Opportunities Today : June 2006 Issue

Pulsating Poland in 7 Nights/ 8 days

 

 

 

POLAND is located at the middle of the European continent on the crossroads between the West and the East of Europe. Poland has a history of over 1000 years and has rich traditions with cultural heritage. Poland' s geographical location and ethnic diversity makes it a unique place which is a blend of western and oriental civilizations. The capital of Poland is Warsaw and Krakow is known as its historic capital. COMPACT TRAVELS brings to you one of Europe's fastest growing destinations which has seen 64.6 million arrivals into Poland in 2005, a definite increase compared to previous years. This destination is excellent value for money as it has its own currency Poland Zloty and has not adopted the Euro currency till date.

 

Even Bollywood seems to be attracted to Poland and the new movie ‘Fanaa’ was shot in the most scenic area of Zakopane and the Tatra Mountains. The Director of COMPACT TRAVELS who is a Poland specialist is glad to offer PULSATING POLAND - a unique package of 8 days which will enable you to experience this wonderful country and if you wish to extend your stay, COMPACT TRAVELS would be glad to assist you with city extensions either in romantic Mazovia - where you can see the countryside and the place where the famous pianist Frederique Chopin was born or tours in Zakopane, Krakow or even Warsaw.

Here is a summary of what you will see in 8 days of Pulsating Poland

 

Day 1: Warsaw
On arrival at Warsaw international airport, you will be transferred in a private limousine to your hotel which is located in the heart of the city. In the evening you will have an opportunity to meet your tour leader, driver and our local representative who will take care of you during your stay in Poland. You will have an “obiadokolacja” which is one big meal in the evening and enjoy the amenities of the hotel.
 

Day 2 : City Tour of  Warsaw
After a sumptuous breakfast, leave for your full day tour which includes the Old Town rebuilt after being destroyed during World War 2, the former Jewish Ghetto, the bustling downtown area and then take the elegant Royal Route including the Palace on the Water. After enjoying a complimentary snack at a Polish Café, halt at the Observation Deck of huge socialist Palace of Culture. Alternatively you could visit the Museum of the Warsaw Uprising or spend some free time in the Old Town. After fine dining in an elegant restaurant, enjoy your evening listening to a private Chopin concert in the 18th Century Myslewicki Palace in the Royal Lazienki Gardens
 

Day 3 : Black Madonna & Jurassic Castles
Leave Warsaw in the morning to head towards Czetochowa to visit the famous Jasna Gora Monastery with a Pauline monk as a guide to the spiritual heart of Poland. En route to Krakow you will also stop at the romantic ruins of Ogrodzieniec Castle near the limestone Ojcow or Jurassic National Park. You will enjoy your obiadokolacja this time at Czectochowa and arrive in Krakow where your hotel is located in the Old Town where you can enjoy the evening in the heart of the historic capital.

 

Day 4 : Little Poland Highlights (AUSCHWITZ & WIELICZKA)
Leave Krakow in the morning to explore the Little Poland province. Starting with a visit to Auschwitz Concentration Camp and the Holocaust Museum, later you visit Wadowice to see the house where Pope John Paul II was born and you conclude the visit at the UNESCO World Heritage Baroque pilgrimage complex of Kalwaria Zebrzydowska. The latter part of the day go back in time to the 13th century to visit the Wieliczka Salt Mines which is a remarkable monument of engineering with a subterranean universe comprising of galleries hewn in rock and salt deposit. Enjoy your dinner 100 metres under the ground in the Wieliczka restaurant and thereafter head back to your hotel in Krakow.

 

Day 5 : Krakow - Royal & Historic Capital
After breakfast, take a tour of the medieval city of Krakow including the Barbican Gate, Main Market Square - the largest square in Europe which has the 16th Century Cloth Hall in the centre, stroll along the Old Town and proceed to Wawel Hill with the castle of the Polish monarchs where you will also visit the Cathedral and Royal Apartments. Post noon, visit the world's biggest wooden altar carved by Veit Stoss between 1477 and 1489 and visit Our Lady's Church. Later in the evening, walk around the Jewish District in Old Town area and enjoy Jewish Style dinner in a typical Jewish restaurant with cheerful Klezmer Musical concert in the background. A horse drawn carriage ride around the Old Town will give you the feel of this beautiful historical city of Krakow.

