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 Przemysl Fortresses.
• 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 loco-hauled PKP Intercity services between the different cities, including a wonderful high speed rail, day-trip to Poland’s vibrant capital city to see all of the major historic sites and World War II monuments there.
• 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 16 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 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 17 July

Kazimierz Jewish Quarter in Krakow and visit to Oskar Schindler’s Factory in the former Ghetto, Sunset dinner cruise on the River Vistula.

Today you visit the Jewish Quarter Kazimierz, with its preserved synagogues and Jewish cemeteries and other relevant WWII sites. You see 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. 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 18 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 aircraft 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 19 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 20 July 

Day-trip to Warsaw by high-speed rail, Warsaw Uprising Museum 

Thanks to Poland’s main high-speed line, Warsaw is just over two hours by Intercity train from Krakow. You make a day-trip to the attractive capital city and visit the most important WWII monuments, including the excellent museum dedicated to the Warsaw Uprising from summer 1944. You enjoy a vintage tram ride over the bridges of the Vistula and see the elaborately rebuilt Old Town and ornate Royal Palace along the river embankment. Naturally you will also experience the vibrant modern side of the city, which is located just around the main railway station Warszawa Centralna. You return by high-speed train to Krakow in the evening, once again enjoying accommodation in First Class. (B)

Tuesday 21 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 22 July

World War I history and the fortresses and palaces of Przemysl near the Ukrainian frontier

After breakfast you take a PKP Intercity train two hours east to the historic city of Przemysl, which is also the Polish frontier post with western Ukraine. This beautiful city is steeped in 20th history and was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire until 1918. As such Przemysl developed with both beautiful palaces and Baroque churches. You visit the impressive 19th century forts and also see some of the splendid residential palaces, reliving at those sites both World War I and World II history. You have lunch at a local restaurant. In the late afternoon you return to Krakow by direct, locomotive-hauled Intercity train. (B L)

Thursday 23 July

Visit to the Gliwice Radio Tower and narrow gauge steam train in Rudy

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. The transmitter tower remains the tallest wooden structure in Europe, locally known as the “Eiffel Tower of Silesia”. Afterwards, you have lunch at a typical Polish restaurant in Gliwice, before visiting the nearby heritage railway at Rudy, which has one of the most attractively refurbished narrow gauge yards in Poland, with red brick sheds and impressive old water towers. You enjoy a private steam charter train through the rural scenery of Silesia, replete with photo stops and run-pasts. In the late afternoon you return directly to Krakow by coach. (B L)

Friday 24 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)