Tour of the Week: Isram's World War II Tour of Poland

IsramWorld’s EuropeToo division recently released a new tour designed to commemorate the 75^th anniversary of the beginning of World War II.

The trip is set for Aug. 1-8. The eight-day/seven-night itinerary explores Poland close-up, focusing tightly on sites that figure into the history of World War II, beginning with the Nazi invasion of Poland, and tracing the progression of war and occupation in Poland until the war’s end in 1945.

With the history of World War II as the skeletal structure of the itinerary and presentation, the tour program will also be broken up with explorations of older history as well as experiences of contemporary life in Poland.

The itinerary includes a full-day tour of Gdansk, or Danzig, which is known to be the starting point of the attack that kicked off the war. The tour will explore the Weterplatte peninsula and its barracks and blockhouses.

A full day will be dedicated to Stutthof, the first Nazi concentration camp and the last to be liberated by the Allies.

A look deeper into the history of Poland will be offered in a day tour of Malbork Castle, which is said to be Europe’s largest Medieval castle.

A tour of Warsaw, led by a historical expert, will illuminate the city’s rich layered history with visits to Umschlagplatz railroad station, the Warsaw Uprising Museum and for a taste of the living culture, a visit to Warsaw’s Market Square.

Also included is an in-depth walking tour of Krakow that includes visits to Wawel Castle, Royal Wawel Cathedral, Jagiellonian University, the Wit Stwosz Altarpiece in St. Mary's Church, Rynek Underground Museum, St. Mary's Church and Main Market Square, Europe's largest medieval outdoor market.

A tour of Kazimierz includes the Oskar Schindler factory, Podgórze Ghetto, Ghetto Hero's Square and the Under the Eagle pharmacy.

The itinerary concludes on a very dark note with a tour of to Auschwitz-Birkenau, the most notorious Nazi death camps.

The land tour is priced at $2,664 per person double occupancy, and $3,264 for single occupancy.