Highlights of Poland

(8 Days - Departs Daily on a Private Basis)
Gdansk, Warsaw & Auschwitz, Krakow

This private luxury tour takes in Poland's top cultural and scenic attractions from north to south, including atmospheric riverside towns, ancient castles, historic sites, beautiful mountains and an abundance of stunning UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Begin in Gdansk, a historic port city on the Baltic Sea and the birthplace of the Solidarity movement. Tour the backstreets, squares and canals of the Old Town and the surrounding region, including Gdynia and Sopot, a fashionable seaside resort.

En route to Warsaw, visit Malbork, a massive medieval castle built by the Teutonic Knights, or Torun, a well-preserved medieval town and the birthplace of Nicolaus Copernicus. Both are UNESCO World Heritage sites.

In Warsaw, an energetic capital city filled with beautiful parks and a unique architectural legacy, enjoy flexible private touring of the charming Old Town, which rose phoenix-like from near total destruction during World War II. See monuments of Poland's Communist era and the renovated palaces of the embassy district. Visit the Palace on the Water, surrounded by the beautiful English gardens of Lazienki Park. Tour the sites associated with Warsaw's once-large Jewish population, including the Jewish Ghetto and the atmospheric Jewish cemetery. Walk along the Royal Way, stopping in upscale boutiques and food shops in the reconstructed townhouses lining the boulevard, and perhaps see the unique memorial to Frederic Chopin, a local hero.

From Warsaw, Artisans of Leisure can also arrange excursions, upon request, to Zelazowa Wola, the birthplace of Chopin; Lowicz to tour a folk art museum and enjoy a meal with local artists; the well-preserved 19th-century factory town of Lodz; Lublin and nearby Majdanek concentration camp; the memorial to Treblinka death camp; or Kazimierz Dolny, a charming riverside town filled with historic architecture and popular among artists.

Next, transfer by private car through farmland and forests to Krakow, Poland's well-preserved cultural capital and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Stop en route in Auschwitz to see one of the most notorious sites of Nazi Germany's genocidal program.

In Krakow, tour the beautiful Old Town, including the Wawel, the hilltop royal castle and cathedral. Visit churches decorated with stunning Art Nouveau interiors, see Leonardo da Vinci's Lady with an Ermine painting at the Czartoryski Museum, explore the best boutiques around Florianska Street, relax in the outdoor cafes in the vast Market Square, and visit the Rynek Underground museum to explore the city's past. Also, tour Kazimierz, the old Jewish district, to see historic synagogues with beautiful stained glass and decorated interiors as well as the old Jewish cemetery and quiet backstreets. Other options include touring the former Jewish Ghetto and the Oskar Schindler Factory, immortalized in the film Schindler's List.

One day, take an excursion to Wieliczka Salt Mine. A unique UNESCO World Heritage Site, the mine has been in use for 700 years and is filled with sculptures, friezes and chapels that miners have carved from salt.  For those interested, this tour can be extended and made one day longer to include a full-day private excursion to Zakopane. 

From Krakow, Artisans of Leisure can also arrange excursions, upon request, to the painted village of Zalipie; Tyniec Abbey; Kalwaria Zebrzydowska, a Catholic pilgrimage route and UNESCO World Heritage Site; sites related to the Young Poland movement, such as the Stanislaw Wyspianski Museum and House of Jozef Mehoffer; and rafting down the scenic Dunajec River Gorge.

Other special activities we arrange in Poland include meeting with Jewish scholars and tours of Jewish institutes; Polish cooking classes; visits to art galleries; piano recitals and concerts of music by Polish composers; and researching family history and genealogy.

Booking Information >

All Artisans of Leisure tours are private and depart daily.

Please Contact Us for more information regarding the above tour, or to begin customizing your own itinerary.

The Artisans of Leisure Style of Travel:

• Private touring with your own personal guides and drivers
• Preferred rooms in the very best luxury hotels
• Firsthand, sophisticated destination knowledge and recommendations from our travel specialists
• Itineraries that are customized according to your interests and schedule
• Artisans of Leisure upgrades and amenities
• A seamless travel experience, including all logistics, skipping lines during touring whenever possible, restaurant and spa reservations, performance tickets, private airport transfers, internal transportation, VIP and fast-track airport assistance in many destinations
• Around-the-clock support in each destination during your trip
• Unique, insider travel experiences and access to the Artisans of Leisure network of experts around the world