Day
1
Fly to Kraków, and upon arrival, meet your tour manager and transfer to your luxuriously-appointed city centre hotel. Spend the rest of the day relaxing and exploring your new surroundings, perhaps heading to a café, bar, or local restaurant for dinner.
Day
2
After breakfast, wrap up warm as you’ll be setting off on a walking tour that will really bring to life this seat of Polish kings and former archbishopric of Pope John Paul II.
Kraków is a compact city, ideal for exploring on foot, and at its heart is the great square of Rynek Glówny, medieval Europe’s largest such space. In the middle of the square is the Cloth Hall, a covered market surrounded by the wooden stalls of the Christmas market. Here, you can browse the market’s festive wares, perhaps with a glass of steaming mulled wine in hand. Don’t miss the glorious St Mary’s Basilica, adjacent to the square, where the traditional custom of the Christmas crib-building may be seen.
Rynek Glówny and the heart of the city are watched over by Wawel Hill, home to the former royal castle and the magnificent Gothic Wawel Cathedral, built on the site of an 11th-century original. South of the hill, bordering the Vistula River, is the Kazimierz district, the historic centre of Jewish culture down the centuries.
Later in the day, you can choose to join an optional excursion to Wieliczka Salt Mine, which dates to the Middle Ages. You’ll descend underground to this UNESCO World Heritage Site, a maze of illuminated saline lakes, intricately carved chambers, and chapels. During your visit, you’ll be led through the tunnels while learning about the traditional methods of salt extraction and the old mining machinery.
In the evening, you’ll return to your hotel to relax and have dinner at your leisure.