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PRE- and POST - WORKSHOP TOURS The Organizing Committee has appointed Orbis Travel as the official organizer and travel agent for pre- and post-workshop tours. Orbis Travel offers customized tours for the workshop participants to several popular, historic and religious tourist places in Poland on Sept.10 (Monday), Sept.11 (Tuesday), Sept.12 (Wednesday), Sept.15 (Saturday), Sept.16 (Sunday). To reserve requested tour please, complete REGISTRATION FORM FOR HOTEL AND TRANSPORTATION (the same as for hotel reservation) and send it by fax to Orbis Travel +48 12 422 28 85 LIST of AVAILABLE TOURS (paid extra by participants) 1/ DUNAJEC RIVER GORGE AND NIEDZICA CASTLE
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. The towering cliffs and the limestone rock formations of the gorge itself plus the picturesque mountain scenery, the surrounding national forest and the colourful river guides make for a wonderful day in a pristine and wild environment. 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 it has been partially restored and its ruins make for an adventurous visit. Niedzica Castle, in a delightful counterpoint, is in perfect condition. In fact, today, it is actually a working hotel in addition to housing a fine museum. Our trip begins at Niedzica Castle, then continues to the raft wharf in Sromowce Nizne and ends 15-km 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 Mt.Sokolica. Duration: 6 hrs. Price per person: EUR 36,- Includes: transportation, English speaking guide, ticket for rafting, lunch 2/ OJCÓW NATIONAL PARK - PIESKOWA SKAŁA
Pieskowa Skała - situated in the upper part of the Prądnik Valley. Its landscape, historical and architectural values always encourage tourists to make trips and excursions. The 14th century castle founded by King Kazimierz the Great is one of the most beautiful objects of the Renaissance architecture in Poland. Next to the castle, there is a huge rock in the shape of a stick, called Hercules' Club. The rock was formed as a result of natural processes. Today the castle is a home to the Museum of the National Wawel Art Collections Duration: 6 hrs. Price per person: EUR 36,- Includes: transportation, English speaking guide, entrance fees to the castle, lunch 3/ ZAKOPANE TOUR
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 a unique and diverse range of flora and fauna. Our tour starts with a ride up a funicular railway to the top of Mt.Gubałówka, where we have a wonderful view of the Tatras. After a short walk around the peak, we return down the funicular to visit the oldest part of Zakopane, where the old cottages of the Highlanders still stand, surrounded by ash trees and blackened by the sun. These wooden houses and churches were built in highlander style created by the remarkable Polish artist, Witkiewicz. In addition to the traditional mountain architecture, magnificent folk costumes and jewellery have also survived here to this day. To better experience the true Zakopane atmosphere, we take a walk along Krupówki, the central mall, lined with restaurants, cafes, boutiques and souvenir shops. We also make our lunch break here. Duration: 6 hrs. Price per person: EUR 46,- Includes: transportation, English speaking guide, entrance fees, lunch 4/ AUSCHWITZ AND BIRKENAU MUSEUM
Around 1.5 million people - Jews, Poles, political prisoners, and Gypsies - died at the hands of the Nazis at Auschwitz-Birkenau. It was in this largest of death camps that the Nazis embarked upon their plan to systematically exterminate all Jews living in the Third Reich in gas chambers. You will watch a 55-minute documentary on the liberation of the camp before you go on a guided tour of the prison blocks, the gas chamber, and the crematorium. After a short break, the tour continues to Birkenau, where you go up the watchtower above the entrance gate to have a view of the largest Nazi Concentration Camp. A Martyrdom Museum was set up here in 1947 and in 1979, UNESCO included Auschwitz-Birkenau on its list of World Heritage sites. Duration: 6 hrs. Price per person: EUR 25,- Includes: transportation, English speaking guide, movie (doesn't include lunch !). 5/ WIELICZKA SALT MINE TOUR
Legend has it that the salt mines in Wieliczka were part of the dowry of the Hungarian princess, Kinga, when she wed Bolesław 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 have carved fabulous figures, monuments and altarpieces out of its 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. Our route through the mine leads you through galleries and chambers on three levels, from 64 to 135 meters below the ground, including the unique and richly ornamented Chapel of the Blessed Kinga. The route is 2.5 km long and you have to walk down 400 steps all told. The last stop in the mine is the souvenir shop and snack bar. From here, a lift carries you back to the surface. (Lift down instead of walking down stairs - only on special request) Duration: 4 hrs. Price per person: EUR 30,- Includes: transportation, English speaking guide, entrance ticket. 6/ WALKING TOUR OF CRACOW (with WAWEL CASTLE)
For over a thousand years, Cracow has been the center of science, culture and art in Poland and our city sightseeing tour is a fine introduction to this historic city. The tour could begin with a short walk along the streets of the Old Town. Next, Wawel Hill, crowned by Wawel Castle and Wawel Cathedral and the seat of royal power up till the 17 century. The Castle was home to many Polish kings and queens and the royal crypts in the Cathedral their final resting place, along with several other Polish heroes. A walk up Grodzka street leads you to the heart of Cracow, the Main Market Square. There, the large, Gothic Cloth Hall is the perfect place for shopping for local souvenirs. Our last sightseeing stop is the twin-spired St. Mary's Church with its famous medieval altar by Wit Stwosz and where, every hour, the brave trumpeter of Cracow still calls out his warning. Duration: 3 hrs. Price per person: EUR 16,- Includes: English speaking guide, entrance tickets to the Royal Castle and Royal Cathedral 7/ IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF JOHN PAUL II
Our tour begins with a visit to Wadowice, "the place where it all began" as the Pope referred to his hometown in 1999 during his visit here. We will see the dearest places to Karol Wojtyła during his childhood and adolescence, including the parish church where he was baptised and the house where he was born. Our journey to and from Wadowice also gives you a chance to view the peaks of the Popes beloved Beskidy mountain range where he used to hike. On return to Cracow we stop at the Sanctuary of Divine Mercy in Łagiewniki. In this developing place of pilgrimage you can pay homage to the holly relics of St. Faustyna Kowalska, who was canonised as the first saint of the Third Millennium by John Paul II, and admire the impressive modern basilica consecrated by the Pope in 2002. Then we travel to the foot of the Royal Castle to visit the Archdiocese Museum located in the most picturesque street of Cracow. In the museum you can the flat where Karol Wojtyła lived while working as a lecturer of theology. Finally, we visit the Archbishop's Palace which is Wojtyła's last residence before leaving for the Vatican in 1978. There one can see the famous "papal window", where John Paul II used to show up to chat and chant with the youth of Cracow during all his visits and where thousands of people lit candles and prayed. Duration: 6 hrs. Price per person: EUR 35,- Includes: transportation, English speaking guide, entrance ticket, lunch PLEASE NOTE:
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