Meet at the group hotel in Krakow. An escorted group transfer to the hotel in the centre is included or it is easy and low cost to take a taxi from the airport to the hotel. Krakow is a fantastic city with a wonderful variety of museums and highlights so if you'd like to arrive a day or two early, then please contact the KE office. The Wieliczka Salt Mines and Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum are easily reached on public transport from the centre. Depending on your arrival time you may wish to head out and take a stroll around Krakow. Krakow's old town is a UNESCO World Heritage site and contains soaring churches, impressive museums and the vast Rynek Gowny which is Europe's largest market square. Late afternoon the leader will take you on an orientation walk before heading for dinner in a local restaurant.

*Food for thought - Golabki is a traditional Polish dish of cabbage leaves stuffed with meat and rice and Krakow is the place to really taste some of the best in Poland. If you love your dim sum or mini dumplings then try pierogi which are delicious. These thinly rolled dumplings are stuffed with a wide variety of fillings and pierogi are not only a traditional Polish dish but more of a national institution! Savoury fillings include anything from meats and cheeses to potatoes, cabbage, mushrooms, lentils and spinach. Sweet fillings are also popular and include strawberries, ricotta cheese and other seasonal soft fruits.

Today is free for you to discover Krakow which retains its old-world ambiance and charm. As the prettiest of Poland's main cities, Krakow escaped the worst of WWII bombing and the former Polish capital has an atmospheric Old Town plus wonderful and historical museums and a huge main market square. Alongside the city's beautiful architecture and castle, Krakow has some fantastic museums including the Oskar Schindler Factory Museum and the Museum of the History of Polish Jews, which won European museum of the year in 2016. In the centre of the old town and dominating Rynek Glowny's main square, you'll find the impressive and striking red brick church known as St Mary's Basilica. The interior is exquisite with a carved altar described as the finest piece of Gothic art in Poland. In the afternoon we'll meet up with the leader who will take us on a walking tour of Kazimierz, the fascinating Jewish Quarter. This amazing part of Krakow fell into disrepair during the communist era, but in the 1990s it was given worldwide exposure through the lens of Steven Spielberg and today is one of Kraków's most exciting districts. This bustling, bohemian neighbourhood is packed with historical sites and is well-known for its associations with Oskar Schindler. Tonight we'll enjoy dinner in the Jewish Quarter and listen to some fantastic Klezmer music which is the perfect way to end our time in Krakow.

After breakfast we transfer to Poland's smallest national park, the Ojców National Park. At only 22 square kilometres this little gem is brimming with flora and fauna plus unusual limestone formations including the 25m tall Club of Hercules and 15m Krakow Gate. The park is home to two rivers and over 130 species of birds including hawks, woodpeckers, owls, kingfishers and herons. Its 400 caves house over 15 different species of bat and the park takes the prize in the whole of Poland for most varieties of flora at over 1000 species recorded. After a lovely walk in the park we'll visit Pieskowa Skala Castle, one of the most glorious examples of residential Renaissance architecture in Poland. Perched on a limestone cliff and overlooking the River Pradnik, Pieskowa Castle is one of twenty five castles and watchtowers situated on the Trail of the Eagle's Nest which runs through the country for 163kms. The Eagles Nest Castles were built to protect the region during the medieval era and Pieskowa is one of the most beautiful and well preserved with elegant courtyards, a fortified entrance, pretty garden and dramatic location. In the afternoon we transfer to Duszniki Zdroj in the Klodzo Valley. Once a Bohemian domain, the Klodzo Valley is known for its warm climate and Duszniki Zdroj is a pretty spa town with colourful architecture and a reputation for its spa waters.

This morning we make our way to the Stolowe Mountains National Park and spend the morning walking through the amazing labyrinth of rocks known as the Errant Rocks. Formed over 70 million years ago this wonderful landscape is home to deer and wild boar and in the past was located on the Bohemian border. Running for 42kms through the Czech Republic and Poland, the Stolowe Mountains are called the Table Mountains in English. They sit in their own national park which was created in 1993 and are a great place to walk. Part of our trail takes us passed the Pasterka Hut which is a simple but lovely place to stop for lunch. In the afternoon we'll head back to Duszniki Zdrój where you can enjoy a dip in one of the many spa pools or relax in the town. In the evening we'll pay a visit to Kudowa Zdroj, one of the oldest spa towns in Europe. Popular with Winston Churchill, Kudowa Zdroj was part of Bohemia until 1742 and is a good place to enjoy a walk after dinner.

