, the tiny bronze statues scattered throughout the city. Each dwarf has its own story and personality. This evening, explore Wroclaw’s thriving food scene in the Nadodrze district or along the Odra River waterfront.
Day 5: Wroclaw to Krakow
Take the morning train from Wroclaw to Krakow, arriving by early afternoon. After checking into your hotel, your tour leader will lead an orientation walk through the Old Town, introducing you to the Main Market Square, the Cloth Hall, and St. Mary’s Basilica. The afternoon is free to explore at your own pace — visit the Czartoryski Museum to see Leonardo da Vinci’s Lady with an Ermine, wander the Planty park encircling the Old Town, or simply enjoy coffee at a market square cafe watching the world go by.
Day 6: Krakow
Dedicate the full day to Krakow’s treasures. Start at Wawel Hill, the former seat of Polish royalty, where you can tour the State Rooms of the Royal Castle and visit the cathedral crypts. Walk down Kanonicza Street, one of Poland’s most beautiful streets, to reach the Main Market Square. Visit St. Mary’s Basilica to see the breathtaking wooden altarpiece by Veit Stoss, the largest Gothic altarpiece in the world, carved between 1477 and 1489. In the afternoon, cross into Kazimierz, Krakow’s historic Jewish Quarter, to explore its synagogues, atmospheric courtyards, and the poignant Remuh Cemetery. End the day at one of Kazimierz’s bohemian cafes or vodka bars.
Day 7: Wieliczka Salt Mine + Auschwitz-Birkenau
Set out early for the Wieliczka Salt Mine, a 40-minute journey from Krakow. Descend underground to explore this extraordinary UNESCO World Heritage site, where miners over eight centuries carved chapels, statues, chandeliers, and even an underground lake, all from salt. The highlight is the Chapel of St. Kinga, an ornate subterranean cathedral where even the chandeliers are made of salt crystals. After lunch, those who wish to visit Auschwitz-Birkenau can join an organized afternoon excursion to the memorial (approximately 1.5 hours away), returning to Krakow in the evening. Alternatively, use the afternoon for further independent exploration of Krakow.
Day 8: Krakow departure
Your Polish adventure concludes today. Depart at any time after breakfast. If you have an evening flight, take advantage of a final morning in Krakow — perhaps a last visit to the market square for souvenir shopping or one more plate of pierogi before heading to the airport. Krakow Airport is easily reached by train or taxi from the city center.
