Eastern Europe and Berlin Jewish Heritage
Starting at PER PERSON for all of the below, based on 3 participants: $4,042.00
Day 1: Prague for 3 nights
Meet & greet private transfer from airport to hotel
Accommodation, river view room, breakfast & taxes included at Hotel Four Seasons*****
Located in the Old Town in Prague, the 5-star Four Seasons Hotel offers views of the Prague Castle and the Charles Bridge. Guests can benefit from the 24-hour Health Club offering massages, a sauna and a gym.
The Cotto Crudo Restaurant serves fine Italian cuisine with fresh ingredients and homemade pasta. A raw bar, a cheese cave and a wine cellar, as well as a salami and prosciutto tower are all inviting to relax after a busy day in the historic city.
The Four Seasons Hotel is set in 3 historic and 1 modern building, decorated in various historic styles. The spacious and comfortably furnished units include a seating area with a flat-screen TV, DVD player and a minibar. A bathroom comprises free toiletries, bathrobes and a hairdryer.
Free Wi-Fi is provided in the entire building and secured private parking is located in the hotels underground garage at additional cost. The hotel offers business amenities such as airline reservation services, audiovisual equipment, translation services and working stations.
Historical sites including the Charles Bridge, the Old Town Square and the Mala Strana can be reached within a 5-minute walk. The Prague castle is 0.9 miles away and the Staromestska Tube Stop is 985 feet from the hotel.
http://www.fourseasons.com/prague/
Day 2:
6 hour private guided tour of Prague with driver and guide
This custom-tailored tour crystallized after many years of guiding experience and is especially designed for those people who are spending only a few days in Prague but still want to see everything. This tour combines all the introductory tours in a relaxed way. The intact historical center covers an area of 900 hectares, including 4,000 monuments, and is the largest urban historical centre listed on the UNESCO world heritage list. Come along on this exciting tour, and experience Prague’s astounding history first-hand. Visit breathtaking cultural monuments, taste the best traditional Czech cuisine, sail along the Charles Bridge as you enjoy your beer and much more.
– 2-hour tour of the right riverbank: The New Town, The Old Town, The Jewish Quarter
– 1 hour boat trip under the Charles Bridge and through the “Prague Venice Canal”
– 1 hour lunch break at a traditional Czech restaurant
– 2-hour tour of the left riverbank: The Charles Bridge, Little Quarter, Prague Castle
History seeps through the New Town, as many of the country’s most significant events happened in this district. Founded by Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV in 1348, the New Town was supposed to be the Jerusalem of Eastern Europe. Perhaps the most famous sight is the 820-yard long Wenceslas Square, which now flaunts businesses, shops and hotels. Dating back to the 11th century, Prague’s Old Town gushes with history and architectural wonders. Styles from Romanesque to Art Nouveau sparkle through the labyrinthine streets, alleys and passageways that seem to jump right out of Franz Kafka’s novel The Trial. The impressive Old Town Hall, with a 60-meter tower at one end, was built in 1338. On the 15th century astronomical clock, Death tips an hour glass and rings a bell before the 12 apostles march by, the cock crows, and another bell rings. The plight of the Jews across the centuries becomes almost tangible in the former Prague Jewish Ghetto, given that most of the area is made up of the Jewish Museum that includes four synagogues and a cemetery.
Originally a series of small settlements outside Prague Castle’s fortifications with an ethnic German population, the Lesser Town is dotted with lavish homes built by Czech nobility. The Infant Jesus of Prague and the John Lennon Wall are other attractions this quarter has to offer. Prague Castle, the largest castle complex in the world, is a highlight of any tour of Prague. This stunning architectural achievement, which took centuries to complete, reigns supreme from a hill above the rest of the city. The Castle, founded in 870, is also the seat of the Czech president. Dominating the complex is the breathtaking, mostly Gothic Saint Vitus’ Cathedral, which took a staggering 1,000 years to build. Under Emperor Charles IV, Prague Castle was the seat of the Holy Roman Empire. During darker days, Adolf Hitler occupied it.In rosier times, first democratic president Tomáš G. Masaryk and dissident-playwright-turned president Václav Havel ran the country from here.
Day 3:
6 hour private guided tour to Terezin
During this Prague – Terezin Concentration Camp tour, you will learn about World War II and its impact on former Czechoslovakia. You will ask yourself why such atrocities happen, how these horrors of humanity could occur. Terezin is a former military fortress and garrison town erected in the late 18th century by Habsburg Emperor Joseph II and named after his mother, Empress Maria Theresa. It was built as a stronghold to ward off the Prussians, though no battles took place there. Terezin’s most tragic chapter came during World War II (1939-45).