Today is a wonderful day as we explore the valley of the castles and gardens. We start after breakfast by transferring to the breath-taking Church of Peace in Swidnica. Added to the UNESCO World Heritage list in 2001, the Church of Peace is the largest wooden, baroque church in the world and its intricately carved interior is jaw dropping. With capacity to hold over 7000 people, the half-timbered church has stood for over 350 years and is one of the most remarkable churches in Europe. After Swidnica we head to Castle Kasiz, one of the largest and most beautiful castles in Poland. Located on a rocky outcrop and surrounded by an expanse of wonderful forest, Ksiaz is truly magnificent and a wonderful place to visit. We'll have time to wander through the beautiful state rooms and lush gardens. After exploring Castle Ksiaz we'll enjoy an afternoon walk in the Mountains of Rudawy Janowickie which are fondly known as the small Tatras. Whilst walking here we'll be rewarded with wonderful views over the Valley of Castles and Gardens. Late afternoon we'll check into our hotel in the traditional village of Wojanów. Before dinner we'll pay a visit to the Palace of Komnitz. Here we'll discover the history behind the Valley of Castles and Gardens which is the perfect way to end a lovely day.

After breakfast we take a short transfer to Karpacz to visit the unique Vang Stave Church. This quirky wooden church was bought by King Frederick William IV of Russia and transported from Vang in the Valdres region of Norway to its present location. Stave churches are traditionally medieval wooden churches with their roots in Scandinavia and Vang Church is now one of the most visited stave churches in the world. After Vang we'll enjoy a walk on the border between the Czech Republic and Poland and if the weather is on our side we may take a chairlift up Kopa Mountain (1377 m) in the Karko-nosze National Park. This evening we'll have dinner on a local stadnina koni - a Polish horse ranch or estancia.

This morning we leave Poland and cross the border into the neighbouring Czech Republic as we make our way to Prague. After our arrival in the true heart of ancient Bohemia we'll enjoy a walking tour of the highlights including the famed Charles Bridge, Old Town Square and St Vitus Cathedral. Initially founded in the late 9th century, Prague soon became the seat of Bohemian kings and has a wonderful arty feel to it. Today it is the best place to buy the finest quality glass in the world, Bohemia Crystal. St Vitus cathedral was built over a mammoth 600 years and is one of the most richly decorated cathedrals in the world with colourful stained glass windows, silver tombs and richly carved wooden doors decorated with reliefs of Bohemian saints. Wandering across Charles Bridge is one of the city's highlights, whilst Stare Mesto or Old Town Square is the perfect place for people watching whilst taking in one of Europe's most beautiful town squares. After the walking tour the afternoon will be free for you to explore Prague which is perfect for wandering cobbled streets, discovering hidden squares and looking at the wonderful architecture. The town has an interesting Jewish Museum spread over six monuments all walking distance from the Old Town Square. They include a Spanish Synagogue with an impressive Moorish interior, a ceremonial hall and an old Jewish cemetery which is one of the oldest Jewish burial grounds in the world. In the evening we'll meet up and head out for dinner to celebrate our last night travelling through Bohemia.

*Food for thought - Trdelnik or chimney cake is a wonderful sweet street food originally from the Hungarian speaking region of Transylvania but very popular on the streets of Prague. Here light and fluffy pastry dough is wrapped around a stick, roasted in an open flame and dusted with sugar or cinnamon - utterly delicious! The wonderful Czech gulas is a rich combination of braised meat and vegetables and traditionally served with bread dumplings. For cheese lovers, smazeny syr is mouth-watering bite-size morsels of deep-fried cheese served with fries, salad or a bread roll.

Your holiday ends after breakfast. You will be assisted by your tour leader in getting the airport shuttle bus back to the airport.