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The Holocaust Sites In Poland
This is an actual tour proposal provided to people interested in coming to Poland. This tour was finally commissioned by the clients. It is shown here as an example of what can be done. You are invited to use it as a base plan and have a proposal modified to suit your particular needs. A custom tour can be made for you. And we can send you a complete list of tours if you contact us by going to this page called Get Poland Travel And Tour Information And Personal Help Here
Other tour proposals can be seen at Tour Itineraries
Tour Itinerary
DAY I Arrival Arrival in Warsaw, accommodation in a hotel additionally, depending on the arrival time and participants' preferences a visit to the viewing platform at the 30th floor of the Palace of culture can be considered for an overview of the city. Otherwise we recommend as the starting point of next day's tour.
DAYS II and III Warsaw The Jewish Warsaw before WWII Warsaw was the home of Europe's largest Jewish community (nearly 400,000 Jewish residents). Nowadays, only a few remnants of this grand past can still be traced around the city (as pictured, far example in Roman Polanski's "Pianist" movie):- visit Plac Grzybowski and the adjoining streets - the pre-war heart of the Jewish community; now a few houses and shop-fronts have been finely renovated to depict the 19th century splendour of the place; it is also the site of Warsaw's only preserved synagogue- make a bridge crossing to get to the heart of Praga - once a suburb, now Warsaw's poorest and worst-reputed district; yet Praga can put on a lovely face when you visit Zabkowska Street - finely renovated, with replica's of original shop fronts - a glimpse into Warsaw's 19th century city life; in Praga you will definitely feel time stood still decades, if not hundreds of years ago- Jewish Holocaust in Warsaw - the ghetto - see the yard of Sienna 55 with one of the last remains of the Ghetto wall, look at the neighboring hospital building at Sienna 60 (formerly the Jewish children hospital), stop at Umschlagplatz at Stawki 10 and continue the Ghetto tour along the Tract of the Jewish Martyrdom and Fighting of 1940 - 1943; walk along Chlodna street, which separated the two parts of the Ghetto, stopping at the site of the wooden bridge which ran over the street, connecting both parts. Summing up this part of tour, we recommend visiting The Jewish Historical Institute to see exhibitions on Jewish history, habits and traditions and a documentary on the Jewish wartime fate The Royal Warsaw Take a walk along the so called Royal Route; you will see the first part of the Route when moving along Nowy Swiat and Krakowskie Przedmiescie Streets, passing by palaces, churches and the historic Warsaw University campus. You will eventually get to the Royal Castle, visiting the royal chambers with their collection of art and historic furniture. Leaving the Castle you will immediately enter the Old Town with its medieval layout of tiny narrow streets, merchant houses and churches and the magnificent Market Square - now all re-built from scratch after WWII and being one of UNESCO's Worldwide Heritage sites. While sightseeing the Old Town area you will also be guided around the Old Town sites which witnessed the most severe fights during the Warsaw Uprising of 1944 (to be followed up later on with a visit to the newly opened Warsaw Uprising Museum).A few miles south of the Old Town area, the Royal Warsaw tour has to be completed with a visit to the Lazienki Park and Palace complex. The complex was the residence of the last Polish King, serving as a cultural and artistic centre of its time; you can enjoy the quiet of the park (peacocks and squirrels being a regular sight), admire the gems of architecture - all in all a relaxing experience with a romantic touch in the middle of the bustling city.
DAYS II and III - cntd.Warsaw The communist Warsaw - the previously mentioned Palace of Culture and Science - erected in the early 1950's, commissioned by Stalin as "a gift from the Soviet nation" the Palace marks off the very city centre, dominating the skyline with its 231 m tower - the former Communist Party Central Office, now turned into a financial centre - the MDM district was built right after WWII to provide housing for the working classes; the monumental apartment blocks surround a large square which was meant to serve as a community centre.Other activity proposals to be selected by visitors (subject to interests and preferences and the time available):- a visit to Citadel - the 19th century Russian fort- a visit to the so-called "Russian market" - probably the largest flea market in this part of Europe, where you can get some lovely hand-made Russian and Ukrainian folk art and craft objects - a half-day trip to Chopin's birthplace (ca. 40 miles out of Warsaw)- a trip to the steam train museum, possibly combined with a ride in an old puffer train (subject to seasonal availability) - a half-day trip, optionally extended to a full day if combined with the visit to Chopin's birthplace
DAY IVKazimierz Dolny, Lublin and Majdanek, Zamosc Leaving Warsaw in the morning, it will take ca. 1.5 hours to drive to the town of Kazimierz Dolny.Kazimierz DolnyConveniently located on the Vistula (Wisla) River the town's origins go back to 14th century. It was then that King Kazimierz built one of his castles there, turning the spot into an important trading setlement, where Polish and Jewish communities co-habited until WWII. Much of its original character was retained to the present day. Enjoy a walk along the river and admire the old stonework of the granary houses, sit down in the tiny market square and look at the Jewish sites in the adjoining streets (the 18th century Synagogue, the kosher butcher's woodden stalls), walk up the castle hill and finish the tour with tasting the famus Polish meads that have been brewed in the area for generations now. Lublin (ca. 40-minute drive from Kazimierz)It was one of the oldest and most important Jewish centres in Poland (often referred to as the Jerusalem of Poland), with the Jewish community being settled there in the early 14th century. By WWII, the Jewish community had grown to over 40,000 people (ca. 30% of the town's population), whereas the Jewish population in the entire Lublin region reached as many as 300,000.The tour of Lublin will include the following sites:- the Grodzka Gate, once also know as the Jewish Gate, the entrance to the Jewish quarter of the town, now housing a multimedia presentation on the town's history- the Old Jewish Cemetary (est. 1541)- the New Jewish Cemetary- the Yeshiva - the Academy of Sages- the Synagogue of Chevrat Nossim (entrance may not be possible)- Lubartowska and Kowalska Streets still retaining much of the original Jewish character.- Majdanek - Lublin's suburb, where a Nazi concentration camp was established in 1941, taking the lives of 360,000 victims (30% of them were Jewish).Accommodation in Zamosc (ca. 1-hour drive away), in a local hotel.
