THE NORTH OF POLAND – ALONG THE PATH OF THE FIGHT FOR FREEDOM AND THE TRUTH

THE NORTH OF POLAND – ALONG THE PATH OF THE FIGHT FOR FREEDOM AND THE TRUTH - 8 DAYS

WARSAW · MALBORK · GDAŃSK · GDYNIA · SOPOT · TORUŃ · BYDGOSZCZ · CIECHOCINEK*

DAY 1

Arrival in Warsaw. A walk through the city and free time. Dinner and overnight in the hotel.

DAY 2

Breakfast. We head over to the Castle square. We visit the column of King Zigmunt III Waza and the Copper-Roof Palace. We continue with a visit to the Baroque – classicism Royal Palace i.e. the Huge Apartament, Royal and the Senatorial Hall. Currently it functions as a museum and representional piece. A drive along one of the most elegant streets of Warsaw – Aleja Ujazdowska. We’ll see the antique palaces, multiple headquarters of the embassy, Belveder, the edifice of the Ministery Council, the Ujazdowski park. Heading over to the palace-garden ensemble at the Royal Baths. Admiring the wonderful, antique architecture, i.e. the theatre and palace on the Island, the Myślewicki palace, the Frédéric Chopin statue and interesting facilities. Return for dinner and an overnight stay.

DAY 3

Breakfast and drive to Malbork. Visitting the Teutonic Knights Castle, considered one of the best examples of the middle ages defensive-residential architecture in Europe. Visitting the palace rooms i.e. the Palace of the Great Masters, the capitual hall, the Gdanisko tower, along with the refectory and the convent chamber. We’ll also see the ward, the chaple, the foss, the courtyard, the main tower and the statues of the masters of the monastery.  Drive to Gdańsk for dinner and an overnight stay.

DAY 4

Breakfast. Heading over to Westerplatte, where WWII begun. Visitting the fortress – the place of the heroic fight of the poles, which was visitted by John Paul II, during his pilgrimage to Poland. A stroll along the streets of the Old Town – the Royal Way, from the Golden Gate, through the Długa street and Long Market, up to the Green Gate. We’ll see the well preserved tenement houses of the rich citizens of Gdańsk and along the most important antiques the Artus’ manor, the City Hall of the Main City, as well as the Neptune Fountain. Walking down the Long Seacoast to Motlawa. Stopping next to the old middle ages crane harbour, whose mechanism works up to today. Walking to the basilica of Holy Mother Mary with a precious, XVI century altar. Dinner and an overnight stay.

DAY 5

Breakfast. Further sightseeing at Gdańsk. Visitting the Museum of WWII. We’ll get to know the tragic experience of WWII, its Genesis and results, its victims and culprits, heroes and regular people, written down in a wider european and world context. Taking a look at the main exhibit, covering the area of almost 5 thous. Square metres, located 14 meters underground, with around 2 thous. exhibits and multiple modern multimedial stands. Visitting the altar of st Bridget, in which the famous National Amber Altar can be found. Heading over near the area, where Gate nr 2 of the Gdańsk Shipyard. We’ll stop next to the statue of the Fallen Shipyarders.  Heading over to the European Centre of Solidarity, where an exhibition can be found, dedicated to the history of Solidarity and the opposition movements, which lead to the democratical transformations in the Middle-Eastern Europe. In the accordingly equiped halls we’ll see historical exhibits, spacial and electronical projections, multiple photographs, archival film materials, documents, maps. Free Time. Return for dinner and an overnight stay.

DAY 6

Breakfast. Drive to Gdynia and a stroll along the city – Kościuszki Square. Next to the waterfront . Next to the waterfront we’ll  see ”Lightning” the Polish Ship destroyer and sailing ship going by the name of ”The Pomeranian Gift”. Transfer to Sopot -  a waterfront resort and at the same time the city of healing. Walking along the main street - the ”Monte Cassino” pedestrian area. Next heading over to the longest jetty in Europe of a wooden construction from which a beautiful view of the Balitic Sea is spreading. Drive back for dinner and an overnight stay.

DAY 7

Breakfast. Drive to Toruń. Sightseeing at the Old and New Town with its XIII cent. urban arrangment. Visitting the gothic city hall with the clock tower, the Artus Court, the tenement house under the star, the statue of Nicolaus Copernicus, the St John Cathedral, the Gothic churches of Holy Mother Mary and st Jacobs, the house of Copernicus and the Curved Tower. There will be an opportunity to buy the Toruń gingerbread. Drive to Bydgoszcz and visitting the Old Town, where we’ll also see the antique garners and the main square. Visitting the Sanctuary of Mother Mary of the Beautiful Love. We’ll see its rich interior design – an altar from 1666, antique baroque stalls and ambo, along with the rich polichromes. Praying in front of the wonderfull image of Mother Mary with the Rose, crowned by the pope John Paul I, during his apostol visit in 1999. Heading over to the Mill Island -  the bydgostian Venice and then to the area around Opera Nova. Transfer to the hotel for dinner and an overnight stay. 

DAY 8

Breakfast. Drive to Ciechocinek* - the pearl amongst the polish health resorts with tetanuses, baths and the Spa Park with multiple plants. During the stroll along the Salt Route, we’ll see the tenanuses, which are a unique and the biggest wooden constructions in Europe, used to vaporize water from the salt spring, the Drinking Room of the Mineral Waters, as well as the Zakopane concert stage in the Spa Park. We’ll see the Presidential Manor, where souvenirs after president Ignacy Mościnski had been gathered. A stroll around the Baths, where next to the alleys the famous colourfull flower ”carpets” grow. Transfer to the airport in Warsaw and flight back. The end of the pilgrimage

* The time of the flight is dependant on the time capability