Day 1 | Vilnius

Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, a beautiful city with a rich and fascinating historical past. Depending on our arrival time, we will embark on an introductory tour of the city. Green and beautiful Vilnius has always served as the political and cultural center of Lithuania. Its center is the old quarter, with its ancient buildings, churches, and beautiful architecture. We will overlook the city from Gediminas Castle, stroll through the Cathedral, and wander the picturesque streets. We'll taste some "kibinai" pastries. We'll visit the museum and the Jewish quarter, the vibrant heart of Lithuanian Jewry. Here we will follow the footsteps of Abba Kovner and his comrades, and in the old Jewish cemetery, where we will also see the grave of the Gaon of Vilna.

Day 2 | Vilnius - Kaunas

This morning we will complete our visit to Vilnius (sites seen the previous day) and head to Trakai, the ancient capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, located amidst beautiful lakes. We will visit the impressive 15th-century castle built in Gothic style on an island in the lake, the only water castle in Eastern Europe. We will learn about the interesting and unique history of the Lithuanian nation. We will continue our visit to the Karaites museum, whose community arrived here from the Crimea about 600 years ago. We will stroll through the local "tourist" market and then travel to the city that served as the capital of Lithuania between the two World Wars - Kaunas. Upon arrival in Kaunas, we will take a walking tour of the old town, wander the "main street," and continue to the "Slobodka" quarter, where many yeshivas thrived, and the community life was vibrant. We will visit the interesting "Witches' Museum" and the city's fortifications, ending at the "Ninth Fort" - a memorial site for Lithuanian and European Jews and the amazing story of the Japanese Consul during World War II.

Day 3 | Kaunas - Masurian Lakes - Olsztyn

This morning we will cross the Lithuanian/Polish border (EU border crossing) and travel to Wolf's Lair, the headquarters of Hitler during much of World War II, where the famous assassination attempt on Hitler failed. We will visit the beautiful "St. Lipka" church, the Holy Theresa. We'll continue our journey through the Masurian Lakes to the Mazury region located in the northeast of the country - an area known as the "Land of a Thousand Lakes." In the evening, we will settle in Olsztyn, the capital of the Masurian Lakes region. Upon arrival, we will take a short tour of the old town center and the museum dedicated to this special region and stay for dinner and overnight in Olsztyn.

Day 4 | Olsztyn - Gdańsk

This morning we will dedicate our tours to Olsztyn and its surroundings. Olsztyn is located on the Lyna River in the northeastern part of Poland and was first mentioned in the 14th century. As part of our tour of Olsztyn, we will visit the Bishop's Palace and the rectory, which features Jesus holding the Earth in his hand. After the tour, we will take a boat ride to the Wolf's Lair, following the fascinating history of the Teutonic Knights who settled in the Baltic Sea region in the 12th century and from here conquered a vast geographical area. After the tour of the fortress, we will continue to the old town of Torun, also included in UNESCO's list of heritage sites, the stunning old town built entirely of rare red bricks in the land of Poland. Dinner and overnight stay in Torun.

Day 5 | Gdansk

Gdansk, the important trading city located on the coast of the Baltic Sea, is considered the capital of the Pomeranian Voivodeship in northern Poland and the most important port city in the country. Here in this city, a leader of the Solidarity movement, Lech Walesa, grew up and succeeded in overthrowing communist rule in Poland. In the morning, we will go on a tour of the old town of Gdansk, with a history of over 500 years. We will get to know the majestic Second Cathedral located in the city, pass through the Royal Way and among the city's numerous gates, glimpse the 14th-century Town Hall, see Neptune's Fountain, visit the Granary Island, the Artus Court, and more as time allows. Dinner and overnight stay.

Day 6 | Gdańsk - Malbork - Toruń

This morning we will travel south to Malbork Castle. This castle served as the capital of the Teutonic Order State from the 13th to the 16th centuries and was the seat of the Grand Master of the Order. Since 1997, this site has served as a UNESCO conservation site. The largest castle in Poland covers a total area of 200 dunams. As part of our tour of the castle, we will learn about the history of the Crusaders who settled in the Baltic Sea region in the 12th century and from here dominated a wide geographical area. After the castle tour, we will continue to the old town of Torun, also included in UNESCO's list of heritage sites, the stunning old town built entirely of rare red bricks in the land of Poland. Dinner and overnight stay in Torun.

Day 7 | Torun - Warsaw

This morning we will leave the charming Torun and travel to the Polish capital, Warsaw, the city that, despite being completely destroyed in World War II, managed to recover and return to being one of the most beautiful and fascinating cities in Europe. Upon arrival, we will go on an introductory tour of the city: the beginning of our visit will be in the Saxon Gardens, where the special monument to the unknown Polish soldier and the Tomb of Honor are located. We will walk to enjoy the park, hear the story of the city's famous composer Chopin. We will continue among the noble palaces of Poland to the old town, where we will see the Royal Palace and the Baroque market square, continue to the Supreme Court building and the Warsaw Uprising Monument. Dinner and overnight stay in Warsaw.

Day 8 | Warsaw 

This morning we will dedicate our visit to the Poland Museum, which recently opened in the former Jewish ghetto of Warsaw, where we will hear the fascinating story of Polish Jewry, 1,000 years of history in a relatively short visit. We will leave ourselves some free time to wander the streets of the old town and one of the city's modern shopping centers.