12-Nights Best of Poland: Warsaw, Gdansk, Wroclaw & More

12 nights from: $5,612

This 13-day Polish vacation takes you throughout the country to Warsaw, Gdansk, Poznan, Wroclaw, and Krakow. It features first-class accommodations and private tours.

Your journey begins in the Polish capital, Warsaw, a city rebuilt from the ashes of World War II. Head on a private city tour to learn about the city’s history and its reconstruction over the years. Start at the brutalist Palace of Culture and Science, a holdover of the Soviet past, before reaching the medieval Old Town and the Royal Castle. While in Warsaw, you’ll also learn about the life of classical composer Frederic Chopin, who was born in Poland. Head to the Church of the Holy Cross, where his heart is entombed, and visit the Chopin Monument at Royal Lazienki Park before ending the tour at the Chopin Museum to examine his letters, drawings, and personal piano.

From Warsaw, connect by train to Gdansk, which sits on the Baltic Sea and used to be the country’s main trade port during the era of the Hanseatic League. A private walking tour will delve into the history of the city, which is also known as Danzig in German, taking you past the Crane Gate, the last remains of the Old Harbor, to Srodmiescie District, where you’ll see medieval holdovers and charming boutiques, and finally St. Mary’s Church, a massive brick structure that can accommodate 20,000 people. While based in Gdansk, you’ll also learn about Poland’s medieval past at Malbork Castle, a Teutonic fortification that was painstakingly rebuilt following damage in World War II.

Continue on to Poznan, which is one of the oldest cities in the country and the celebrated birthplace of Poland. You’ll learn about this medieval gem on a private city tour that takes you through the Old Town to admire 16th-century merchant row houses, great Polish paintings at the National Museum, and the Imperial Castle, which was constructed by Germans during Prussian control. End your tour on Ostrow Tumski, located on the forks of the Warta River, where Mieszko I, the founder of Poland, is buried.

Ride the train to Wroclaw and explore arguably the most beautiful city in Poland and its Catholic centrepiece. Stroll down Katedralna, an enchanting street lit by gas lamps, see the religious monuments of the Gothic St. John the Baptist Cathedral and Holy Cross Church, and end your tour in medieval Market Square and Plac Solny, where flower stalls sell colourful bouquets 24 hours a day. Based in Wroclaw, you’ll also head on a tour into the Owl Mountains to visit Ksiaz Castle, the country’s third-largest castle, which overlooks the Pelcznica River from a high cliff.

Connect by train to your final destination, Krakow, the nation’s most popular city. Centre on one of the largest medieval town squares in Europe, Krakow delights with its medieval architecture, lively restaurant scene, and easy access to historical attractions. A city tour will take you through the medieval core on a journey from the Market Square up Wawel Hill to Wawel Castle. Another day, pay your respects and learn about the horrors of the Holocaust on a visit to the Auschwitz-Birkenau Concentration Camp, located in the nearby town of Oswiecim. On your final day in Poland, head to Wieliczka Salt Mine, which was the oldest operating salt mine in Europe until it ceased operations in 1996. Explore it subterranean corridors and admire its unique sights, from the massive timber pillars that buttress the main cavern to St. Kinga’s Chapel, which is entirely carved from the salt.

At the end of your tour, head to the airport to connect back home.

Set on the banks of the Warta River 165 mi/270 km west of Warsaw, 1,000-year-old Poznan, Poland, blends Gothic and baroque in much of its architecture. Free Poznan Travel
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Highlights of this industrialized city include the 10th-century Cathedral of St. Peter and St. Paul, Gorka's Palace (that houses the Archaeological Museum), the Greenhouse (10 pavilions that contain more than 17,000 plants), Raczynski Library, the Opera House and the Museum of Musical Instruments (it houses Chopin's pianos). In Old Town Square, a crowd gathers on the hour to watch the clock on the old town hall that dates from 1550.

Poznan has all the requisite charm Americans typically look for when traveling in Europe. Its vibrant Old Town bustles with outdoor bars, restaurants and shops, and the Royal Imperial Route walking trail wends past historical and cultural attractions.

In warm weather, the Old Market Square comes alive with shops and outdoor entertainment, and during the winter holidays, it becomes the site of a picturesque Christmas market, with everything from local crafts to regional food and drink.

There is a modern side to Poznan, too, evidenced by the dramatic, multicolored Freedom Fountain sculpture in Plac Wolnosci that turns colors at night, and the Stary Browar (or Old Brewery) shopping center, a combination art and retail space. Familiar franchises such as Starbucks and Zara may not appeal to visitors, but the center's artful renovation bespeaks the attitude of a city eager to preserve its heritage while moving aggressively into the next century.

One of the Poznan's most notable geographical features is Malta Lake, host to international rowing regattas as well as a place to rent boats or visit a water park. For families, there is an outdoor amusement park, minigolf and even an artificial ski slope, for visitors who can't wait for winter.

In addition, Poznan, located about halfway between Warsaw and Berlin, is accessible from either city in about three hours by train, and flights from Berlin to Warsaw offer additional flexibility for travelers who want to start in one city and depart from another.

Finally, like many parts of Poland, Poznan is a bargain. The country has not yet adopted the euro, and while some aspects of the tourism infrastructure are more advanced than others, it is not hard to find hotels and restaurants that are up to, but priced below, Western European standards.

Poznan is also home to the Poznan International Fair, which is a large exhibition and trade center that hosts numerous events during the year. For a schedule of these events, see http://www.mtp.pl.