(3 - 9 August, 2002) - with Rev. Dr. Phillip Hewett as the tour leader.

(Click here to see) Detailed Itinerary 

A week-long guided tour following the 2002 IARF World Congress in Budapest.  It will begin & end in Budapest for those attending the Congress; others can join simply for the Polish Tour, beginning in Krakow (Cracow) and ending in Warsaw.  We will be visiting some of the sites of the oldest Unitarian movement in the world, which flourished in Poland from 1565 until it was crushed by the forces of reaction a century later.  The surviving artefacts include buildings, books and a magnificent painting on the ceiling of the Bishop's palace in Kielce depicting the expulsion of the Unitarians from the country.  We will also meet with members of the present-day Unitarian movement, which re-emerged during the 20th century.  

But first of all, we will be able to see the country & people, which made great steps towards democracy, tolerance, religious freedom and interfaith dialogue - in the past as in the present.  Poland is a country of many cultures, lying at the crossroads of central Europe between East and West, North and South : a location which has deeply influenced Polish traditions, history and culture. It is a little-known fact that the precise geographical centre of the continent lies here in the "heart of Europe". Described as "God's Playground" Poland has been shaped by different faiths, different religious points of view and mutable beliefs. This country is the birthplace of several religious movements.

The country's main attraction is its superb atmosphere - a unique blend of Past and Present, tradition and modernity, combined with fascinating history of tolerance and religious freedom, beautiful nature, and the famous Polish hospitality and readiness for interfaith dialogue.  Poland has plenty of unforgettable impressions and attractions to offer .

The tour will begin in Krakow (Cracow) the ancient City of Kings, with its historic royal castle at Wawel Hill and medieval university, which passed unscathed through both World Wars, and where a fine collection of Unitarian books from the early period is preserved. Nearby and on our itinerary are the famous medieval salt mines at Wieliczka, and the beautiful old manor house at Luslawice where the great Unitarian pioneer Faustus Socinus (1539-1604) passed the last years of his life, now the home of the famous composer Krzysztof Penderecki. We will have an opportunity to enjoy some of his music as well as to view the impressive monument erected seventy years ago to the memory of F. Socinus, with funds donated by Unitarians from U.S.A., U.K., Poland and rest of the Europe, under the leadership of Prof. Earl M.Wilbur (Berkeley, California). On the itinerary is drive for guided tour of Auschwitz , the former Nazi concentration camp, the largest factory of death in the history of humanity, and a silent witness of human tragedy.

Also on the itinerary is the little town of Rakow, founded in 1567 as an intentional Unitarian community, site of a thriving academy and of the printing press which produced in16th -17th c., scores of Unitarian books for circulation all over Europe. The whole area between Cracow and Kielce cities, is full of places with associations with the early days of our movement, as well as attractive scenery & landscapes.

Finally, we will spend time in Warsaw, in dialogue with the Polish Unitarians of today, as well as enjoying Poland's national capital, which rose triumphantly from the devastation of World War II..

The tour leader is Dr. Phillip Hewett, who has studied Polish Unitarian history for many years, and will be assisted by Czeslaw Glogowski, leader of the Polish Unitarians. There will also be a tour escort from the MarTransTour travel agency, who will be responsible for all the details of the arrangements.

IARF Congress participants will travel by direct international sleeper train to Krakow, leaving Budapest in the evening of August 2. The same arrangement will take them back to Budapest, leaving Warsaw in the evening of August 9 and arriving back in Budapest at 7:20 a.m., the following day.  

The tour proper, using a luxury air-conditioned coach, will begin in Krakow (Cracow) in the morning of August 3. Accommodation for the six nights of the trip will be in *** hotels. The total cost per person will be EUR 960 on a double occupancy basis (single supplement EUR 300). This includes the rail return fares from/to Budapest, coach transportation in Poland, hotels, three meals a day, local guides, entrance fees, and two entertainment evenings with live music.

For those not coming up on the train from Budapest, (and directly will join for the Polish Tour, beginning in Cracow and ending in Warsaw), costs will be respectively: EUR 805 (double room occupancy) and EUR 1105 (single room), [the euro is currently trading at US$ 0.90, or CAN$ 1.42].  For participants who were to join the Polish Tour itinerary directly, at its beginning in Cracow, without the overnight sleeper return train from/to Budapest (people who are not going to be at the IARF Congress), it would also be possible to make through MarTransTour travel agency, any extra arrangements in Poland, they might want to work out, for hotels and travel in Poland before & after Polish Tour itinerary, (arrivals & departures).

1st DAY, (3 Aug., Saturday) - KRAKOW (CRACOW)

- during the guided tour of Krakow's Old City - breaks (pauses & intermissions) with free time for rest, shopping, etc., etc., will be possible,

- dinner at local restaurant in Old City.