45 min. Prague – Terezin Concentration Camp transfer
1, 5 hour tour of the Terezin Small Fortress – former Gestapo Prison
1,5 hour tour plus propaganda film at the Ghetto Museum in the Terezin Big Fortress
2 hour tour of the Terezin Big Fortress – crematorium, prayer room and other sights
45 min. Terezin to Prague transfer
Day 4: Warsaw for 1 night
Private transfer from hotel to airport
Lot air from Prague to Warsaw
Departure at 9:05 am, arrival at 10:15 am
Meet & greet private transfer from airport to hotel
1 junior suite, breakfast & taxes included at Hotel Bristol*****
Hotel Bristol, A Luxury Collection Hotel, Warsaw, founded by Ignacy Jan Paderewski, the famous pianist and politician, is one of Warsaw’s most remarkable landmarks blending history and contemporary luxury. It is situated on the historic Royal Route, next to the Presidential Palace and a short walk from the Old Town, the Royal Castle, and Polish National Opera.
Hotel Bristol, Warsaw boasts majestic neo-renaissance façade and romantic interiors characterised by Art Deco elegance. All air-conditioned rooms are fitted with an LCD TV with satellite channels, a minibar and free mineral water. Apartments come with a Nespresso coffee machine and tea/coffee making facilities.
Refined Hotel Bristol’s Pool & Gym with its sauna, steam bath, exercise room and magnificent indoor heated pool provides perfect surroundings for relaxation. A variety of beauty procedures is offered and it includes face regeneration, caring and oval improving treatments.
The famous Marconi Restaurant serves Italian seasonal cuisine and there is also the Bristol Wine Bar. At the Bristol Café guests can enjoy fresh coffee and delicious cakes and desserts. In the morning a varied breakfast buffet is served in one of the two restaurants. Breakfast boxes are also available.
Front desk staff is available 24 hours a day and can arrange city tours and car rental. Airport pickup in Mercedes S Class and Mercedes E Class limos can be arranged at extra charge. Free WiFi is available in all public areas. There is also a computer station to use.
http://www.starwoodhotels.com/luxury/property/overview/index.html?propertyID=1863&language=en_US
Jewish Heritage Tour – Private Tour
Duration of tour: 3 hours
Jewish tradition and history is one of the most important pieces of Polish heritage, with a 1,000 year old history with the country. However, during the Holocaust the city lost 500,000 of its Jewish inhabitants. On this tour, hear about the sad suffering of the Jews during the Nazi occupation and visit important sites such as the Monument to Ghetto Heroes, Umschlagplatz, Mi-a 18 Memorial, and monuments and memorials dedicated to important Warsaw Jews and parts of the original Ghetto Wall. You will also see the only surviving pre-war, Jewish house of prayer – the Nozyk Synagogue and see the Museum to the History of Polish Jews, which stands on where the former Jewish Ghetto used to be.
Day 5: Krakow for 2 nights
Private transfer from hotel to train station
1st class train from Warsaw to Krakow
Departure at 9:50 am, arrival at 12:10 pm
Meet & greet private transfer from train station to hotel
1 double room + 1 single room, breakfast & taxes included at Hotel Copernicus*****
The 5-star Hotel Copernicus is housed in a Renaissance building in Kraków’s Old Town. It features beautiful, historic interiors with a sauna and swimming pool housed in the vaulted cellars.
The rooms at the Copernicus are spacious and feature wooden ceilings and 14th-century decorations. All come with free Wi-Fi, satellite TV and a luxurious, marble bathroom.
Free mineral water and newspapers are offered.
The air-conditioned Copernicus has a terrace with panoramic views of the Wawel. Guests can also visit the hotel restaurant, which serves seasonal Polish cuisine and is recommended by the Michelin Guide.
Front desk staff is available 24 hours a day and can arrange for dry cleaning and laundry services. Guests can try a selection of massage treatments in the on-site spa facilities and have access to a fitness club.
