Railways, River Cruises and
World War II History in Poland

See some of the most important and fascinating WWII sites in the Polish cities and countryside, on a tour that combines history and culture with First Class railway travel, private tramway rides, scenic river cruises and a narrow gauge steam railway excursion.

• Based throughout in the beautiful historic city of Krakow, this tour takes you to Oskar Schindler’s Factory, Krakow’s Aviation Museum, Gliwice Radio Tower and the Tarnow Old Town with Jewish Ghetto.
• Visits to the inspiring and UNESCO-designated Kazimierz Jewish quarter in Krakow and the Holocaust remembrance site in Oświęcim, and the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp.
• First Class travel on PKP Intercity services between the different cities, including a wonderful day-trip on Poland’s most scenic railway line to Zakopane in the Tatra Mountains, plus excursion on the panoramic Gubalowka mountain-top funicular.
• A privately chartered river cruise below Wawel Castle in Krakow as well as private rides on the fun and popular electric golf carts in Krakow and Tarnow, allowing you to sightsee the main sites and historic landmarks in comfort and style.
• A visit to the amazing salt mines at Wieliczka, a UNESCO World Heritage site with an incredible network of beautiful underground chambers and chapels that are unique in the world.
  

Thursday 17th July
Arrive to Krakow
Fly direct from London to Krakow. This is one of the most beautiful cities in Europe and will be your base for the entire duration of the tour. After a welcome lunch at your centrally located quality hotel, you are free to have a first look around and explore the Old Town with its expansive main market square and ornate buildings. You will be given a complimentary public transport rover ticket valid for all days of the tour. (L)

Friday 18th July

Kazimierz Jewish Quarter, Oskar Schindler’s factory, sunset dinner cruise on the River Vistula

Today we visit the Jewish Quarter Kazimierz, with its preserved synagogues and Jewish cemeteries. Transport through the narrow alleys and old cobble-stone streets is by electric golf carts. You have an English audio-guide. You drive around the historic districts and then over the River Vistula to the former Jewish Ghetto, where the main square has been turned into an evocative memorial with vacant chairs, commemorating the heroes of the Ghetto. The trip will conclude at Oskar Schindler’s enamel factory, made famous by Steven Spielberg’s 1992 feature film ‘Schindler’s List, where several hundred Jews were saved from death. Today, the factory is a museum, providing an immersive experience. After the museum visit there is some free time, before a wonderful evening sightseeing cruise on the River Vistula and below Wawel Castle. Full dinner catering and complimentary drinks are included on the sunset cruise. (B D)

Saturday 19th July
Polish Aviation Museum in Krakow and Wieliczka salt mine
Today you visit the Polish Aviation Museum has one of the finest collections of 1930s and 40s aircrafts in Europe.The museum showcases 22 extremely rare war planes built before 1941, including a unique collection of wooden bi-planes from World War I. In the afternoon you take the train from Krakow main station directly to Wieliczka, where you visit the famed Wieliczka Salt Mine. This stunning underground facility with the unique St. Kinga’s Chapel inside, is a UNESCO World Heritage site. In the evening there’s a buffet dinner back at the hotel. (B D)

Sunday 20th July
Heritage tramways and leisure in Krakow
On Sundays during the summer Krakow’s popular museum tramway is in regular service. You will have a complimentary rover ticket for unlimited rides on the different heritage trams, once again giving you a great opportunity to sightsee the city in style and comfort, without walking. Additionally, this day is dedicated for more free time to individually explore all the cultural attractions that the city has to offer. (B)

Monday 21st July
Scenic railway journey to the Zakopane in the Tatra Mountains, Gubalowka funicular
After breakfast you embark on a wonderful train trip in First Class aboard a PKP Intercity train from Krakow to Zakopane. Between Chabowka and Zakopane, the train passes over the most scenic railway line in Poland as it heads directly south towards the rocky cliffs of the Tatra Mountains. After arrival in Zakopane you have a transfer to the town centre on the popular electric golf cars, seeing the characteristic wooden mountain cottages that this resort is known for. Then you ascend to the 1129 m (3704 ft) high Mount Gubalowka on the Swiss-built funicular. From the top you will have wonderful views of mountains and valleys. You have lunch in Zakopane, before taking a late afternoon Intercity train back to Krakow, once again enjoying the fine views along the way. (B L)

Tuesday 22nd July
Trip to Oświęcim and visit of the Auschwitz concentration camp
The town of Oświęcim is located west of Krakow. Today you have a direct transfer from the hotel to the memorial sites and a guided visit to the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp, which narrates first-hand the horrors of the Holocaust. The hotel will provide you with an on-the-go lunch to take with you. (B L)

Wednesday 23rd July
Historic Tarnow and train ride in panoramic dome car
The enchanting city of Tarnow, one hour east of Krakow, is one of the best kept secrets in Poland. With a gorgeous Old Town, spacious squares and soaring churches it has much of the same charm and appeal of Krakow, but without the crowds. Additionally the city features poignant World War II history and had its own Jewish Ghetto during occupation. You see the city on a comfortable sightseeing tour by electric golf cart, before enjoying some refreshments at the main square. In the afternoon you return to Krakow on the EuroCity ‘Porta Moravica’, which features a Swiss-built panoramic dome car in its consist. You enjoy the First Class trip back to Krakow in the dome car, with fine views along the tracks. In the evening there’s dinner back at the hotel. (B D)

Thursday 24th July
Visit to the Gliwice Radio Tower in Upper Silesia, narrow gauge steam train in Bytom
Today you travel westbound by Intercity train from Krakow to Gliwice. Located in the Silesian coal-mining region, Gliwice (Gleiwitz) was German until 1945. Gliwice Radio Station is a 118 m (387 ft) tall wooden Radio Tower built by the German Reichspost in 1935. On 31 August 1939, the German’s staged a fake ‘Polish’ attack on the Gliwice radio station, which was later used as justification for Hitler’s long-planned invasion of Poland. The transmitter tower remains the tallest wooden structure in Europe, locally known as the “Eiffel Tower of Silesia”. Afterwards, you visit the nearby city of Bytom for lunch, before taking the local narrow gauge railway and enjoying a steam-hauled journey on a private charter train to the northern terminus Miasteczko Śląskie. You will pass the old Polish-German frontier from the Interwar Years and see numerous border fortifications and bunkers from the late 1930. Runpasts and other photo stops are also included. From the narrow gauge railway you continue to Katowice, where you have some time for sightseeing in the historic city centre before returning to Krakow by Intercity train. In the evening there’s a final group dinner at the hotel. (B L D)

Friday 25th July
Return to London
You have a direct coach transfer from the hotel to the airport and then a return flight from Krakow to London. (B)