Poland & Baltic Capitals Group Tour 2024

Visiting Krakow Warsaw Bialystok Vilnius Riga Tallinn Baltic States

Poland & Baltic Capitals Group Tour 2024

A journey of discovery through Poland and the Baltic States of Lithuania, Latvia & Estonia, full of beautiful old towns, architecture, culture, and landscapes as you tour from Krakow up to Tallinn in the lush summertime.

Tour Highlights

Krakow, Warsaw, Vilnius, Riga & Tallinn
Bialowieza National Park
4 star hotels
Choose your optional extras
Select your departure date below
Escorted Group Tour

Day 1 - Arrival in Krakow

(Tuesday)

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

Optional Transfer

EUR 45.00 for private car (1-3 people)
EUR 65.00 for private van (4-7 people)

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, 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.

Optional Extras

4-hour excursion to Wieliczka Salt Mine: EUR 60.00 pp
Polish dinner at Restaurant Hawelka: EUR 45.00 pp

Day 3 - Krakow to Warsaw

(Thursday)

The morning offers an optional visit to Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial Museum or a free morning to explore Krakow at leisure. In the early afternoon, we transfer to Krakow railway station and depart by train to Warsaw. Arrival at Warsaw railway station and transfer to Hotel Radisson Blu Sobieski**** or similar for check-in.

Optional Extras

5-hour excursion to Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial Museum (incl. regular educational tour): EUR 80.00 pp

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 Gospoda Kwiaty Polskie.

Optional Extras

3-hour excursion to the Royal Lazienki Park and visit to Palace on the Water: EUR 40.00 pp
Polish dinner at Restaurant Gospoda Kwiaty Polskie: EUR 45.00 pp

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.

Optional Extras

3-hour excursion to Trakai and visit to Trakai Castle: EUR 45.00 pp
Lithuanian dinner at Restaurant Senoje Trobele: EUR 45.00 pp

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.

Optional Extras

4-hour excursion to Jurmala with City Museum: EUR 40.00 pp
Organ concert at the Dome Cathedral: EUR 35.00 pp

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 Ethnographic Open Air Museum, a spacious exposition of 18th century country life. In the evening enjoy an optional Latvian dinner at the stylish Restaurant Kalku Varti.

Optional Extras

4-hour excursion to Gauja National Park: EUR 50.00 pp
3-hour excursion to the Ethnographic Open Air Museum: EUR 45.00 pp
Latvian dinner at Restaurant Kalku Varti: EUR 50.00 pp

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 Maikrahv.

Optional Extras

3-hour excursion to Kadriorg Park and visit to KUMU: EUR 45.00 pp
Medieval dinner at Restaurant Maikrahv: EUR 50.00 pp

Day 13 - Depart Tallinn

(Sunday)

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

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

Optional Transfer

EUR 45.00 for private car (1-3 persons)
EUR 65.00 for private minivan (4-7 persons)

TOUR PRICES

1507 EUR per person = based on two people sharing a double/twin room
2087 EUR per person = staying in a single room
Half board at hotels (12 x 3 course dinner with coffee/tea): EUR 435.00 pp

TOUR DATES

28th May - 9th June 2024 SOLD OUT
18th June - 30th June 2024 *
2nd July - 14th July 2024
16th July - 28th July 2024 *
30th July - 11th August 2024 *
6th August - 18th August 2024 *
13th August - 25th August 2024
27th August - 8th September 2024

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

TOUR INCLUDES

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, St. John's Cathedral in Warsaw, Bialowieski 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
High-speed train tickets Krakow-Warsaw (2nd class)
Service of 1st class motor coaches or 1st class minivans throughout the itinerary
Portage at hotels

TOUR NOTES

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.

The route was well-chosen, with many outstanding sights to be seen each day.

We very much enjoyed our short trip with you, and appreciated your quick and personal service when we contacted you. The route was well-chosen, with many outstanding sights to be seen each day. The hotel accommodation was good and we appreciated the central location in Sibiu and Alba Iulia. Our guide, Stefan, was first rate. He was personable and flexible. He also had excellent English, was passionate about Romania, and imparted his extensive knowledge clearly and extensively.

Tailor-made Romania Private Tour, John & Diana, October 2019

Without exception, all the guides and drivers were first class

Without exception, all the guides and drivers were first class; knowledgeable, friendly and helpful. In Vilnius, Benjaminas seem to know something about almost every building of interest in the city and, of course, with all his experience, during our time in Lithuania, there wasn’t a single question from us which stumped Linas. In Latvia, Normundstook us to the Rundale Palace and suggested we might also like a stop at Bauska Castle. This was a really good suggestion and we thoroughly enjoyed the extra stop. He was a great guy and very interesting. Similarly, in Riga, we had a fantastic time with Gita, especially when she mentioned the Art Nouveau Eisenstein buildings (something we didn’t know anything about) and asked if we wanted to see them. Naturally, we said “Yes” and then spent an incredible couple of hours marvelling at all the extravagant designs around Alberta iela. And, of course, In Estonia, we had Jane making sure that we didn’t lose ourselves in the Soomaa swamp and bog. Her knowledge and enthusiasm for the National Park was awesome; moreover, due to her looking out for us, we both managed to avoid getting that ‘sinking feeling’ whilst bog-walking😊 Back in the ‘big city’, Stina took us around whilst also pointing out good places to eat and visit, and Ivo took us out on a coastal walk which, in many ways reminded us of being at home in West Cornwall.

Mr & Mrs Muth, Tailor-made Baltic tour, June 2023

Thank you for one of the best holidays we have ever had (and we have had a few!)

Thank you so much for putting together a top notch experience. Please can you pass on our appreciation to Jurga too. Everything went smoothly. The itinerary was spot on, there was something fantastic to see on the days we were on the move and we never felt the journeys were too long. Thank you for one of the best holidays we have ever had (and we have had a few!)

Hemsley group, Tailor made self-drive tour of the Baltics, May 2018

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