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Independent Local Tours
LOCAL EXCURSIONS IN 2022 TO FIT YOUR SCHEDULE
(Prices may change slightly due to currency fluctuations through the year.)
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While in WARSAW you may choose from the following local tours with English speaking guide:
WARSAW – DAILY SIGHTSEEING
Operates every morning from April to October and every Saturday and Sunday from November to March
Cost per person: $65 – Duration 4 hrs.
During your city tour you’ll get acquainted with heroic Polish capital which was rebuilt after almost total destruction of World War II. You motor coach drives along the Royal Route with its aristocratic residences, historic churches, Warsaw University, the Monument of Warsaw Uprising, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the Grand Theatre, the Belvedere Palace, the Jewish Ghetto Memorial. In Lazienki Park walk to the beautiful Chopin Monument and Palace on Water, summer residence of last king of Poland. A walking tour through the Old Town takes you to the colorful Old Market Square, St. John’s Cathedral and the picturesque Royal Castle Square with King Sigismund’s Column who moved Polish capital from Krakow to Warsaw in the 16th century.
There is also HOP-ON-HOP-OFF bus if you have more time to see major attractions of Warsaw.
While in KRAKOW you may choose from the following local tours with English speaking guide:
KRAKOW CITY TOUR
Operates daily
Cost per person: $49 – Duration 4 hrs.
For over a thousand years, Krakow (Cracow) has been the center of science, culture and art. The tour begins with a short walk along the streets of the former Jewish district of Kazimierz. Next is Wawel Hill with Wawel Castle and Cathedral, the seat of Polish kings for four centuries. In the castle chambers you can admire medieval treasures. A walk up Grodzka Street leads to the heart of Krakow, the Main Market Square, one of the largest in Europe. The Gothic Cloth Hall (Sukiennice) is the perfect place for shopping for souvenirs of folk art, crystal, wood carvings, amber, embroidery, etc. Your last stop is the twin-spired St. Mary’s Church where the largest wooden altar by Wit Stwosz can be viewed. Every hour you can hear the bugle call from the church towers.
WIELICZKA SALT MINE (about 9 miles from Krakow)
Operates daily in the afternoon. Pick up from hotels 2:00 – 2:30 PM return 7:00 – 7.30 PM
Cost per person: $49 – Duration 4 hrs.
Legend has it that the salt mines in Wieliczka were part of the dowry of the Hungarian princess, Kinga, when she wed Boleslaw the Shy over 700 years ago, making the Wieliczka Salt Mine one of the oldest in all of Europe. Over the centuries, devout, and superstitious miners carved fabulous figures, sculptures and altar pieces out of the salt walls. These amazing works of art, in addition to the mine’s historical importance, have earned the Wieliczka Salt Mine a place on the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage list. Tourist route of 1.3 mile leads through grottoes and chambers on three levels, from 210 to 443 feet below the surface, including the unique and richly ornamented Chapel of St. Kinga. The last stop in the mine is the souvenir shop and a snack bar. From here, an elevator takes you back to the surface. Inside temperature is constant 55 degrees F. If you have problem walking keep in mind that there is about 700 steps walking down to the 3rd level (elevator down – on request only – extra fee. PLEASE NOTE: the elevator down will not operate in 2022 due to maintenance).
AUSCHWITZ – former Nazi Concentration Camp (about 93 miles from Krakow)
Not recommended for children under 14 yrs.
Operates daily. Reservations required.
Cost per person: to be advised – Duration 6 hrs.
This excursion must be reserved and prepaid in advance. Payment is not refundable 30 days or less prior to departure. This year Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum is introducing new stringent entry requirements. Tickets can be purchased no earlier than 90 days prior to visit and must be paid in full within 3 days. Tickets are not transferable and can be cancelled no later then 14 days prior to visit. Tickets must be purchased solely in your name which must match your passport/ID, otherwise the entry will be denied.
Started in 1940 as a Nazi concentration camp for Polish political prisoners, Auschwitz became the center for extermination of European Jews in 1942. During 1940-1945 about 1,500,000 Jews, Poles, Gypsies, Russians POWs and other nationalities perished in crematoria. Your tour begins with a 15-minute documentary film about the liberation of the camp. Then a museum guide walks you through the exhibitions in some of the surviving prison blocks, the gas chamber, and the crematoria. After a short break, continue to Birkenau to view this largest of all Nazi extermination camps.
*POPE JOHN PAUL II TRAIL IN KRAKOW
Operates Tuesdays and Fridays: pick up P. Matejki
Cost per person: $65 – Duration 4 hrs.
Cracow boasts a number of places connected with John Paul II, who lived here from 1938 till 1978 when he was elected the Pope. Your tour begins with a visit to St. Florian’s Church, the first church in Cracow in which the Pope (as priest Karol Wojtyla) was a vicar. Then walk to St. Mary’s Church in the Main Market Square. The next stop is Collegium Novum, the main building of the Jagiellonian University, where after WWII Wojtyla lectured in theology. From here it is just a short walk to the Archbishop’s Palace that was his home for a number of years. Here is ‘the most famous window in the world from which he greeted the faithful coming to see him during his visits. After a brief stop at the Franciscan church you’ll visit the Archdiocese Museum to see two apartments in which John Paul lived as a priest and as a bishop. Then a bus will take you to the final destination, the Sanctuary of the Divine Mercy connected also with the worship of St. Faustina, one of the Pope’s favorite saints. The magnificent basilica, which is now one of the most important pilgrimage centers in Poland, was consecrated by John Paul II during his last visit to Cracow. You may stay here for the afternoon service and return to town on your own.
