Your tour begins with a scenic transfer to Gdansk. En route, you will drive through the small town of Oliwa passing the Abbot's Palace and gardens and the beautiful Oliwa Cathedral, located on the grounds of a former Cistercian monastery.

Next, you will Pass by the Gdansk Shipyard and the Solidarity Monument Square with its famous monument commemorating the deaths of shipyard workers shot down in December 1970. Arriving at Gdansk's old town, the historic heart of the city, you'll leave your coach behind and commence a guided walking tour that begins near the Golden Gate, a grand ornamental arch that once allowed access through the medieval city's defensive walls.

Continue along Long Street, lined with marvelous buildings decorated with elaborate facades crowned by myriad ornate gables. Pass the Town Hall, Long Market and the beautiful 15th-century merchants' palace of Artus Court. Pause at Neptune's Fountain to admire this monumental symbol of Gdansk's Hanseatic past and its connection with the sea before walking down to the waterfront. Then turn up Mariacka or St. Mary's Street, which delights its visitors with its lively atmosphere, quaint shops and lovely terraced buildings.

The pride of Gdansk, Gothic St. Mary's is the world's largest brick church, accommodating some 25,000 worshippers. Situated in the center of Old Town, this medieval church took 159 years to build, and its deceivingly plain exterior belies a bright, spacious interior with large windows and more than 30 beautifully decorated chapels. The high altar displays a lovely polyptych, the floor is covered with ancient tombstones and the northern transept holds an amazing 15th century astronomical clock, complete with the zodiac cycle and a calendar of the saints.

Following some free time to do a bit of exploring or shopping on your own, you will rejoin your coach and transfer back to the ship.

OVERVIEW

Board a comfortable motor coach and enjoy a drive through Gdynia as you make your way to the neighboring city of Gdańsk, where you will transfer to a retro car. Ride through Gdansk in a retro car that will make the trip more fun than ever and then explore the Old Town at your leisure. As you drive through the city, you will hear about its heyday during the 14th century when it was part of the Hanseatic League, a mercantile organization that controlled the Baltic Sea. You will also learn about the city’s turbulent past, especially during World War II and while under Communist rule. The highlight may well be stopping at the Gdansk Shipyard, where in 1980 electrician Lech Walęsa – who later won the Nobel Prize for Peace and served as president of Poland – helped form the Solidarity trade union that challenged the Communist regime. With all this history fresh in your mind, you will then enjoy free time to browse Old Town on your own. As an alternative, you could just relax over a drink in a cozy café.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Settle in for an enlightening and fun ride through Gdansk in a vintage automobile.
• Get a historical perspective of the city as you pass the key landmarks.
• See the shipyard where Lech Walęsa helped found the famed Solidarity movement.
• Spend free time exploring the heart of the city on your own.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Cruise through Gdansk in a replica 17th-century Polish galleon and explore the Old Town up-close on an enlightening guided walk and on your own. As you sail into the city, which lies on the mouth of the Motlawa River, you can expect to see shipyards, Wisłoujście Fortress – the oldest fortification on the Polish coast – and Westerplatte peninsula, where one of the earliest battles of World War II was fought. It has since become a symbol of Polish resistance. Gdansk exudes history as you will discover while walking the Royal Way, the route Polish kings traditionally took while visiting. Other highlights include the ancient Golden Gate entryway to Old Town, the ornate Neptune Fountain and St. Mary’s, which is Europe’s largest brick church. The Gdansk Crane may be the most iconic structure as parts of this treadmill crane for loading and unloading ships date to medieval times.

HIGHLIGHTS

• See many of the icons of Gdansk while cruising on a replica 17th-century galleon.
• Walk through Old Town as the guide describes its turbulent history.
• See Europe’s largest brick church and the Gdansk Crane, which dates to the 1400s.
• Spend time independently exploring Gdansk.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Board a comfortable motor coach and enjoy a drive through Gdynia as you make your way to the neighboring city of Gdańsk for a date with its picturesque waterways. See downtown Gdansk from a unique water perspective by kayaking along the Motlawa Canal, a waterway that was originally a moat that protected the city from invasion. After a briefing to ensure that you maximize the experience, you will ease into a kayak and follow the guide through the heart of Gdansk. The canal’s current isn’t very strong so the paddling should be surprisingly easy. The guide will point out and describe the historical landmarks as you skirt along the coast of Granary Island, which is named for the former granary warehouses that museums and restaurants now occupy. Similarly, as you pass Olowianka Island, you will hear about its cultural icons such as the Polish Baltic Philharmonic, a concert hall that was once a power station. The soaring Ferris wheel that dominates the skyline is the AmberSky. After kayaking, you will enjoy free time to explore the city center on your own.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Kayak the slow-moving Motlawa Canal, which runs through the heart of Gdansk.
• Paddle along the shores of Granary and Olowianka islands.
• See historical landmarks that have been converted into cultural attractions.
• Hear fascinating stories about the history of Gdansk while pausing on the canal.
• Spend free time exploring the heart of the city on your own.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

Walk the fascinating Old Town of Gdansk, visiting such landmark sites as St. Mary's Church and the renowned Oliwa Cathedral where you'll be treated to a musical performance.

Your tour begins with a scenic drive to the historic heart of Gdansk where upon arrival, you‘ll start your walk near the Golden Gate. This grand ornamental arch once served to allow access to the city through its medieval defensive walls. During your walk, you'll pass the Town Hall, Long Market and the beautiful 15th-century Palace of Artus Court.

Visit St. Mary's Church - the pride of Gdansk. Situated in the center of Old Town, this medieval church took 159 years to build. Its deceivingly plain exterior belies a bright, spacious interior with large windows and more than 30 beautifully decorated chapels.

