Excursions

Every participant can take part in one of five excursions. Below you can find short descriptions of our proposals. Choose the most interesting for you !

Wieliczka Salt Mine NO FREE PLACES

The historic Salt Mine in Wieliczka is the only mining site in the world functioning continuously since the Middle Ages. Founded in the town Wieliczka near Krakow it has been a source of money and importance of Polish kings and Poland as a country. In 1978 inscribed in UNESCO's First World List of Cultural and Natural Heritage. Wieliczka is now one of the most famous tourists' destination in Poland visited annually by around 1,000,000 visitors.

The tour includes: a walk with a professional guide down 3,5 km walk from 64 to 135 meters below the ground level; seeing the beautiful chambers caved in Salt (such as St. Kinga's Chappel); experiencing how hard a miner's work was and being struck by the beauty of the underworld with its lakes, tranquility, darkness and legends.

A trip for those who like to see something new and different but still enhancing and beautiful. Be prepared for underground conditions such as 14o C and being brought down by a lift – those with claustrophobia may have some problems.

http://www.kopalnia.pl/home.php?action=&id_language=2
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wieliczka_Salt_Mine

Tatra Mountains and Zakopane NO FREE PLACES

Zakopane is a town lying in the heart of Polish Tatra Mountains. For long it has been and still is one of the most popular both winter and summer holidays destination. Beautiful views, healthy air, hiking roots and traditional cuisine and architecture are attraction for all different kinds of people. And in the winter Zakopane and its neighbourhood is a skiing heaven for everyone from amateur to professional. In 1954 a national park was created in the area to keep the natural environment for the next generations. It is the only area in Poland and between the Alps and Caucasus with alpine landscape.

A trip will include a walk with a professional mountain guide to one of the picturesque valleys (Koscieliska valley) with a visit to a cave.

A perfect choice for those who like mountains and breathtaking views. Be prepared though for wearing at least sporty shoes and a walk that takes around 6 hours.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tatra_National_Park%2C_Poland
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zakopane

Old Brewery in Tychy

Having a more than 375 years history Tychy Brewery with its different types and names of beer is one of the most popular in Poland.
Annually around 5 million hectolitres of beer are produced. In 2002 Tyskie beer won the Gold Medal and Grand Prix of the most prestigious beer competition in Burton-on-Trent (Great Britain). Lying in the vicinity of Katowice city the brewery since opening of the museum and sightseeing tour has become a popular tourists' destination with visits not only by Czechs, Germans and Poles.

The tour includes a visit to the museum showing history and beer artifacts, a presentation of a 3D movie about the history of brewery, a walk around the grounds of brewery and entering production areas as well as tasting Polish best beer in one of the basements changed into an atmospheric pub.

A must for those interested in how beer is made and how the present and the past interfere to make good, traditional and world known beer.

http://www.kp.pl/eng/zwiedz_tyskie.html

Auschwitz Concentration Camp

Known as the symbol of Holocaust around the world. Its origins date back to the 1940 when Nazis established the camp in the neighbourhood of Polish town – Oswiecim that has been annexed to the Third Reich. The camp was given the name of Konzentrationslager Auschwitz and since has been the place of imprisonment and death of many Poles, Soviet prisoners of war, Gypsies and others. In 1942 it became the first of many sites of the mass murder committed against the European Jews as part of the Nazi plan of their complete destruction. Consisting of 2 main parts: Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II – Birkenau it was the biggest camp in history of The Second World War. After liberation by the Red Army in 1944 the world heard about the genocide committed in the camp. The Nazis wanted to hide their dreadful deeds and destroyed some of the documents and buildings. Hopefully not all was lost and on the site a museum was founded so that, what had happened would never be forgotten. The numbers speak for themselves: out of approximately 400,000 people registered 50% died as a result of starvation, executions, diseases, inhuman living conditions, torture and criminal medical experiments.

The tour includes a walk with a professional guide around the grounds of both camps, entering buildings (with exhibition inside) and crematoria, watching a documental movie about the liberation of the camp. A must for those interested in Second World War history. Be prepared though for an emotional aspect of the visit – it is not only a place of great importance but also of great sorrow.

http://www.auschwitz.org.pl/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auschwitz

Pieskowa Skala Castle and Ojcow National Park

Pieskowa Skala is a castle built in XIV Century by a Polish king Kazimierz Wielki in a picturesque river valley 27 km from Krakow as a part of chain of fortifications called "Orle Gniazda" ("Eagle Nest"). Throughout centuries the castle has changed to renaissance style which only adds to its beauty. After The Second World War the castle was arranged into a museum housing a huge variety of art with works by famous Polish painters.

Ojcow National Park founded in 1956 is Poland’s smallest national park. Lying in the Jurassic Rock Krakow-Czestochowa Upland, it is mainly forested, with many tourist and bicycle routes. One of the most favourite weekend destinations of Krakow residents, since it's only about 20 km from the city. With caves (i.e. Lokietek's Cave) and beautiful river valleys surrounded by white Jurrasic Rock and strange rock formations (i.e. Maczuga Herkulesa).

The tour with a professional guide will include: a visit to the castle, walk around the Ojcow National Park with a visit to Jaskinia Lokietka ("Lokietek’s Cave"). It is perfect trip for those interested in castles and art and for those who want to run away from the hustle and bustle of city and spend some time in the green belt of Krakow.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ojcow_National_Park
http://www.cyf-kr.edu.pl/wawel/epieskow.htm