WIELICZKA SALT MINE
PROGRAM:
Departure from Krakow and transfer to Wieliczka – about 20 minutes by coach. Arrival in Wieliczka Salt Mine. 2.5 hours-long walking tour of the world’s only historic Salt Mine (UNESCO World Heritage Site). Tourists come down the staircase in the Daniłowicz Shaft into the mine, descending 378 steps. The tourist route leads through underground chapels and caves carved out of salt (135 m underground, the route is about 3 km long). The St. Kinga’s Chapel is perhaps the finest and greatest of the chapels. Level 3 operates a museum exhibition featuring collections of old mining equipment, mineralogical collections, old documents, and arts and crafts. Tourists return to Krakow – about 20 minutes by coach.
AUSCHWITZ-BIRKENAU MUSEUM
PROGRAM:
Departure from Krakow and transfer to Auschwitz which takes up to two hours by coach. Arrival at Auschwitz. The visit to the camp (about 3.5 hours): visitors watch a film about the concentration camp and visit the Memorial and Museum Auschwitz-Birkenau. Visitors return to Krakow by coach – up to two hours’ drive.
“Auschwitz-Birkenau was the principal and most notorious of the six concentration and extermination camps established by Nazi Germany to implement its Final Solution policy which had as its aim the mass murder of the Jewish people in Europe. Built in Poland under Nazi German occupation initially as a concentration camp for Poles and later for Soviet prisoners of war, it soon became a prison for a number of other nationalities. Between the years 1942-1944 it became the main mass extermination camp where Jews were tortured and killed for their so-called racial origins. In addition to the mass murder of well over a million Jewish men, women and children, and tens of thousands of Polish victims, Auschwitz also served as a camp for the racial murder of thousands of Roma and Sinti and prisoners of several European nationalities.” (Quote from the official web site of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum
WADOWICE AND KALWARIA - TRACES OF JOHN PAUL II
PROGRAM:
Departure from Krakow and transfer to Wadowice takes about one hour by coach. Arrival in Wadowice – tourists visit the exhibition in the Museum – the House of the Family of Pope John Paul II (the birthplace of the future pope). Tourists visit the parish church, and the Virgin Mary’s Offertory basilica, where Karol Wojtyla was baptized on 20 June 1920. Pilgrims transfer to Kalwaria (a short stop) and visit the historic Bernardine monastery (UNESCO listed) together with its miraculous image of Our Lady of Calvary. Karol Wojtyla with his father made a pilgrimage to this image after the death of his mother, then he often visited the place as a priest, bishop, cardinal and pope. Here he entrusted his pontificate to Mother of God and spoke the words “Totus Tuus” (All yours). In June 1979, the pope bestowed the title of Minor Basilica to the church dedicated to Our Lady of the Angels on the oldest Calvary in Poland. Pilgrims take a walk on paths and historic baroque chapels of Our Lady and on the Way of the Cross. Pilgrims depart from Kalwaria and return to Krakow by coach – about one hour.
DAY EXCURSION TO CZESTOCHOWA
PROGRAM:
Departure from Krakow. Coach journey to Czestochowa (about 3 hours). Arrival in Czestochowa. JASNA GORA MONASTERY – Holly Mass. Tour of the Sanctuary. Lubomirski Gate; Gate of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Queen of Poland; Gate of Our Lady of Sorrows; Rampart Gate; Chapel of Our Lady of Czestochowa with the Miraculous Icon of the Black Madonna; the Church of the Holy Cross and the Birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary with the 7th century chapels of St. Paul the Hermit, the Heart of Jesus, the Saint Relics; then to the Knight Hall; the Rosary Chapel, sacristy, Museum of the 600th Anniversary displaying dresses of the Miraculous Icon, Fr Kordecki’s rosary, votive offerings presented by John Paul II; Arsenal (arms collection), Cenacle, Tower views of the city; Treasury; Fr Kordecki’s statue; John Paul’s II’s Statue; the Way of the Cross along the ramparts; Eucharistic Adoration in the Adoration Chapel. Departure from Czestochowa. Coach journey to Krakow (about 3 hours). Arrival in Krakow in the evening.
Plus, we also offer alternative arrangements, including an ALL-NIGHT VIGIL. Drop us an email for more details.
DAY EXCURSION TO ZAKOPANE & LUDZMIERZ
PROGRAM:
Departure form Krakow. Coach journey to Zakopane (about 3 hours). Arrival in Zakopane the winter capital of Poland. ZAKOPANE – visit to the Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima in Krzeptowki – votive offering presented by John Paul II for saving his life from an assassination attempt, Stations of the Cross with images of John Paul II (on one station he is depicted as helping Jesus carry the beam of the cross along with Simon of Cyrene; on another he is standing next to Mary on the hill of Golgotha). Option to take a funicular train up Gubalowka Hill and see the panorama of the Tatras – the highest mountains in Poland. Walk along Krupowki Street, the central pedestrian thoroughfare of Zakopane, with dozens of souvenir shops, restaurants, ice-cream places, caf’s and vendors. LUDZMIERZ – visit to the Shrine of Blessed Virgin Mary the Queen of Podhale. Coach journey to Krakow (about 3 hours). Arrival in Krakow in the evening.
N.B. Alternative arrangements may be offered on request, such as extending sightseeing time in Zakopane (ski-jumps, museums, Tatra valleys); or we can arrange a supper with a traditional local band playing and dancing.
