Poland & Baltic Capitals Group Tour 2023

Day 1 - Arrival in Krakow

(Tuesday)

Welcome to Krakow! Optional transfer to Hotel Q Plus Krakow**** or similar, check-in & meet your tour leader and fellow guests at the welcome meeting.

Day 2 - Krakow

(Wednesday)

For half a millennium Krakow was the royal capital of Poland and for centuries the city walls have guarded its traditions and secrets. The morning sightseeing tour takes us to the Old Town with the St. Mary's Church, the Jagiellonian University, the Cloth Halls and Wawel with the Wawel Castle and the Wawel Cathedral. The afternoon offers an optional excursion to the famous Wieliczka Salt Mine, an amazing labyrinth of tunnels going down as far as 327 meters. The evening offers an optional Polish dinner at Restaurant Hawelka.

Day 3 - Krakow to Warsaw

(Thursday)

We leave for Czestochowa, the spiritual heart of Poland, where we visit the Jasna Gora Monastery with the Black Madonna. Through the flat low-laying plain of Central Poland we reach Warsaw in the early afternoon. Check-in at Hotel Radisson Blu Sobieski**** or similar.

Day 4 - Warsaw

(Friday)

Warsaw is essentially a post-war city with a meticulously reconstructed Old Town. The morning sightseeing tour includes the Royal Route and the Old Town with the Royal Castle, St John's Cathedral, the Old Town Market Square and the Barbican. In the afternoon is offered an optional excursion to the Royal Lazienki Park with the Palace on the Water. The evening offers an optional Polish dinner at Restaurant Dawne Smaki.

Day 5 - Warsaw to Bialystok

(Saturday)

Today we continue through the well-forested Eastern Poland to Podlasie region and Bialowieza. The forest there represents the ancient forest that once covered all of Europe. We will visit Bialowieza National Park and its famous European Bison Show Reserve. After a light stroll along nature trails of the forest, we continue to Biaylistok where we check in at Hotel Ibis Styles Bialystok*** or similar. In the late afternoon, we visit Bialystok and its landmark Branicki Palace.

Day 6 - Bialystok to Vilnius

(Sunday)

We depart from Bialystok heading to Vilnius through attractive resort towns into Lithuania. We do a stop in Kaunas, the former capital of Lithuania, to admire the beautiful Old Town and the elegant white Baroque Town Hall before we arrive in the late afternoon to Vilnius. Check in at Hotel Radisson Blu Lietuva **** or similar.

Day 7 - Vilnius

(Monday)

Vilnius is known for its more than 1,200 medieval buildings and 48 churches. The morning sightseeing tour includes a panoramic tour of the city and a walking tour of the Old Town with Vilnius Cathedral, Gediminas Tower, Peter and Paul Church, St. Anne's Church, Old University and the Gates of Dawn. The afternoon offers an optional excursion to Trakai, the medieval capital of Lithuania, with the well preserved Trakai Castle, beautifully located on an island in Lake Galve. In the evening enjoy an optional folklore dinner at Restaurant Senoji Trobele.

Day 8 - Vilnius to Riga

(Tuesday)

Heading for Riga, the first stop is the Hill of Crosses, one of the holiest sites of Catholic Lithuania. After crossing into Latvia we soon reach the magnificent Rundale Palace, the former summer residence of the Duke of Courland. Following a guided tour of the palace we travel through the rolling hills of Southern Latvia to reach Riga late afternoon, check-in at Hotel Radisson Blu Latvija**** or similar.

Day 9 - Riga

(Wednesday)

Founded in 1201 by the German bishop Albert, Riga is the largest of the three Baltic capitals and boasts a real kaleidoscope of architectural styles. The walking tour of the Old Town includes Riga Castle, the Dome Cathedral, St. Peter's Church, the Swedish Gate, the Three Brothers, the Large and Small Guilds and the Freedom Monument. The afternoon is reserved for an optional visit to Jurmala, the vibrant Latvian sea resort, famous for its wooden architecture and sandy beaches. The evening offers an optional organ concert at the Dome Cathedral.

Day 10 - Riga

(Thursday)

After we get acquainted with Riga we have the possibility of discovering medieval Latvia. The optional tour for this morning takes us to the stunning scenery of the Gauja National Park and the town of Sigulda. We listen to the medieval Latvian legend of the Rose of Turaida and see the ruins of the Episcopal Castle and of the Castle of the Knights of the Sword before we return to Riga. The afternoon offers an optional visit to the Riga Motor Museum which has an impressive collection of vintage cars including a very unique collection of old Soviet limousines from the Kremlin Garage. In the evening enjoy an optional Latvian dinner at the stylish Restaurant Forest.

Day 11 - Riga to Tallinn

(Friday)

The tour continues along the coastal highway to the Estonian summer resort of Parnu. We do a short tour of the resort before we continue through the North Estonian land of forests and arrive in Tallinn early afternoon, check-in at the Hotel Radisson Blu Olympia**** or similar.

Day 12 - Tallinn

(Saturday)

Tallinn is a charming blend of medieval tranquillity and modern urban life. The medieval Old Town is a busy place in the summer with its many shops, galleries, souvenir markets, outdoor cafés and restaurants. The sightseeing tour takes us around the old medieval city walls and into the Old Town where we see Toompea Castle, Dome Church, Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, medieval Old Town Hall and Great Guild Hall. In the afternoon an optional excursion is offered to Kadriorg Park and a visit to KUMU, the award-winning Estonian Art museum, with its collections of classic and contemporary fine art. The evening offers an optional medieval dinner at Restaurant Peppersack.

Day 13 - Depart Tallinn

(Sunday)

Optional transfer to Tallinn airport. End of your Baltic tour.

Or you could extend your tour to Finland on our Helsinki & South Karelia small group tour. (dates marked below with * can do this)

• 1410 EUR per person = based on two people sharing a double/twin room
• 1947 EUR per person = staying in a single room
• Half board at hotels (12 x 3 course dinner with coffee/tea): EUR 350.00 pp

• 29th August - 10th September 2023

* These dates can be extended into Finland with our Helsinki & South Karelia small group tour.

• 12 nights at centrally located 3 & 4 star hotels
• 12 x buffet breakfast
• Welcome meeting with champagne-cocktail or juice
• Personalised welcome package
• Entrances to Wawel Castle in Krakow, Jasna Gora Monastery in Czestochowa, St. John's Cathedral in Warsaw, Bialowieza National Park, Peter and Paul Church in Vilnius, Rundale Palace and medieval Great Guild Hall in Tallinn
• Service of English-speaking tour escort on all tours
• Service of 1st class motor coaches or 1st class minivans throughout the itinerary
• Portage at hotels

• Please note flights are NOT included in this package. If you wish to add flights to your booking please contact us, or you are welcome to book them yourself.
• If required, we can book additional nights at the start or end of your tour, or arrange an add-on pre/post tour to any of our other destinations.
• The tour is guaranteed (min 2 people) and the maximum group size is 31 people.
• This tour is run by our local partners ViaHansa and is called Polish & Baltic Jewels.