DAY V Zamosc, Lancut, Tarnów Zamosc Zamosc, once a private town, is the only complete Renaissance urban complex in Poland. It has fully retained its original layout and most of its architecture gems have been well preserved. Hence we recommend it for a visit. The following Jewish sites are also still to be seen: the Synagogue (est. 1610), the adjacent Kahal House and Cheder, the Mikvah, the Salt Market, where some of the surrounding houses once belonged to Jewish merchants.Lancut (ca. 2-hour drive from Zamosc)Lancut has always been described on the tourist map of Poland as the site of one of the most magnificent baroque palaces - the remains of Poland's grand noblese past. Few are likely to realize that it can also boast of Poland's one of the most beautiful synagogues, richly decorated with magnificent stuccos and wall paintings. If only for this reason, the town is definitely worth stopping on the way from Zamosc to Cracow.Tarnów (ca. 1.5-hour drive from Lancut)Once one of the largest communities in southern Poland, the accounts of jewish settlements in Tarnów go back to mid-15th c. The community had grown to ca. 25,000 by WWII and the nazis established a ghetto in the town to hold ca. 40,000 Jewish people brought in from all over the area.Right now only the Bimah of the Old Synagogue, the Old Mikvah House and the houses in the market square (once the property of rich jewish merchants) remain. The local museum still holds a worthy collection of Judaica.Moving on to Cracow (ca. 1.5-hour drive) at the end of the day for accommodation.
DAYS VI and VIICracow and Wieliczka Salt Mine The Jewish CracowThe district of Kazimierz in Cracow, once a separate town, is one of the best preserved traditional Jewish settlements in Europe; established in 14th century, it was occupied by the Jewish community until WW II, then being the site of the Cracow Ghetto set up by the Nazis.The tour (ca. 6 hours) will start from Szeroka Street - a street whose layout bears clear traces of the original medieval market square, being the heart of the Jewish community for ages. Szeroka Street is the location of the following sites: the Old Synagogue (Alte Schul) - the oldest Jewish building in Poland dating back to 15th c., now housing the exhibition on the history and culture of the Cracow Jewish community, the Remuh Synagogue and cemetary (est. 1530's - 1550's), the Mikvah - the ritual bath house (1567), the Wolf Popper Synagogue (est. 1620). From Szeroka Street you will walk into Miodowa Str. to see the Tachkemoni High School and the Tempel Synagogue (1860) and then moving on to the Kupa Synagogue (1740's) and the Isaak Synagogue (1640's). Leaving the Isaak Synagogue, it is only a few steps to enter Plac Nowy (the Nowy Square) with a round pavillion occupying its centre - the 1920's and '30's ritual slaughterhouse for poultry. Walking out of the square you will walk into Jozefa Str. to see the High Synagogue (est. 1550's-60's).The tour in Kazimierz will then continue to the new cemetary (in constant use since ca. 1800's) and from there to the heart of the Cracow Ghetto to visit the "Pod Orlem" Pharmacy - now a musem documenting the sad fate of the Jewish people. The tour of the Jewish site will end by visiting the Schindler's factory and the nearby site of the Plaszów concentration camp.The Royal Cracow Cracow is the city with over a 1000 years history, the seat of the Polish kings for more than five centuries, it still exudes an air of glamour and dignity as you walk along its medieval walls. It is best to visit the historic Old Town by following the traditional route which was always taken by legates to the king. Starting off from Florianska Str. and passing through the Florian Gate you will find yourself within the Old Town's walls. Florianska Street will get you to the medieval market square (Europe's largest medieval square) where each house has a different history to tell; the medieval trading house occupying the centre of the square now houses souvenir stalls as well as a collection of the 19th century Polish art. It is also a must to see St. Mary's Church with ist magnificent decorations and Europe's largest, three-winged Gothic altar.Leaving the Market Square through Grodzka Str. you will be taken straight to the castle hill. Wawel, as it is called, witnessed nearly all of the royal coronations and burial in the Polish history. A visit to the royal chambers, the treasury or the castle chapel simply cannot be missed (visiting included). On your way back to the Old Town it is also worth having a look at the Jagiellonian University (one of Europe's oldest). The building of the first university college - Collegium Maius survived intact and presents the original early 15th c. style. Another reason for visiting is that it occupies the site of one of the earliest Jewish settlements in Cracow (earlier than the one in Kazimierz), which is commemorated with a sign on the college's souvenir shop ceiling.
DAYS VI and VII - cntd. Cracow and Wieliczka Salt Mine Wieliczka Salt Mine (ca. 30-min. drive out of Cracow). The Salt Mine, now on UNESCO's Worldwide Heritage List, is of medieval origin. Some of its underground chambers are enormous, decorated with salt pieces of art (eg. Sculptures) - all in all an unforgettable sight.
DAY VIII Auschwitz Auschwitz - Oswiecim (ca. 1-hour drive from Cracow)The Concentration Camp Memorial and MuseumProbably the largest and most tragic of the WWII Nazi concentration camps, claiming the lives of ca. 1.5 million people.
DAY IX Departure Transfer to the Cracow airport for departure.Estimated mileage of the entire trip: 1,300 km
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