Information curtosy of www.polhotels.com/tours/mazurkas

Tour 1 - Warsaw and the Wilanow Palace
Morning Tour
1 Nov 2002 - 31 March 2003: Saturdays and Sundays
1 Apr 2003 - 31 Oct 2003 : Daily

Duration
about 4h 30m.

English speaking guide

We have the pleasure to invite you to all year round our daily city tour which includes all the not-be-missed monuments and sights of Warsaw.

Old Town - the Castle Square, King Sigismund's Column, St. John's Cathedral, the Old Town 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 the Warsaw Uprising, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the Grand Theatre, Chopin's Monument, the Belvedere Palace.

Wilanow Palace - Warsaw has been the capital of Poland for the last four hundred years. During centuries monarchs constructed the beautiful palaces you can admire today. This tour will take you to the interiors of the Wilanow Palace, the Baroque residence of King John III Sobieski, the famous conqueror of the Turks at the battle of Vienna in 1683. He was the most colourful personage of 17th century Poland, a great army leader, accomplished diplomat and author of beautiful love letters to his wife Marie Casimiere. Your visit includes beautiful interiors from the epoch and a Baroque historic park.

Tour 2 - Frederic Chopin Concert at Raczynski Palace in the Old Town
Afternoon Tour
Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday
from June 15 till September 30

Duration
about 2h.

It was the genius ot Frederic Chopin that made Poland famous in the musie world. It is the mazurkas, etudes, polonaises and scherzos that have became a test and measure of any pianist's talent. Your stay in Warsaw gives you an excellent opportunity to sample his musie in his native country.

F. Chopin Piano Recitals are organised at the Lazienki Royal Palace, a historie complex full of monuments, its harmony and beauty inspired by Poland's last king Stanislaus Augustus Poniatowski.

F. Chopin, the most outstanding Polish composer and one of the world's greatest musicians, was born in Zelazowa Wola near Warsaw on 22 February 1810. He composed more than 230 music pieces which are still being played all over the world. Surrounded by friends he died in Paris on 17 October 1849.

Enjoy an unforgettable evening that can be the highlight of your stay in Warsaw. One of the best pianists from the Warsaw Music Academy will take you on a journey through F. Chopin compositions.

Tour 3A - The Royal Castle Tour
The former residence of Polish monarchs since 1569. It was also the seat of the Senate, Seym and supreme crown offices and, during the period of the Second Republic, the residence of the President of Poland. It was destroyed by the Nazis during the Second World War. After the reconstruction - carried out with the assistance of the whole community and Poles from abroad - it is now the treasury of the most precious works of art and relict of the past. See the Courtier and Deputy Chambers, King Stanislaw Poniatowski's Chambers, Small Chapel, Grand Apartment, Baroque Marble Room and the Knight Room.

Tour 3B - Jewish Heritage Tour
Until the outbreak of World War II, Poland was an important Jewish cultural and spiritual centre. Warsaw's Jewish population was then about 400.000, which was almost one third of the city's total, and the largest Jewish population after New York. The volt majority of this strong Jewish community perished during the Holocaust. However, traces of the original Jewish community remain. Your tour includes: Jewish Cemetery, Nozyk Synagogue, Jewish Historical Institute, sites connected with the Ghetto Uprising of 1943, the Memorial of the Heroes of the Warsaw Ghetto, the Judenrat Building Anielewicz's Bunker and ihe Umschlagplatz.

Tour 3C Frederic Chopin in Warsaw
A tour in the footsteps of Frederic Chopin in Warsaw starts with a stop by the Holy Cross Church where the heart of Chopin, brought from Paris, is placed. A visit to the Chopin Drawing Room where Chopin performed his etudes, some polonaises, and mazurkas for the first time. A visit to the Chopin museum located in the Ostrogski Palace - the Frederic Chopin Society. The exhibition in the museum is divided into two parts: "Chopin in Poland" and "Chopin abroad". Stop by the Protestant Church of the Holy Trinity where Chopin used to sign in a choir. See the Church of the Nuns of the Visitation, where in October 1825 Chopin played the organ. Continue with a stop at the Royal Lazienki Park to see the famous Chopin Monument and the Belvedere, a Classicist brick palace where Chopin used to give concerts as a young boy, invited by the Grand Duke Konstanty. Stop at the Powazki cemetery where you will see the grave of Chopin's parents.

