Krakow Jewish Festival

Krakow Jewish Festival and Warsaw

Once a year Krakow is filled with Jewish arts and music. This is the time you can mingle with thousands of visitors from every corner of the globe and to experience Krakow like no other time of the year. And after the festival, continue to Warsaw and experience the new museum of the History of the Polish Jews.  In addition to the Poland program, please check our pre-tour to the great cities of Budapest & Prague.

Yes, Krakow

Day 1 Wednesday Arrival in Krakow

Upon arrival to Krakow airport you are met and transferred to the hotel. Later, continue to Auschwitz for a tour of this horrific site. Pause and pay somber respects at Auschwitz/Birkenau. This death factory, now a memorial, is a painful symbol of the Holocaust, an enduring testimonial to our lost brothers and sisters – and a catalyst to the slogan: NEVER AGAIN. The fact that so many visit each year is heartening, and the sound of Jewish music, growing in volume as you approach Krakow, is the sound of survival. As you enter this city, which survived the war relatively intact, a sense of the past envelopes you. Later, enjoy a Welcome Dinner in a local restaurant. This evening, your spirits will soar with a Festival Concert. Holiday Inn.

Day 2 Thursday Krakow

Breakfast at the hotel. This morning, tour Jewish Krakow. Unlike Warsaw, Krakow was not destroyed during the German occupation. Its historic buildings and squares, along with its seven remaining synagogues, provide an entrance into Poland’s rich cultural past. A morning walking tour of Krakow’s Kazimierz district will include Krakow’s JCC, Remuh Synagogue and the Old Cemetery. Next, see Podgorze, the site of the former ghetto, and Oskar Schindler’s Factory Museum, which tells the story of the city and its citizens during the German occupation. Lunch. The afternoon is at your disposal, with an array of possible Festival activities (including Jewish art and craft exhibits) and workshops, all related to Jewish history, culture, and heritage. This evening, enjoy a rousing concert at the Krakow Jewish Festival. Holiday Inn.

Day 3 Friday Krakow – Dabrowa Tarnowska – Tarnow – Krakow

Breakfast at the hotel. Today, an excursion takes you to the town of Dabrowa Tarnowska. You will see how one of the largest synagogues in Poland has been lovingly restored to its glory. Continue to Tarnow, one of the best examples of a traditional  pre-war Polish Jewish town, returning to Krakow in the early afternoon. You will have time to relax – or join a Festival workshop activity. Tonight brings the joy of Shabbat, with a festive Community Dinner arranged by the Krakow JCC. Holiday Inn.

Day 4 Saturday Krakow – Wieliczka Salt Mines – Krakow

Breakfast at the hotel. This morning takes you to the fascinating Wieliczka Salt Mines, a UNESCO World Heritage Site visited by over a million tourists each year. You will learn how essential salt is to all aspects of life (in fact, the word “salary” comes from the Latin word for salt). Later, enjoy Lunch and an informative lecture at the Galicia Jewish Museum. The afternoon is at your disposal. Tonight, brings the Final Concert of the Krakow Jewish Festival. Holiday Inn.

Day 5 Sunday Krakow – Lodz – Warsaw

Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to Lodz. Poland’s third largest city, Lodz is known as a center for film-making and cinematic achievements, and sometimes referred to as “Holly Lodz”. Once the heart of Poland’s textile manufacturing, it is also known as the “city of four cultures”: Jewish, Polish, German, and Russian. Enjoy Lunch with the Jewish Community. One of Lodz’s most prominent citizens was industrialist and philanthropist Izrael Poznanski. Visit his former palace, now the site of the city’s museum. Poznanski’s factory is now a commercial and cultural center, drawing visitors from around the world. You will also visit the Radegast Memorial and the Park of the Survivors. Next, transfer to Warsaw. Sofitel Victoria Hotel.

Day 6 Monday Warsaw

Breakfast at the hotel. Today is devoted to the capital of Poland. Warsaw is often referred to as the “phoenix city,” as close to 85% of this capital was destroyed during World War II. Visit newly-opened, Museum of the History of Polish Jews – unparalleled in the world. Poland is the seat of almost 1,000 years of Jewish history, and this museum celebrates that. Not a “holocaust” museum, it even features a full-scale wooden synagogue within, built by the Polish people to commemorate the shuls of the past. You will experience a sense of that rich past, along an inspiring sense of the present and future. Later, trace the paths of life in pre-war Warsaw into the neighborhoods of I. L. Peretz, and Isaac Bashevis Singer. Later, Walk through the former Warsaw ghetto and follow the Memorial Route leading to the Ghetto Heroes Monument. Continue to Grzybowski Square, with its historic panorama, and the famous Nozyk Synagogue. Dinner. Sofitel Victoria Hotel.

Day 7 Tuesday Warsaw – Home Flight

Breakfast at the hotel.  Transfer to Warsaw Airport, or continue with a tour extension.