Hotel Copernicus is located just a 3-minute walk from the Wawel Royal Castle. The Main Market Square is a 7-minute walk, while Kazimierz Jewish District is only a 5-minute walk away.
http://www.copernicus.hotel.com.pl/coper_pl/Home
3 hour private walking guided tour of Krakow
Our walking tour begins in the heart of the Old Town, just a few minutes walk from Europe’s biggest medieval market square. From here we’ll set out to discover some of Krakow’s most famous sights – St Mary’s basilica (outside only), Cloth Hall, Rynek, Town Hall, Jagiellonian University and the Franciscan Church. An introduction to the rich Polish history and culture and you’ll get to know some of the characters that have made Krakow and Poland the majestic places they are today. We will explore the winding cobblestone streets of Krakow’s old town, containing hidden gems and lesser-known attractions. During the next part of the tour we’ll head down to the bohemian Kazimierz district to learn all about Krakow’s Jewish community past and present. You’ll take in the oldest synagogue, the old Jewish cemetery and Remu’s synagogue (all sights outside only).
For the final leg of the tour we’ll climb the slope up to Krakow’s Castle area – the Wawel. Here you’ll learn the legend of the dragon and become acquainted with the most important royals from Poland’s history. You’ll hear how they made Krakow the city it is and get a sneak peak into the grand palace courtyards, the castle and the cathedral (outside only) and finish your tour with a view of Krakow and the river Vistula.
Day 6:
Private Tour Auschwitz and Birkenau
Duration of tour: 5 hours 30 mins
Your private vehicle will pick you up at your hotel for the 150km round trip to the site of the Auschwitz Birkenau Memorial Museum near the town of Oswiecim. The Auschwitz and Birkenau Camps were set up in 1940 for prisoners from Poland, from 1941 onwards the Nazis imprisoned people there from all the countries occupied by the Third Reich. From 1942 it became one of the biggest extermination camps for the European Jews , more than 1.5 million men, women and children lost their lives there including Jews, Poles, Gypsies, POWs and other nationalities. After the Second World War the camp was established by the Polish Government as The Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial Museum and since then has visitors from all over the world. The basic structures of both camps have survived and permanent exhibitions have been set up in some of the buildings of the main Auschwitz site which include documents and historical exhibits such as furniture and clothing, and displays of personal belongings. The exhibitions are one of the main elements of the visit and explain life and death in the camps. In recognition of its historical significance as a memorial to all who suffered and died there, in the 1979 the site of the former concentration camp in Auschwitz-Birkenau was entered on the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage list. After your visit to the Auschwitz and Birkenau site your guide and private vehicle will return you to your hotel.
Includes: Service of a private guide speaking your language , services of the Museum guide, documentary film. Transportation by private vehicle. Coffee break (including coffee, tea or soft drink).
Day 7: Berlin for 3 nights
Private transfer from hotel to airport
Air Berlin from Krakow to Berlin
Departure at 10:50 am, arrival at 12:10 pm
Meet & greet private transfer from airport to hotel
1 deluxe triple room, breakfast & taxes included at Hotel the Regent*****
Ideally on Berlin’s Gendarmenmarkt Square, this classic-style, 5-star hotel features Michelin-star cuisine, exclusive spa facilities, and free Wi-Fi. The Friedrichstraße shopping street is just 600 feet away.
Regent Berlin provides luxurious, soundproof rooms and suites with an antique desk, a DVD player, and a marble bathroom. High-quality toiletries are provided.
Gourmet food, as well as rich breakfasts are served in the Regent Berlin’s elegant Fischers Fritz restaurant with terrace. Rare whiskeys and fine wines are available at the Regent Bar.
Regent’s stylish spa includes a spacious gym and a massage service. Guests also enjoy discounts at the nearby Holmes Place health club.
Französische Straße Subway Station is only 600 feet from the Regent Berlin. U2 line trains run to the KaDeWe Department Store and Messe ICC Exhibition Centre.
http://www.regenthotels.com/EN/Berlin
Day 8:
5 hour private guided tour of Berlin with driver guide and entrance fees included
This tour is best as an introduction for first-time visitors, and its all about the layers of time: Berlin has seen Kaisers, Fuhrers, Communists and Revolutions and all of them left marks, today like scars on the urban landscape of the city.
All the famous places are to be seen in ‘Mitte’ which is the city-center of Berlin. Here we will find the Brandenburg Gate, the Reichstag, the memorial for the murdered Jews of Berlin, the place where Hitler died, the Berlin Wall, Checkpoint Charlie, the place of the bookburning 1933, Humboldt University, Museum Island, Gendarmenmarket and so much more. . .
. . and at the end of the tour your guide will tell where the best meatballs are served!
Day 9:
Day at leisure
Day 10:
Private transfer from hotel to airport