Poland: Witness to History

Like Poland itself, the city of Gdansk is alluring on many levels, starting with the unique and detailed architecture of its buildings, many of them tall, narrow and colorful. From the authentic and satisfying dishes found on local restaurant menus to the Central European and World War II history recounted in its churches, castles and museums, Gdansk is a bastion of culture where past and present meet.

Yet Gdansk is perhaps best known as the birthplace of the Solidarity movement of the 1980s and its leader, Lech Walesa, who led strikes for an independent trade union that paved the way for free elections and the eventual collapse of the Iron Curtain. Settle into your hotel and gather this evening for dinner.

Set out to discover the highlights of this historic city, one of Poland's most beautifully restored towns. Walk the Old Town with a local expert, following the so called “royal route,” which features the burgher's mansions and some impressive monuments. View the Long Street and Long Market, once home to Gdansk's wealthy, and admire the lavishly decorated 14th-century Gothic Town Hall, where the Museum of Gdansk is housed.

Visit the Gothic Church of St. Mary, a building that can host 25,000 people. As you stroll, stop to sample Goldwasser, a traditional root and herbal liqueur with flakes of 22 karat gold, produced exclusively in Gdansk since at least 1598. Visit a cathedral built by the Cistercians in the Romanesque style at the end of the 12th century, perhaps hearing its splendid Rococo organ. Then visit the Museum of the Second World War, focusing on an extensive exhibit devoted to the role Gdansk played in the conflict.

Cruise along Gdansk's waterways to Westerplatte, where the first shots of WWII were fired, gaining a clearer perspective of the places and events you learned about on your museum visit the day before. Your afternoon is free before you join your fellow guests for dinner at a pleasant waterside restaurant.

Explore Gdansk's massive Malbork Castle, an impressive medieval stronghold and a former seat of the Order of Teutonic Knights. A walk through this red-brick Gothic structure reveals the enduring strength of its peaked towers and high-pitched roofs, faithfully restored in the wake of Allied bombing and a subsequent fire.

Then journey overland to Warsaw, Poland's historic capital, its gothic spires and historic boulevards framing a city that thrives with dynamic culture, contemporary art and high-energy entertainment. A devastated survivor of both fascist and communist regimes in the mid-20th century, Warsaw epitomizes the renaissance this now-independent nation is experiencing in the 21st.

Begin your day with a stroll through Warsaw's Old Town center, painstakingly rebuilt from the rubble of World War II and today celebrated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Next, discover the culinary secrets that Warsaw rarely reveals to outsiders as you join a local food guide for a private journey through the markets and food halls city-dwellers frequent.

Peruse the most interesting stalls of the bustling Hala Mirowska farmers market to taste the different cured meats and cheeses available, the classic flavors of Poland. Learn where top local chefs source their ingredients as well as some interesting insights into Polish cuisine, from the influence of the Jewish population to the surprisingly good wine in a country known for its vodka. Then round off your tour at a magnificent 19th-century food hall with a glass of local craft beer.

Tonight, revel in a special piano performance of Chopin, with a glass of sparkling wine in hand.

Make a morning visit to POLIN Museum, a cultural institution that celebrates the thousand-year history of Polish Jews, and see the remnants of the city's infamous Ghetto, site of the failed uprising against Nazi rule in 1944. Devote the rest of the day to relaxing or exploring this magical city as you choose.

Drive to Czestochowa, where you visit the monastery of Jasna Gora, home of the Black Madonna, a painting that has drawn countless reverent visitors here over the centuries. After lunch, proceed to Krakow and settle into your hotel.

Later, join a hands-on class in properly cooking pierogis, the savory dumplings for which Poland is justly renowned among foodies around the world. Then have dinner accompanied by a recital of folk music and dancing performed exclusively for your group.

Enter the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp, preserved as a memorial for the 1.5 million people of 28 nationalities who perished here. Explore the remaining buildings of Auschwitz with your specialist guide, who brings to life the horrors experienced by those who were brought here. Return to your hotel with your afternoon free for rest and reflection.

Explore the remarkable Wieliczka Salt Mine, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Descend into the mine to view its network of chambers and lakes, which have been carved out over the centuries, and see its sacred and secular decor. After lunch in the mine, return to the surface to walk Krakow's magnificent Market Square. You may also enjoy a visit to St. Mary's Church, with its marvelous 15th-century Baroque altar.

Tonight, gather for a special farewell dinner.

After breakfast, take your private transfer to the airport for your departing flight.