Tour 3D - Zelazowa Wola Chopin's House
Zelazowa Wola, a village on the Utrata river. Visit a charming old Polish manor - the birthplace of the composer and national hero Frederic Chopin. The house where he was born is now a museum surrounded by a large garden. All the rooms have been restored to perfection and contain a collection of family portraits and other Chopin memorabilia, including music manuscripts and a cast of his left hand.

Brochow - typical Mazovian village with a Renaissance basilica of defensive character erected in the 16th century, the place of the Chopin's parents' wedding and of the baptism of F. Chopin.

Tour 4 - The Outskirts of Warsaw
Visit to Chopin's House - Zelazowa Wola - a village on the Utrata river, 50 km from Warsaw - the birthplace of genius composer and virtuoso - Frederic Chopin. Chopin's family lived in the manor house, now a museum with interiors in the style of his times, dedicated to the great composer.

Niepokalanow - village with the Basilica of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Franciscan monastery, founded by St. M. Kolbe, at present one of the most important places of pilgrimages in Poland.

Tour 5 - "Niobe" - Sunday Contryside Tour
The exciting tour will guide you along the old Kampinos Forest, former battlefields, charming, villages and farms, noblemen palaces and manor houses - to the most fabulous sites of the Mazovian Country.

Zelazowa Wola - the birthplace of Frederic Chopin. Worth visiting all year round. Piano recital at the Chopin house or Nieborow Palace.

Brochow Village - fortified late Gothic church by Bzura river.

Tulowice - 18-c private manor house, cautiously restored by the painter's family. It offers an interesting collection of Polish coaches. (Granted with "Europa Nostra award")

Nieborow Palace - a gorgenous Radziwill family residence, where you shall encounter the famous Niobe - an antique sculpture.

Tour 6 - Grand Theatre of Opera and Ballet
Grand Theatre of Opera and Ballet A delightful evening at the Grand Theatre - an institution that moves the opera world forward since 1833. One of the finest theatres of its kind with the largest stage in the world. A magnificent season, including classical and contemporary performances: Carmen, Halka, Traviata, Nabucco, Turandot, Rigoletto, Giselle, Swan Lake and many more.

Warsaw Chamber Opera Daily from June 15 till July 26, 2000 the X Mozart Festival is organised by the Warsaw Chamber Opera chat gives you a unique opportunity to admire all the stage works of Mozart.

Roma Music Theatre One of the finest with a large and beautiful stage. Extremely exciting season with the "Mary Window" by Franz Lehar. The new Gershwin musical "Crazy For You", and a special Polish version of the "Peter Pan" musical.

Tour 7A - Cracow
Intercity or special train with only 2h 40 minutes journey makes Cracow available for a one day trip from Warsaw. Cracow - the Cultural Capital of Europe of the year 2000. A city over one thousand years old, located in the upper course of ihe Vistula River, a city called "little Rome" and the "cradle of European Culture". Cracow is rich in history, outstanding works of art and architecture. The city is the location of the Jagiellonian University (founded in 1364), the Royal Castle - Wawel, with its mythical Wawel Cathedral and the largest and most beautiful town square in Europe. Cracow is a city complex unlike most others in Europe.

Tour 7B - Cracow AND Auschwitz
This tour includes all the pragramming of tour 7 A plus an afternoon visit to Auschwitz-Birkenau - the largest of the Nazi concentration camps during World War II. It has been the largest "death" factory in the history of humanity and a silent witness to human tragedy.

Tour 7C - Cracow AND The Wieliczka Salt Mine
This tour includes all the programming of tour 7 A plus an afternoon visit to Wieliczka Salt Mine - the oldest salt mine in Europe, an impressive underground world of salt lakes, chambers, galleries and a unique Salt Works Museum created by urany generations of Polish miners. The underground tourist route goes through galleries and chambers on three levels, with 17th and 19th century chapels and unique natural crystal caves.