 

Day 6 : Zakopane Resort and Tatra Mountains
Bid adieu to Krakow after breakfast and head further south to some of the most beautiful mountains in the world- the Tatra Mountains. You spend your day at the resort town of Zakopane which is on the foot of the majestic Carpathian mountain range towering 2000 metres above sea level. At Zakopane, you see some amazing wooden architecture, enjoy a cable car trip to Mount Kasprowy Wierch, located at 1987 metres and is one of the most beautiful places in the Tatras. You can view the dramatic scenery from atop-across the border of Slovakia and later shop around the Krupowki Street to take back some souvenirs from this region. Taste the local cuisine at Zakopane in the evening along with lively music and dance of the highlands.
 

Day 7 : Back to Warsaw OR Extended Stay in Zakopane
Leave the picturesque area of Tatra Mountains and head back to Warsaw where you will arrive at 5.00 pm or enjoy extended stays in Zakopane or Warsaw. If you plan staying in Zakopane you can visit the open air ethnographic museum of Zubrzyca Gorna in the hilly region of Podhale or use your spare time shopping in Zakopane.

 

Day 8 : Departure from Warsaw
Leave for airport to take your onward connecting flight to your next destination.

 

    Warsaw Highlights

 

Your visit to Warsaw should start from the Old Town which is the cultural lounge of the capital. During the tourist season, you have concerts, open air performances, drama performances and art galleries. Romantic backstreets sloping down to the river and stylish cafés where you can sip your coffee and enjoy background music - an ideal break from the sightseeing that you do throughout the day. The Old Town was reconstructed after destruction during World War 2 and now finds a place in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

 

The Royal Route is the most representative thoroughfare in the city, linking the Royal Castle with palaces in Lazienki and Wilanów. The route, shaped by ages of history, captivates with the atmosphere of palaces, churches, bourgeois tenements and seats of government. Although a walk along the Royal Route takes only an hour, it is a journey through centuries, and a lesson in the history of this unusual city. An interesting point on the route is Wilanów and King Jan Sobieski III's summer residence with lavishly embellished interiors. It is also worth taking a walk along its alleys of a historic park.

 

Before World War II, Warsaw had the maximum number of Jewish inhabitants. In fact it was second in Europe and fourth in the world as far as the number of Jewish inhabitants was concerned with over 400000 Jews residing here. After the Germans had devastated the Warsaw Jewish Ghetto, this world ceased to exist. The traces commemorating it are, among others, Jewish Cemetery, Nozyk Synagogue and Umschlagplatz memorializing the martyrdom of Jews - the site from where the Germans transported about 300 000 Jewish citizens to Treblinka Extermination Camp.  Today Warsaw is Poland's most cosmopolitan cities with luxury hotels, elegant shops, theatre, good food, shopping, museums, bazaars, you name it and you will find it in
Warsaw.

 

    Krakow Highlights

Krakow was the former capital of Poland from the 11th to the 17th Century and lies in the south of Poland on the Vistula River. Here in Krakow you will find over 2.5 million artefacts which are displayed in museums, churches and archives. Must visit places include the Wawel Hill which is perched on a 50 metre high rock on the edge of the Old Town and which houses the residential Royal Castle. Other sites include the Wieliczka salt mine, the Jewish Kazimierz district and the Market Square- one of the largest in Europe, second only to the St Mark's Square in Venice, Italy. Krakow is an ideal blend of many cultures and nations and is a city of culture, art and science as well as the magnificent architecture that the city is proud of. A visit to Poland is incomplete without a visit to the historical capital - Krakow

 

    Tatra mountains and Zakopane
 

Zakopane is a resort close to the Tatras which is considered one of the most beautiful mountains in the world and is part of the Carpathian Mountain Range. The Tatra is the highest part of the Carpathian arch which is spread over thousand kilometers and pass through a few Slavic countries. The Tatra Mountains itself stretches 53 kilometres in a straight line and the highest peak here is Gerlach which is 2054 metres above sea level.

