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ROTARY CLUB TRIPS

Rotary Club Trip to Warsaw

Glittering skyscrapers and communist monumental architecture, modern shopping malls and cosy old town alleys, plus a rich cultural offer, chic restaurants and the opportunity to learn about its tragic and fascinating history, attract tourists from all over the world to Warsaw. However, the city's centuries-old history remains in the shadow of the Second World War. On the magnificently renovated facades, one can see many stone crosses and memorial plaques that bear witness to the worst period of Warsaw's history. The historic part of Warsaw has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List as an outstanding example of the reconstruction of an entire historic district. The modern skyscrapers give the capital of Poland a cosmopolitan character. Warsaw is not only a kind of mosaic of different architectural styles, but as the largest urban metropolis in Poland, it also has a huge dose of history, culture and art to offer. The rich history of Warsaw, its importance in the political and economic life of Poland also create a good opportunity to meet our distinguished guest speakers and discuss important and interesting topics with them.

For more than 20 years we have been organising Rotary Club trips all over Poland. So far we have worked with Rotarians from about 30 Rotary Clubs from Germany, England, France and Italy.

We look forward to helping you plan your next Rotary Club trip to Warsaw.

Trip Highlights:

  • Warsaw as the Polish capital - Royal Castle, Krakowskie Przedmieście Street, Łazienki Park, Wilanów, Royal Castle
  • Warsaw under the two totalitarianisms - the ghetto, the Umschlagplatz, the Warsaw Uprising Museum, the Palace of Culture and Science
  • Warsaw as a City of Culture - Chopin Museum
  • Meetings with politicians or academics, e.g. meeting with a member of parliament on the topic: "Political parties in parliament - current political situation in Poland" or discussion with a historian on the topic: "History and memory in German-Polish relations"


Itinerary:

Day 1 Arrival in Warsaw, first sightseeing tour.
Upon arrival in Warsaw, our tour guide will meet and greet you at Okęcie Airport. Then you will transfer by our bus to the hotel in the city centre. After the short time to freshen up, we have lunch together in one of the Old Town restaurants. In the afternoon we invite you to the first city exploration. Our sightseeing begins in the lovingly rebuilt Old Town after the destruction of the Second World War. A walk through the Old Town of Warsaw is like a journey through the centuries. Among other things, we admire the Market Square, the Cathedral and the Castle Square.
Afterwards, we take a bus tour and see, among others, Krasiński Square with the Warsaw Uprising Monument, Krakowskie Przedmieście, the Presidential Palace, Nowy Swiat, the Parliament Building and the Royal Łazienki Park.
Afterwards we leave you free time. In the evening we have dinner in a selected Old Town restaurant.

Day 2 Royal Castle, Warsaw Ghetto
In the morning after breakfast we visit the magnificent Royal Castle, rebuilt after the destruction of the Second World War. During the approx. 1.5-hour guided tour of the castle you will take a journey through time. The eventful history of the royal residence can be experienced on the example of its works of art. You will learn how many of the original furnishings and exhibits that were saved during the Second World War have been returned to their original places. You will also learn about the total destruction during the Second World War and the unprecedented reconstruction in the post-war period.
Lunch will be served in a beautiful Old Town restaurant.
In the afternoon, we will take you on a bus tour of the former Jewish ghetto.
In Warsaw, the Nazis established the largest Jewish ghetto in Europe, where about 450,000 Jews were forced to live. Through the Jewish Ghetto Uprising in 1943 and the Polish Warsaw Uprising a year later, Warsaw became a symbol of heroic resistance to Nazi terror and genocide. The uprisings resulted in the planned, almost complete destruction of the city by the German occupiers.
Our programme includes the Ghetto Heroes Memorial and the Umschlagplatz.
After a coffee break we offer you the opportunity to meet with one of our speakers and hold a conversation on topics of interest to you (e.g. meeting with a Member of Parliament on the topic: "Political Parties in Parliament - Current Political Situation in Poland" or discussion with a historian on the topic: "History and Memory in German-Polish Relations").
Afterwards we return to the hotel.
In the evening you can enjoy an optional visit to the Philharmonic - depending on the current cultural repertoire. Dinner is offered in a city restaurant known for specialities of Polish cuisine.

Day 3 Fight against two totalitarianisms of the 20th century. Chopin Museum
In the morning we get to know Warsaw as a city that was ready to resist both National Socialist and Communist oppression.
First we go to the Museum of the Warsaw Uprising, opened on the 60th anniversary of the outbreak of fighting in Warsaw. This multimedia museum is dedicated to the heroic deed of the Warsawers and the events in the final phase of the Second World War. Afterwards we will have a break for lunch.
In the afternoon, the programme includes the socialist heritage of Warsaw: Josef Stalin Palace of Culture, from whose observation deck you can admire the city panorama from a bird's eye view. The Palace of Culture was a gift from Stalin to Poland and is therefore a symbol of oppression for many Poles and is still the tallest and largest building in the city.
In the late afternoon we drive to the Chopin Museum in the Ostrogski Palace, where you can join a tour specially designed for you.
In the evening we enjoy dinner followed by an exclusive Chopin piano concert with a glass of sparkling wine in one of the historic rooms of the Old Town.

Day 4 Wilanow Palace, journey home
The morning on the last day of our trip to Warsaw is either for free time or we drive to Wilanów Palace, where you can join a guided tour of the palace and its gardens. The palace is located at the southern end of the Warsaw Royal Route in the Warsaw district of the same name, Wilanów. Because of its Baroque décor with busts of ancient Roman emperors and consuls, the palace is also known as the Polish Versailles.
Afterwards we have lunch together in the famous palace restaurant.
In the afternoon you will be taken to the airport by our coach for your return flight.

Services included:

  • 3 night's accommodation in a 4 or 5 star hotel in Warsaw with breakfast buffet
  • 3 dinners (Old Town restaurants as per itinerary)
  • 4 lunches (Old Town restaurants as per itinerary)
  • All transfers as per above mentioned itinerary
  • Private English speaking tour guide
  • City tours with qualified guide as per itinerary
  • Entrance fees for all sightseeing
  • Meeting with an interlocutor
  • Exclusive Chopin piano concert

Services not included:

  • The journey to and from Poland
  • Public transport
  • Insurance
  • Personal expenditure, tips, etc.
  • All other services not mentioned in the itinerary

For the Rotary Club Trip to Warsaw planning, tailored specifically to your needs, please fill out our free no-obligation online form. A member of our team will respond via email or phone within one business day.