Following some free time to explore on your own, your tour continues to Oliwa Cathedral. Located on the grounds of an old Cistercian monastery, the Oliwa Cathedral dates back to the 13th century and is a mix of Romanesque, Gothic and Rococo styles. One of the most important attractions of Oliwa lies herein, an impressive complex of three organs consisting of 7,876 tin and wood pipes which can imitate sounds of different musical instruments and natural voices. During your visit, you will be treated to a brief musical performance before returning to the ship.

OVERVIEW

Board a comfortable motor coach and enjoy a drive through Gdynia as you make your way to the neighboring city of Gdańsk, where your thematic tour will begin. Enjoy a leisurely walk through the Old Town of Gdansk and stop along the way to taste traditional Polish foods and beverages. This district was heavily bombed during World War II and much of the historical architecture is a reconstruction of what once stood there. Even so, Old Town is wonderfully atmospheric as you will discover while strolling from restaurant to restaurant. Although the exact tastings will depend on the season and the available fresh ingredients, you can expect to sample staples such as pierogi dumplings and homemade pâté. Other possibilities include a slice of herring on the potato salad – and a dessert such as Rogaliki filled with cherry jam. Many of the offerings will be thoughtfully paired with drinks that may include a home-made liquor Malinowka, juniper vodka Machandel, a drink with a long tradition in Gdansk. Another Gdansk classic is the herbal liqueur Goldwasser, which contains real flakes of gold.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Sample signature Polish foods and beverages while walking through the Old Town of Gdansk.
• Enjoy traditional dishes that may include pierogi and homemade pâté.
• Sip Goldwasser, a herbal liqueur with real gold flakes that was introduced to the city in 1598.
• Learn about the city’s history and architecture between tastings.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Enjoy a drive through Gdynia as you make your way to the neighboring city of Gdańsk, where your thematic tour will begin. Sample as many as a half-dozen Polish beers in Gdansk, where breweries have flourished for centuries. While walking through Old Town, you will hear about its long brewing history, especially during the 16th century, when hundreds of small breweries operated there. Many of the beers served today reflect that brewing heritage as you will discover during the samplings. The exact venues for the tastings vary, but regardless of which two breweries are chosen, you will sample three beers at each one. You will also be offered a shot of Polish vodka, which is typically made from grains such as rye or from potatoes. During free time, you can explore other areas of Old Town, where you may choose to shop for items such as amber jewelry.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Sample a half-dozen Polish beers at two breweries in downtown Gdansk.
• Learn how the beers are brewed and how the ingredients influence the tastes.
• Try a shot of Polish vodka, which may be made from rye or from potatoes.
• Spend free time further exploring Old Town and shopping if you wish.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

Enjoy a scenic drive that includes photostops at some notable landmarks, such as the impressive Oliwa Cathedral.

Your tour begins with a 45 minute drive to the Oliwa Cathedral where you will stop for photos. Located on the grounds of an old Cistercian monastery, the Oliwa Cathedral dates back to the 13th century and is a mix of Romanesque, Gothic and Rococo styles.

Next, you will drive to the Green Gate where you will disembark your coach and walk to the Long Market. Enjoy some brief free time here to perhaps pick up a souvenir or if you choose, view the Main town Hall and Artus Court.

Continuing on, you'll drive to ”Solidarity Square”, with its famous monument commemorating the deaths of shipyard workers shot down in December 1970 by the Communist regime. After a photostop here, it's on to the Nowy Port lighthouse. One of the most beautiful lighthouses of Northern Europe this 90 foot high structure was built in 1893 and put in service in 1984. According to a legend, it was a twin of the most beautiful lighthouse in America - the lost Main Lighthouse of Cleveland, Ohio. It was also the first lighthouse on the Baltic Sea to use electricity.

Situated at the entrance of the harbor of Gdansk, the Nowy Port lighthouse combined three distinct functions: that of a coastal lighthouse, a harbor pilots tower, and a time ball station. Like in Greenwich, England, the time ball, which measured 5 feet in diameter and weighed 150 pounds, dropped every day at noon to give a precise time signal to the captains of the ships lying at anchor in the Bay of Gdansk. This allowed them to adjust their chronometers, which in turn allowed them later to establish their ship's position (more precisely the longitude) on the open sea. After your stop here, you will transfer back to the ship.

Explore Gdansk's legacy of war and peace during a visit to the Stutthof Concentration Camp Museum.

Located around 50 km from Gdansk, Stutthof Concentration Camp was the first camp created by the Nazis outside Germany. The first prisoners arrived here on 2nd September 1939, exactly 250 Polish citizens and prisoners of war. Not long after that, because only two weeks later, there were around 6,000 prisoners. Most of them were executed by the SS- the plan to annihilate the whole Polish intelligentsia of Pomerania was the main reason why the camp was established. It was also the main place in the fight of the Nazis against the Poles who refused to sign an application for joining the German nationality list and thousands of other people.

The camp was initially composed of eight barracks blocks for the inmates and a huge building (the "kommandantur") for the SS. It was called "the old camp". In 1942, the SS began to build a "new" camp and 30 other barracks were added. In 1943, the Nazis added a crematory and a gas chamber. The gas chamber had a maximum capacity of 150 people at one time. When the SS had too many people to execute, they also used carriages as gas chambers. Between September 2nd 1939 and May 10th 1945, 127,000 prisoners were registered upon their arrival to the camp. However, the real number is certainly much higher- the inmates who were selected for immediate execution at their arrival were not registered. The camp was not liberated until May 9, 1945.

Nowadays, the mission of the museum is to take care of the remains of the former Stutthof camp, preserving knowledge about the period between 1939-1945 in Pomerania and memory about prisoners of Stutthof.