On the Polish side, the highest peak is Rysy which extends 2499 metres and is only the tenth highest peak of the Tatra Mountains.The highest peak which is entirely on the Polish side is Kozi Wierch (2,291). It is located between two valleys: Dolina Gasienicowa and Dolina Pieciu Stawow Polskich.

 

The main watershed of Europe passes through the Tatra Mountains with the rivers Dunajec and Poprad flowing towards the Baltic Sea, where as the river Orawa and Wag flow towards the Black Sea. Rivers pass through four regions which surround the Tatra Mountains. They are: the Podhale, Spisz, Orawa, and Liptów. Only the Podhale and small parts of the Spisz and Orawa are within Polish boundaries. Zakopane has some wonderful walking paths which is appealing to tourists especially the paths which are in the valleys in the western side of Tatra especially the Dolina Bialego.

 

Also included in the PULSATING POLAND Tour

 

    WIELICZKA Salt MIne
 

This deposit of rock salt in Wieliczka-Bochnia has been mined since the 13th century. Spread over nine levels, it has 300 km of galleries with works of art, altars, and statues sculpted in the salt, making a fascinating pilgrimage into the past of a major industrial undertaking.

 

    CZESTOCHOWA - Jasna Gora Monastery - one of the most important pilgrimage shrines of Christendom
 

This is Poland's spiritual capital with the Paulite Monastery located on a hill called Jasna Gora where you find the Blessed Virgin Black Madonna. The Day trip to Czestochowa is along the Eagles' Nest Trail on the Warsaw-Krakow Road. En route you will find a string of castles and ruins of castles. The Jasna Gora Monastery itself dates back to 14th Century and is a great place of historical and religious importance with the painting of Black Madonna having the reputation of creating miracles including spontaneous healing especially for pilgrimages who come to visit this portrait.

 

    AUSCHWITZ- Former German Nazi extermination camp
 

AUSCHWITZ-The largest Nazi concentration camp formed during World War II on Hitler's order. The Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial Museum was established in 1947 by the Polish Government on the site of the largest concentration camp, which was set up in 1940 for prisoners from Poland. From 1941, German Nazis imprisoned there people from all the countries occupied by the Third Reich. From 1942 it also became one of the biggest extermination camps for the European Jews. In total approximately 1.5 million people were killed or gassed on the camp premises. There is the exhibition entitled "Man Did This To Man" in the barracks once used to house inmates. In recognition of its historical significance as a memorial to all who suffered and died there, in 1979, the site of the former concentration camp in Auschwitz-Birkenau was listed on the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage list.
 

Also enquire for exclusive FIT packages on private basis. The tour price may vary depending where and for how long you plan your extended stay- in Zakopane or Warsaw

 

Departure dates ex-Warsaw:
June Departures : 17th June
July and August Departures : Every Saturday
September Departures : 8th September, 15th September, 22nd September

 

Inaugural Tour price of EURO 1130 per person on twin sharing basis includes:

• Airport pick up and drop from Warsaw

• 3 nights 5 star hotel stay in Warsaw, 3 nights 3 star hotel stay in Krakow and 1 night 3 star hotel stay in Zakopane, (in July and August alternatively 2 nights in Warsaw and 2 nights in Zakopane) all on bed and breakfast basis

• English speaking tour manager throughout your tour

• 6 three-course dinners

• City tours of Warsaw, Krakow,Zakopane and sightseeing tours of Jasna Gora Monastery, Wawel Castle, St. Mary's Church, Auschwitz, Wieliczka Saltmines

• Entrance fees to Palace of the Culture and Chopin piano concert

• Cable Car to Mount Kasprowy Wierch

• Highlander Show in Zakopane

• All taxes within Poland which is part of itinerary and stay.