*ZAKOPANE Mountain Resort (about 74 miles from Krakow)
Operates Wednesdays and Saturdays. Pick up in hotels at 9:00 – 9:30 AM – return 5.00 – 6.00 PM
Cost per person: $129 – Duration 8 hrs.
Nestled at the foot of the spectacular Tatra Mountains, Zakopane is the winter sports capital of Poland and its most famous resort. During the winter, plentiful snow and challenging runs make for excellent skiing while the summer months offer hikers mountain lakes, glacial valleys and waterfalls. The mountains are also home to an unique and diverse range of flora and fauna. Your tour starts with a ride up a funicular railway to the top of Mt. Gubalówka to see a wonderful view of the Tatras. After a short walk around the peak, you return to the oldest part of Zakopane where the old cottages of the mountaineers still stand, surrounded by ash trees and blackened by the sun. These wooden houses and churches were built in the Zakopane style by the remarkable Polish artist, Witkacy. In addition to the traditional mountain architecture, magnificent folk costumes and jewelry have also survived here to this day. To better experience the true Zakopane atmosphere, you can take a walk along Krupówki main street lined with restaurants, cafes, boutiques and souvenir shops. Your last stop in Zakopane is either the Tatra Museum or, on the way back to Krakow, an old wooden village of Chocholów.
*CZESTOCHOWA – Jasna Gora Pilgrimage Center (about 87 miles from Krakow)
Operates on Tuesdays and Fridays, April – October. Pick up in hotels 8:00 – 9:00 AM – return 5.00 – 6.00 PM
Cost per person: $129 – Duration 10 hrs.
In the city of Czestochowa is Poland’s national shrine which has drawn pilgrims from across the globe for centuries. The monastery of Jasna Góra is home to the miraculous “Black Madonna”, a Gothic painting of Our Lady, which after Rome, Lourdes and Mecca, makes Czestochowa one of the most important pilgrimage destinations in the world today. Your visit to the monastery includes the Miraculous Picture Chapel and the Basilica. Also, you can visit the Arsenal and the Treasury on your own, if you wish, or have break for lunch and buying souvenirs. Your journey back to KraKow takes you along the Eagles Nests’ Trail, a historic strategic system of fortified castles. Today most of them are in ruins after the Swedish invasion in the early 18th century. Your final stop is at Pieskowa Skala – a well-preserved Castle along the Trail. High on a cliff over the valley of the Pradnik River, this 14th century fortification was rebuilt in the 16th century as a Renaissance residence. Today it is home to the Museum of the National Wawel Art Collections.
*PIENINY NATIONAL PARK – DUNAJEC RIVER GORGE (about 93 miles from Krakow)
Operates May 1 to Sept 30 on Mondays and Thursdays. Pick up from hotels 8:00 – 9:00 AM – return 5.00 – 6.00 PM
Cost per person: $75 – Duration 8 hrs.
The raft trip down the Dunajec River through the Pieniny Gorge and along the Polish-Slovak border is one of the greatest tourist attractions in Poland. You will enjoy beautiful views of the towering cliffs and the limestone rock formations of the gorge surrounded by the national forests. For many centuries, the Dunajec Valley served as an important trade route to Hungary and so Czorsztyn Castle (13th c.) and Niedzica Castle (14th c.) were built as strategic strongholds high on the cliffs on either side. Czorsztyn Castle was destroyed in a peasant uprising, but Niedzica Castle is now a small hotel and houses a museum. Your trip begins at the raft station in Sromowce Nizne and ends 15km later in Szczawnica. It lasts two or three hours, depending on the water level of the river. While on the raft, you will enjoy excellent view of the high summits of Trzy Korony and Sokolica Mountains.
*These excursions must be reserved in advance.
While in WROCLAW you may choose from the following local tours with English speaking guide:
– CITY TOUR. Operates May 1 to Sept 30 on Tue and Sun, Oct.1 – Apr. 30 on Tue, Thu, Sat.
Cost per person: $65 – Duration 3 hrs.
– CITY TOUR WITH INTER-ISLANDS. Operates Wednesday and Sundays.
Cost per person: $62 – Duration 3 hrs.
While in GDANSK you may choose from following local tours with English speaking guide:
These excursions are available with minimum of 5 participants:
– OLD TOWN WALKING TOUR Cost per person: $49 – Duration 3 hrs.
– TRI CITY TOUR – GDANSK, SOPOT, GDYNIA Cost per person: $69 – Duration 5 hrs.
– MALBORK CASTLE – on request, $120 – Duration 7 hrs.
Group discounts are available.
Do you want to take a trip to Poland from the U.S. but don’t want to be restricted to a tour guide and other people? Pat Tours understands that some people live for independent travel.
We offer local tours in Poland with an English-speaking guide in various tourist locations with a minimum number of participants.
Visit Warsaw, Gdansk, Wroclaw, Czestochowa, Auschwitz, Zakopane Moutain Resort, Pope John Paul II Trail in Krakow, city tour of Krakow, and the Wieliczka Salt Mine.
Find out more about the individual timings and cost of each tour and plan your trip at your own convenience. We also offer discounted hotel prices, car rental rates, and polish rail schedules to make it easier for you to plan your trip.
Pat Tours wants to ensure that your visit to Poland is memorable and exciting. Our tour guides are experienced, and are dedicated to facilitating your comfort during your travels.
Get in touch with us today to learn more about independent travel to Poland!
To make reservations, complete Reservation Form or call: 1-413-747-7702 or 1-800-388-0988