KRAKOW CULTURE TRIPS
Between Krakow and Lviv. Round trip to Galicia
"Colourful and bizarre like Chagall's dreams, a splinter on the Tower of Babel - wedged between East and West, Galicia and Bukovina as crown lands of the Austrian Little Europe lasted almost a century and a half, with Poles and Ruthenians, Romanians and Hutsuls, Hungarians, Slovaks, Armenians, Gypsies, Hasids and Caraemen and among them the German colonists, a motley periphery. We want to visit this strange Galicia again. Those who travel with us continue to embark on an incredible adventure. Galicia's dream is not over." - wrote Dr. Albrecht and Prof. Lipiński in the introduction to the program of the trip we organized for Academia Baltica from Lübeck.
In Habsburg times, Galicia was an embodiment of the concept of Central Europe, inhabited by several nationalities and denominations, for whom German was the lingua franca and Vienna the metropolis. Between Krakow and Lviv lay Polish cities, Jewish shtetl, Ukrainian villages and magnate residences.
A number of Jewish writers can also be traced in the eastern Galician region with its center in Lemberg.
We will make a pilgrimage to the graves of miracle rabbis and cultural icons of the Orthodox Church. We will reach the former border between Muslim and Christian cultures. Above all, we see Cracow and Lviv - two fascinating, Central Eastern European cultural metropolises.
Trip Highlights:
- Visit to the Lychakivsky cemetery in Lviv - a unique monument of cultures and religions
- Visit to Oleski castle - the birthplace of the Polish king Johann III Sobieski (Variant I)
- Visit to Drohobytsch, the birthplace of Bruno Schulz (Variant II)
- Visit to the St. Mary's Basilica in Krakow with its famous wooden altarpiece made by Veit Stoss
- Tour of the Wawel Castle - the former royal residence of Poland from the 11th Century
- Excursion to the unique 800-year-old underground salt mine in Wieliczka
Itinerary:
1st day Lviv
morning Arrival in Lviv. Hotel transfer. Check-in.
afternoon Lviv - Lemberg - Lwów - Poland, Jews, Ukrainians, Germans, Armenians - traditions of a multicultural city - city tour.
evening After dinner visit to the opera, if the schedule allows so.
2nd day Lviv
morning Walk along the Jewish traces in Lviv with a representative of the Jewish community.
afternoon Visit to the Lychakivsky cemetery in Lviv - a unique monument of cultures and religions - a necropolis of Poles, Germans and Ukrainians afterward time at leisure.
evening Conversation with a political scientist: "War, oligarchs, reforms - current, political situation in Ukraine".
3rd day A day trip from Lviv
Variant I: Brody
morning Drive to Brody. On the way stop at Oleski - castle - the birthplace of the Polish king Johann III Sobieski - the winner over the Turks near Vienna (1683).
Brody was the birthplace of Joseph Roth; in his "Abitur-Gymnasium". Talk with a German teacher about "The Brody of Joseph Roth and today's reality", city tour - life in the Ukrainian provincial city, lunch in Brody.
afternoon Return journey to Lviv.
evening Free time in Lviv.
Variant II: Drohobytsch
morning Drive to Drohobytsch, the birthplace of Bruno Schulz. A meeting and discussion with a Caritas representative in Drohobych about the social situation in the Ukrainian province.
afternoon City walk in Drohobytsch (market place, Ghetto, the residence of Bruno Schulz, St. George's wooden church, Jewish mass graves in Bronica - forest) and return to Lviv.
evening Time at free disposal in Lviv.
4th day Lviv - Przemysl - Krakow
morning Bus ride to Krakow. Border crossing in Medyka. Lunch break and walk in the picturesque border town Przemysl.
afternoon Arrival in Krakow. Check-in. Dinner.
evening Time at your disposal.
5th day Krakow
morning Arch-Polish Cracow - between Rome, Vienna and Nuremberg - guided tour of the Old Town of Cracow (Market Square, St. Mary's Church, University, Old Town streets) .
afternoon From Paradise Judeorum... to the abyss" - a guided tour through the former Jewish quarter Kazimierz.
evening Dinner at the Jewish restaurant Klezmer - Hois by candlelight and Jewish music.
6th day Krakow
morning "City of Kings, City of Saints" - guided tours of Wawel Royal Castle and Krakow Cathedral.
afternoon "Copernicus and Faustus alma mater" - guided tour of the Collegium Maius, the oldest building of the University of Krakow, now the University Museum, followed by free time.
evening Dinner in a city restaurant.
7th day Wieliczka Salt Mine and flight home
morning "Wieliczka - underground city" - visit of a unique sight of the industrial culture of Europe - the medieval salt mine in Wieliczka followed by lunch and airport transfer. Flight home.
Services included:
- 3 night's accommodation in Lviv in a hotel chosen by you on bed and breakfast basis
- 3 night's accommodation in Krakow in a hotel chosen by you on bed and breakfast basis
- All transfers as per above mentioned itinerary
- Private English speaking guide as per the itinerary
- Entrance fees for all sightseeing
- Meals as per the itinerary
Services not included:
- The journey to Ukraine and the journey from Poland
- Tour guide
- Public transport
- Insurance
- Personal expenditure, tips, etc.
- All other services not mentioned in the itinerary
Price on request.