Don’t be fooled – Poland is no dime-a-dozen country of Eastern Europe.  You’ll learn quickly that Poland is bursting with strength, resilience, and inspiration.  From the heart-filling centuries packed into the old town of Kraków to the heart-wrenching, brutal memories at the Auschwitz concentration camp, and throughout all the miles of the heart-strengthening beauty in its 23 national parks, Poland is a unique and stirring place to tour.  See the landscapes and cities that inspired Chopin, and find your own musical muses.  There is even beauty beneath the Earth’s surface, in an entire chapel carved from the Wieliczka Salt Mines.  In the heart of Warsaw, see miraculous Wilanów Palace, a testament to a Poland’s strength that survived the Partitions of Poland and both World Wars.  Visit with people and eat delicious meals today, explore recent history, or reach back to the Middle Ages – no matter how you choose to listen, Poland will speak to your heart.

Old Town Kraków:  Hopping since 1038, Kraków’s “old town” may be old, but it’s alive and well.  At the foot of Kraków’s art-packed Wawel Castle is a cultural treasure.  Partake in the bustling market, or shop historically at Cloth Hall, a 700-year-old mall.  And don’t forget to stop by the Church of Casimir, or the mummies in the crypt might miss you.  You weren’t thinking “old” meant “boring,” were you?

Wieliczka Salt Mines:  Wieliczka Salt Mines is a place of history and wonder.  It’s a mine, yes, but it’s also an ornate underground chapel and an underground saline lake with a Chopin-inspired light and sound program.  The extra-adventurous can even don some serious gear for the “miners’ route,” where a foreman will put you to work like centuries of miners before you.  See you at the salt mines!