We recommend a 3 night school trip to Krakow to ensure you can experience all the excursions that will support your cross-curriculum trip.
Krakow is one of the most famous cities in the world, known for its wealth of history. It was bombed heavily during World War II but the city managed to keep its historical ambience. Students will be engulfed in culture from the moment they arrive in Krakow.
Here at Activ4 School Tours we recommend at least a 3 night school trip to Krakow so you can see all the city has to offer. Below you’ll find a sample itinerary to give you an idea of just how much you can do while in Krakow for just 3 nights.
Sample Itinerary
Day 1 – Walking Tour
This morning you will depart from a UK airport. Where possible we will always try and fly your group out of your nearest airport to your school. The number of airports in the UK that have direct flights to Krakow have increased in the last couple of years making it more affordable for students to visit. On arrival in Krakow our local multi lingual Activ4 School Tours representative will meet you. The representative will escort you to the hotel and assist with your check in.
As soon as you have checked in, you’ll need to get your walking shoes on. It’s time for a walking tour of Krakow Old Town. The tour will include the Market Square with the Cloth Hall, St Mary’s Church and Wawel Hill with the Royal Castle. The castle is located in the centre of the city, having been built for King Casmir III the Great. Next to the castle is the cathedral, a Roman Catholic Church and Cathedral of the Archdiocese of Krakow.
Once the walking tour is completed, it will be time for dinner. Staying in the town for dinner you may choose to go to one of the many bohemian cafes. Then it’s back to the hotel for a well needed sleep ready for another full day tomorrow.
Train tracks at Auschwitz, Poland
Day 2 – Auschwitz
At breakfast this morning you will collect a packed lunch ready for a full day ahead. Before getting on to the bus to head to the Auschwitz museum. Once you arrive, you will meet guides from the museum for the two part tour. The first part of the tour covers the exhibition in the prisoner blocks in Auschwitz I – Stammlager which was the original camp. This part will show you the death block, the wall of death and the only surviving gas chamber and crematorium.
During the second part of the tour, Auschwitz II – Birkenau, students will explore the site of the mass extermination of the Jews. Your students will be educated about the preserved prisoners’ barracks, the ruins of the gas chambers and crematoria and the monument commemorating the victims of the camp.
After lunch you could choose to do a museum workshop. Workshops cover a range of topics which supplement learning in the classroom. Including Children and Young people in Auschwitz and Pseudo-medical Experiments in Auschwitz. Or you could choose to have a meeting with a witness. This 1.5 hour meeting offers poignant reflection on life in Krakow. Both of these optional extras will without a doubt help your students to really understand the impact that Auschwitz had in World War II.
Following a reflective day in Auschwitz, the bus will take you back to the hotel. Where you can freshen up and head into the town for dinner.
Day 3 – Kazimierz and Schindler’s Factory
After breakfast at the hotel, this morning the group will have a guided tour of “The Krakow Jerusalem” – a tour of Kazimierz. During the tour it will cover one of the best preserved Jewish quarters in Europe. The excursion will include the Temple Synagogue, Remuh Synagogue, with its sixteen-century cemetery and the narrow streets of the medieval Jewish town.
After lunch the group will continue with a tour that explores “Krakow during WWII and the Holocaust”. Students will be taken to the site of the former ghetto in the district of Podgorze. This will later include a visit to the Schindler’s Factory. The factory today holds two museums however in the past it was a factory owned by Oskar Schindler. Hollywood recognised Oskar Schinder in the 1994 Oscar winning film Schindler’s List. The factory was formerly the place of work for many Jews during the Nazi occupation.
To complete your day, Polish evening, with live music and a traditional Polish meal.
A horse and cart in Main Square, Krakow, Poland
Day 4 – Wieliczka Salt Mine
After checking out of the hotel you will load the coach and head to the UNESCO world heritage site, The Wieliczka Salt Mine. Dating back to the thirteenth century, this natural historical site is a must see for all students. The historical underground chambers, shafts and caverns, decorated with sculptures and carvings are connected by two kilometres of passages. Part of the Salt Mine is made up of St. Kinga Chapel which is the largest underground chapel in the world.
There will be time for a quick bite to eat before jumping onto the coach back to the airport. The school trip to Krakow officially ends when you get back to the UK, but this trip has so many interesting and thought provoking excursions, we are sure that it will live long in the memory of all students and staff who attend.
If you would like to know more about an educational school trip to Krakow call us today on 01743 467267. Alternatively you can request a quote here and one of our sales executives will contact you.
