Krakow Tour - The Jewel of Central Europe

Krakow is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful cities in Europe, home to a succession of artists and architects over centuries who have all contributed to its cultural heritage. Largely spared from any destruction, it boasts the best-preserved collection of historic buildings in Poland. This tour, in the company of renowned author and art historian, Andrew Spira, looks at this cultural legacy in detail in a host of churches, museums, galleries, palaces and civic buildings.

ITINERARY

Day 1: Fly from London Gatwick to Krakow and transfer to your hotel for a four-night stay.
This afternoon we visit the Jozef Mehoffer House. Jozef Mehoffer was one of the turn of the 20th century's artisitc elite being a skilled stained-glass artist who collabrated with Stanislaw Wyspianski on the interiors of numerous churches in Krakow. We visit his house where the artists of the Mtoda Polska (Young Poland) movement used to meet and is filled with elegant furnishings, Art Deco to impressionist-era art, sketches, designs and stained glass. Evening welcome drink and lecture ‘Slavs of the West: the historical and cultural background of Poland’ and dinner with wine at a local restaurant or the hotel.

Day 2: Full day Krakow.
A full day tour starting with Wawel Cathedral, the official seat of the Archbishop of Krakow - it is a national sanctuary and has served as the coronation site of many Polish monarchs. Next onto Wawel Royal Castle and its State Rooms, the first site in the city to be granted World Heritage status. It now houses an art museum with an important collection of Italian Renaissance art. In the afternoon we will visit the gorgeous Churches of St. Francis of Assisi and St Anne, Basilica of the Holy Trinity and St. Mary’s Basilica, which reflect Poland’s strong Catholic tradition. Second lecture, ‘Krakow: science and art, medieval and modern’ and dinner with wine at a local restaurant or the hotel.

Day 3: Full day Krakow.
We continue our exploration of Krakow’s myriad of treasures today including the National Museum, Poland’s largest museum, which houses a superlative collection of Polish art, the European Culture Centre, Europeum, attached to the National Gallery but with a collection of European Art and to Jagiellonian University, the 13th oldest university in the world, dating back to 1364 and its oldest building, the Collegium Maius, with its atmospheric courtyard. After free time for lunch (not included) we visit the Bishop Erazm Ciołek Palace, which now houses the Krakow National Museum and the fantastic Princes Czartoryski Museum. We finish the day with a visit to St Florian’s Gate and Furrier’s Tower, part of the city’s defences dating from the 14th century. 

Day 4: Kazimierz District and free time. 
This morning we visit the atmospheric Jewish district of Kazimierz, whose story was so movingly told in Spielberg’s superb film, Schindler’s List. Sights to see include The Old Synagogue, the oldest synagogue in Krakow, the Jewish Galicia Museum, Corpus Christi Church and Ghetto Heroes Square and the moving monumental chairs display. The rest of the day and evening is free to spend at leisure in Krakow for personal exploration or relaxation. 

Day 5: Nowa Huta suburb and transfer to the airport.
Our last visit is to the Nowa Huta (New Steel Mill) suburb of Krakow, built in the 1950s as a “socialist realist” settlement to service the massive steel works and a showpiece to Stalinism, before transferring to the airport for the return afternoon flight to London Gatwick.

NB: Exact order of excursions may vary according to local conditions and tour manager's discretion

Please note this tour has been classed as Demanding due to the amount of walking involved on all days of the itinerary. There is limited coach transfers included on the touring itinerary so this tour is not suitable for those with walking difficulties. 

Please note the maximum group size on this tour is 25 passengers.

INCLUDED

• Return flights from London Gatwick to Krakow
• Four nights’ bed and breakfast at the four-star Grand Ascot Hotel based on shared occupancy of a twin/double room
• Welcome reception
• Two lectures
• Two dinners with wine at a local restaurant or the hotel
• Transfers, tours and entrance fees
• Andrew Spira throughout

NOT INCLUDED

• Double for sole use supplement
• Holiday insurance
• Meals other than those stated
• Items of a personal nature such as drinks, laundry, telephone calls etc
• Porterage and gratuities 

HOTEL

Grand Ascot Hotel

Modern four-star “boutique” hotel located in the heart of Kraków, on a quiet street within walking distance of the main sights.  The hotel houses a lobby bar, stylish restaurant, fitness room, sauna and stylish rooms with all modern facilities including TV, safe, free wifi and hairdryer. 

Grand Ascot Hotel Website

MORE INFO - Please click here to see full details of this tour 

Andrew Spira

Andrew Spira graduated from the Courtauld Institute of Art before completing a MA degree in Museum and Gallery Management at City University, London. He worked at the Temple Gallery, London (specialist in Byzantine and Russian icons), and as a curator at the Victoria and Albert Museum where he specialised in 18th century British Art and Design, and Metalwork. He also specialises in Russian art, publishing ‘The AvantGarde Icon: Russian Avant-Garde Art and the Icon Painting Tradition’ in 2008 (Lund Humphries). For 20 years he has been taking tours to cultural sites in western Europe, Russia, Armenia and Georgia. He was Programme Director at Christie’s Education for 10 years before going part-time to focus on his current research project - on personal identity and the way it is reflected in the material culture of western Europe from the Middle Ages to the present day.