Saturday 5th:We leave early morning and travel to Hull for our over night crossing to Rotterdam.
Sunday 6th:This morning we continue our journey through Germany to the Penta Hotel Chemnitz for our second overnight stay with dinner bed & breakfast.
Monday 7th:We continue into Southern Poland. We will receive a warm welcome from the staff at our hotel in Krakow and will have time to settle in prior to dinner.
Tuesday 8th: Today we will explore Poland’s former capital, considered by many to be the most beautiful city in the country. We then make our way to Wawel Royal Castle via the immense gothic church of the Basilica of the Virgin Mary, built in the 13th century. People have been living on Wawel Hill for 50,000 years and, over the past 1,000 years, Polish Kings decided to take up residence here.
Wednesday 9th: Today you have the option of a free day in Krakow or joining the coach as we pay a visit to one of the most moving and poignant sites in the whole of Europe. The concentration camp of Auschwitz-Birkenau is listed by UNESCO World Heritage as a site of great historical importance given that it was here that 1.5 million people were murdered by the Nazis between 1942 and 1945.
Thursday 10th: We travel to Wieliczka Salt Mine, a mysterious underground city located on 9 levels with 2,400 chambers connected by corridors, saline lakes and remarkable salt sculptures! There is a shortened tour available by lift for groups who are not able to manage the stairs (there are 800 of them!). Warm clothing is also advisable, regardless of the time of year since the caves tend to be chilly. After perhaps enjoying lunch in the underground ‘Miner’s Tavern’, we will re-board our coach and make our way southwards to the Polish resort of Zakopane and check into our new hotel Grand Nosalowy Dwor.
Friday 11th: Today, we will make a full day trip to the Pieniny Mountains, visiting some of the most popular attractions of the local area, with a relaxing 2.5 hour rafting trip on traditional, wooden rafts down the Dunajec River taking us through one of the most beautiful gorges in Europe.
Saturday 12th: This morning, we will explore the lovely ‘folklore’ town of Zakopane, a popular winter skiing resort but equally pretty in the summer months too! We enjoy a jaunty horse and carriage ride from the hotel to Zakopane, where we can continue our ride around the city before being dropped off near to Krupowki Street, the main pedestrian zone. If we are feeling even more intrepid, you can then take a cable car to Mount Kasprowy Wierch and appreciate a view of Zakopane’s beautiful landscape from an even higher altitude!
Sunday 13th: We start to retrace our steps travelling through Poland and on into Germany to our overnight accommodation in Chemnitz for one night dinner bed & breakfast.
Monday 14th: We continue on through Germany into Holland and Rotterdam for our over night ferry crossing to Hull.
Tuesday 15th: Morning disembarkation from the ferry as we leave Hull for our final leg of our journey home.
NB: EU Health Insurance Card recommended.