• Each tour participant will also be given a free information booklet

 

    Choice of Hotels in ‘Pulsating Poland Tour’

 

***** Hotel Radisson SAS In Warsaw
The Radisson Hotel is centrally located in the business and tourist quarter and comprises of large, perfect rooms in three different styles- the Scandinavian, the Italian and the Maritime. It has a 1200 sq metre of state of the art fitness facility and offers free high speed internet access to all guests staying at the Radisson SAS Hotel property.

 

*** Hotel Polski Pod Bialym Orlem in Krakow
This 3 star property is located within the city walls of old Krakow and overlooks the Royal Way at Brama Florianska which is one of the most charming places in Krakow. The name of the hotel denotes Polish under the White Eagle as it belongs to the Prince Czartoryski's family and is next door to the Czartoryski Museum which houses the famous painting of Lady with an Ermine by Leonardo da Vinci-one of the four cities in the world where you will find Da Vinci's painting. Splendid suites will take you back in time to distant époques and make your stay memorable in Krakow.

 

OR

*** Hotel Classic (old Town)in Krakow
The Classic Hotel is inside the Old Town and 5 minutes walk from the Main Market Square and just 300 metres away from the central railway station. This modern 3 star hotel was constructed in a new building in the heart of the Old City and has a leisurely atmosphere with elegant interiors.

Hotel Nosalowy Dwor in Zakopane
This hotel is very close to the Nosal ski jumping complex and is away from the main centre of Zakopane. This beautiful chalet style hotel has fantastic restaurants with highlander cuisine being the specialty.

 

OR

Hotel Skalny in Zakopane
Located in the South-East part of Zakopane, Hotel Skalny is in close proximity of the Tatra National Park as well as the Kasprowy Wierch cable car station and the ski slopes of Nosal and Kuznice. You can take wonderful strolls from the hotel and enjoy breathtaking view of the surrounding valley and the Tatra mountain range from your hotel window. The 4 storey building is fully equipped with modern amenities including cable television, amazing interiors and 90% of the hotel rooms have a balcony. A stay at Hotel Skalny will compel you to extend your visit in Zakopane and the Tatra mountains.

 

   Useful Tips for Visitors to Poland

 
Shopping
Groceries are generally open on weekdays from 7 am to 7 pm and on Saturdays from 7am till 1pm. Some shops are open on Saturdays and Sundays as well especially grocery stores which also stay open until 9 pm and sometimes round the clock. Supermarkets in big cities usually stay open from 6 am until 9 pm.

 

Money
The Poland's currency is Zloty. 1 Zloty equals to 100 groszy (gro-sh-ee). In circulation there are 1-, 2-, 5-, 10-, 20-, and 50 groszy coins as well as 1-, 2-, and 5 zloty coins. The bank notes have 10, 20, 50, 100, and 200 Zloty denominations. Travellers can exchange their money in banks, exchange kiosks (called kantors) and in main hotels and travel offices. Banks work usually Monday to Friday between 8 am and 5 pm. On Saturdays usually some banks are open between 9 am and 1 pm.

 

Taxis
Taxis await passengers at designated taxi stands especially near railway stations, airports, hotels. They are marked with TAXI sign and a telephone number of the corporation for which they work. Another way of getting a taxi is to order one by phone. Taxi fares are higher at night (10 pm to 6 am) and outside city boundaries, but you still pay by the meter. Fare for transport between cities should be negotiated with the driver.

 

Public Trasnport
In Poland, public transport means are as follows: buses, trams, trolley-buses and the underground (called metro - in Warsaw only). Tickets can be bought from kiosks, in some shops and from the bus driver as well. Tickets should be validated in a dater or a puncher immediately on boarding a bus. Ticket prices vary from town to town and is binding only within the area of a given town or city. Passengers can buy the following types of tickets: day single trip and night single trip tickets, one-day tickets, hour tickets, one-day group tickets and weekend tickets. The transport of bigger luggage (each piece) is subject to an additional fare. For unauthorized trip or transport of luggage, passengers must pay high cash penalties.