From pasta-making in Rome to castle strolls in Ljubljana and traditional Polish dinners in Kraków, this 16-day adventure mixes the iconic with the unexpected. You’ll wander old towns, soak up Swiss mountain views, and can try snails in Paris - if you’re brave. And to top it all off? Two unforgettable nights at Contiki’s very own French chateau and you’ll sleep soundly at night with an upgrade to twin-share accom. It doesn't get better than this.
Never heard of Kraków or Ljubljana? Perfect. This 9-day trip is all about mixing Europe’s underrated legends with its greatest hits. One minute you’re strolling storybook streets in Slovenia, the next you’re canal-cruising in Venice or vibing in Vienna. From hidden gems to headline cities, this trip is your fast pass to Europe’s unexpected side. And you’ll sleep soundly at night with an upgrade to twin-share accom.
Get ready for 16 days of iconic sights meeting Eastern edge. This whirlwind ride takes you from the Amsterdam's canals & the bold buzz of Berlin to sugar-dusted streets in Prague, steamy spa sessions in Budapest, and all the way to Rome. Better still, on the ‘Plus’ trip you’ll stay in a twin-share hotel room instead of a multi-share. It’s fast, full-on, and made for travellers who want culture and a few curveballs between the classics. Let’s trailblaze.
Get ready for 16 days of iconic sights meeting Eastern edge. This whirlwind ride takes you from the Amsterdam's canals & the bold buzz of Berlin to sugar-dusted streets in Prague, steamy spa sessions in Budapest, and all the way to Rome. Better still, on the ‘Plus’ trip you’ll stay in a twin-share hotel room instead of a multi-share. It’s fast, full-on, and made for travellers who want culture and a few curveballs between the classics. Let’s trailblaze.
Travel through Poland on a Small Group tour that links medieval centers, mountain traditions and 21st-century cities. Move from Kraków’s market square and the Highlander culture of the Tatras to the brick fortresses and Hanseatic streets of the north. Visits with Local Experts provide context at sites such as the Auschwitz Memorial, the old town of Kraków and the shipyards of Gdańsk. Your journey concludes in Warsaw, where the Old Town and surrounding districts set the focus for your final days.
Plunge into an adventure across Poland as you shop for folkloric fare in Kraków and sample traditional dumplings in Warsaw. Your vacation begins with a day of dedicated Kraków sightseeing as your Local Expert guides you to Wawel Royal Castle and through Podgórze to Ghetto Square. In the cradle of the Polish nation, enjoy the Poznań Choice: unveil the secrets of the local delicacy, the St. Martin’s croissant, or uncover the city’s history on a walking tour with a Local Expert. Travel to the foot of the Tatra Mountains for a Zakopane dinner of delicious local dishes, accompanied by the soul-rousing folklore entertainment of the Goral Highlanders.
Kraków: Dine in a local restaurant with your Travel Director and fellow travelers, enjoying regional dishes and relaxed conversation that marks the beginning of your travels together.
Zakopane: Enjoy dinner accompanied by Góral Highlander music and dance, with performers using regional instruments such as the fiddle and shepherd’s flute. You’ll hear the sharp, rhythmic patterns typical of the Tatra Highland.
Warsaw: The Polish capital is currently enjoying a culinary renaissance - find out what the buzz is all about during your end-of-tour dinner with wine at a favorite restaurant.
Kraków: Join your Local Expert to trace Kraków’s development around Rynek Główny and the streets that formed the city’s medieval core. You’ll see the layers of architecture shaped by royal patronage, mercantile guilds and university life, noting how each period left its mark on the Old Town’s pattern.
Kraków: Visit Wawel Cathedral with your Local Expert, stepping inside the burial place of Poland’s monarchs and statesmen. You’ll see chapels added across successive dynasties and the cathedral where Karol Wojtyła, later Pope John Paul II, served as Archbishop of Kraków.
Zakopane: Explore Zakopane with your Travel Director, moving along Krupówki Street to see examples of the Zakopane Style, developed in the late 19th century from local timber-building methods. You’ll pass stalls selling Highlander woodcarving and textiles, and view the market area that continues to draw craftspeople from the surrounding Tatra villages.
Auschwitz: Visit the Auschwitz Memorial and Museum with a Memorial Guide Educator, viewing preserved barracks, guard towers and the barbed-wire perimeter of the former German Nazi concentration and extermination camp.
Wrocław: Explore Wrocław with your Local Expert, moving through the Rynek to see its restored facades and the adjacent Plac Solny, known for its long-standing flower market. You’ll also encounter several of the city’s bronze gnomes, originally installed in the 1980s and now scattered across the center.
Gniezno: Visit Gniezno Cathedral to see the monumental bronze doors cast around 1175, noted for their detailed panels showing scenes from the life of St. Adalbert. Inside, you’ll also view chapels and crypts that reflect the cathedral’s long association with Poland’s earliest rulers and archbishops.
Toruń: Explore Toruń with your Local Expert, moving through streets lined with Gothic brickwork shaped by the Hanseatic League. You’ll see the market square, the leaning tower, and sections of the medieval walls that still outline the town’s original plan.
Gdańsk: Join your Local Expert to view the harbourfront, including the vantage point towards Westerplatte, before stopping at the shipyard gates linked to the Solidarity movement of the 1980s. Continue into the medieval streets where Hanseatic brickwork and merchant houses define Gdańsk’s historic layout.
Malbork: Explore Malbork Castle with your Local Expert, walking through one of Europe’s largest medieval brick fortresses. You’ll see the High Castle with its cloisters and chapter house, the Middle Castle’s great refectory, and the defensive walls that reflect the Teutonic Order’s building program from the late 13th century.
Warsaw: Your Local Expert will show you the city's highlights. See the Old Town, Palace of Culture and visit the Chopin Memorial in the Lazienki Park before paying your respects at the Ghetto Heroes Memorial.
Poznan: Join a Local Resident to explore Poznań’s Old Town, pausing at the Renaissance town hall, rebuilt after the 16th-century fire, and the adjoining market streets. You’ll see facades restored after wartime damage and note how the square links to the streets leading towards the university quarter.
Poznan: Take part in a St. Martin’s croissant tasting and learn how the protected regional recipe is prepared, from the layered dough to the poppy-seed filling. You’ll hear how the pastry became tied to Poznań’s 11 November tradition while sampling a croissant made to the certified specification.
Toruń: Meet an artisan baker to learn how Toruń gingerbread is shaped using carved wooden moulds associated with the city’s historic guilds. You’ll observe how the dough is prepared and pressed before tasting gingerbread made on-site, prepared according to regional methods passed down through specialist workshops. Your visit directly supports United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities.
Choose between two carefully selected activities
Poznan: Join a Local Resident to explore Poznań’s Old Town, pausing at the Renaissance town hall, rebuilt after the 16th-century fire, and the adjoining market streets. You’ll see facades restored after wartime damage and note how the square links to the streets leading towards the university quarter.
Poznan: Take part in a St. Martin’s croissant tasting and learn how the protected regional recipe is prepared, from the layered dough to the poppy-seed filling. You’ll hear how the pastry became tied to Poznań’s 11 November tradition while sampling a croissant made to the certified specification.