Overnight ***hotel in Kraków

2nd  DAY, (4 Aug. Sunday) Kraków (CRACOW) - a special journey to Auschwitz

After breakfast, - a morning drive for guided tour of Auschwitz - the former Nazi concentration camp, the largest factory of death in the history of humanity, now a silent witness of human tragedy,

- lunch in Krakow,

- free time for rest, etc., etc.,

- guided tour of the Jewish district of Kazimierz, an integral part of Kraków and the spiritual center for the Jews before World War II. Now, it again becomes a center of Jewish culture. See the Remuh Synagogue and cemetery, as well as the 15th century Old Synagogue, the oldest Jewish religious building in Poland, now a museum devoted to the history of Polish Jews.

- free time for shopping, rest etc., etc.,

- dinner at the Ariel Jewish restaurant, accompanied by Jewish klezmer music on Kazimierz district,

 

Overnight ***hotel in Cracow

3rd DAY (5 Aug. Monday) Kraków (CRACOW)  - Wieliczka Salt Mine - Luslawice

After breakfast a visit of the medieval Wieliczka Salt Mine, the oldest in Europe - one of the UNESCO World’s Cultural Heritage sites in Poland. Guided tour includes the mine’s beautiful chambers, caves and chapels with statues sculptured from salt by many generations of Polish miners.

- lunch at the country restaurant in Wieliczka city,

- drive to Luslawice, village where oldest & one of largest Polish Unitarians congregation was founded in 1560 and existed permanently until 1660 when the Polish Unitarians were driven from the country into exile. Place where the Unitarian academy and printing house were moved (after expulsion from Rakow in 1638). See Faustus Socinus impressive monument and the old manor house where F. Socinus passed the last decade of his life, now the home of the composer Krzysztof Penderecki. There in old Unitarian chapel from 16th centuary will be a concert of his music in this historical setting.

- dinner at Cracow restaurant.

 

Overnight ***hotel in Kraków

4th DAY (6 Aug. Tuesday) Kraków-KIELCE

After breakfast drive through so-called Unitarian land to Kielce, by Jedrzejow, visit the town, where an exhibition at the museum might be arranged. Visit some of the places, like Pinczow, with a Unitarian history. Visit Rakow founded in 1567 as the Unitarian capital of Europe, scene of an early communitarian experiment, and source of a flood of books spreading the Unitarian message about tolerance and religious freedom all over the continent,   - lunch on the way,   - picnic dinner (barbecue, on the open area), with folklore show near the hotel.   Overnight *** Swietokrzyski hotel in Kielce.

5th Day (7 Aug. Wednesday) KIELCE-WARSAW

After breakfast visit Bishop’s palace museum at Kielce to see a painted ceiling triumphantly depicting the expulsion of the Unitarians in 1638 from Rakow , their capital city and spiritual centre,

- visit Sandomierz, beautifully located on hill on the bank of Vistula River with nice old town area, and old medieval cathedral,

- lunch at Sandomierz ,

- drive to Warsaw ,

- hotel check in,

- walking through the Old City ,

- dinner at Rycerska restaurant, Old City .

Overnight *** Warsaw hotel.

6th Day (8 Aug. Thursday) WARSAW

After breakfast, guided tour of Warsaw including: the Royal Castle interiors - the seat of the country’s rulers since 1596 when Warsaw replaced Krakow as the capital of Poland. - Sightseeing of the Old Town including Castle Square, King Sigismund’s Column, St. John’s Cathedral, Market Square, the Barbican. - Royal Route - aristocratic residences and famous statues, the University of Warsaw, historic churches. - Historical sights - the Ghetto Memorial, the Monument of theWarsaw Uprising, the Tomb of Unknown Soldier, the Grand Theatre, - lunch at a local restaurant, - meeting with members of the existing UU congregation in Warsaw, - free time for shopping, rest, etc., etc., - party dinner at the Warsaw folk restaurant, Overnight *** Warsaw hotel.

7th DAY (9 Aug. Friday) WARSAW

- Late breakfast,

- visit to Lazienki Garden to see: the Belvedere Palace, the Chopin Monument, and the Royal Park and Palace ,

- summer residence of the last elected Polish King Stanislas Augustus Poniatowski (1732-1798),

- free time for shopping, rest, etc., etc.,

- afternoon farewell dinner - local restaurant,

- transfer to the Central Railway Station ,

- 7. 49 PM departure by sleeper train to Budapest (arrival 7.20 AM, the following day).

 

THE END OF THE MARTRANS-TOUR SERVICE

 

The rates quoted include the following services:

- accommodation at 3stars hotels [6 nights] on double occupancy basis, (or single supplement),

- meals - full board [3 meals a day] ,

- Martrans -Tour tour escort throughout ,

- local guides and entrance fees [all sightseeings according to the program] ,

- transfers ,

- international sleeper train Budapest - Poland - Budapest ,

- luxury coach transportation [AC, WC, VIDEO, MINIBAR] ,

- porterage at the hotels.

 

The above quotation does not include insurance fees. Insurance contracts need to be arranged in the participant’s country of origins.