Social Programme
All participants of ECAP 6 are invited to attend the Welcome Reception at Urząd Miasta Krakowa (the Krakow City Municipality), Plac Wszystkich Świętych 3-4, on Thursday, the 21st of August at 20:00. Plac Wszystkich Świętych is situated in the very centre of the city, near the Main Square.
The Congress Dinner will take place on Monday, August 25th, at 8 PM, at the Tomaszowice Manor, located in a picturesque area bordering the Jurassic Landscape Parks. The dinner price is 60 EUR. The tickets will be available at the Reception Desk only until Saturday, August 23rd, 18:30. The participants who have paid in advance will receive the tickets with the Congerss Kit.
A special bus service will be organized for the Congress Guests. The buses will leave at 7:30 from the front of Auditorium Maximum, Krupnicza 33 (Building C).
Attendance at the Congress Dinner requires a reservation (by making a request on the “My registration data” page). The price of the Dinner is €60 per person.
Excursions
ORBIS TRAVEL offers a wide range of interesting tours in Krakow and in its surroundings. If you have further questions concerning the offered tours please contact ORBIS TRAVEL via e-mail: congress@orbis.krakow.pl
Tours before the Congress
Warsaw, 19–20 August 2008 (Tuesday/Wednesday, 2 days and 1 night) reserve »
Day 1: arrival, check-in, sightseeing, concert (piano music by Chopin), dinner at the hotel.
Day 2: visit to the Royal Castle and Łazienki Palace (morning), lunch, transfer to railway station, train to Krakow, transfer to hotels in Krakow.
Highlights: Old Town (reconstruction of medieval town dating from the early 14th century, including barbican); Royal Castle (seat of Polish kings and—since 1918—presidents of Poland; restored after wartime destruction in 1984).
Prices:
- EUR 470 per person in double or twin room (single supplement: EUR 55)
Price includes: accommodation with breaktfast in dbl or twin room city tour of Warsaw on 19.08.2008 and 20.08.2008, transportation, English speaking guide, entrance tickets to Royal Castle, £azienki Palace, Wilanów Palace, Chopin’s concert, dinner on 19.08.2008, lunch on 20.08.2008, 2nd class train ticket Warszawa – Kraków, transportation to the hotel in Kraków.
Dunajec river gorge and Niedzica Castle, 18.08.2008 Monday reserve »
The raft trip down the Dunajec River through the Pieniny Gorge and along the Polish-Slovak border is one of the greatest tourist attractions in Poland. The towering cliffs and the limestone rock formations of the gorge itself plus the picturesque mountain scenery, the surrounding forest and the colourful river guides make for a wonderful day in a pristine and wild environment. For many centuries, the Dunajec valley formed an important trade route to Hungary and so Czorsztyn Castle (13th c.) and Niedzica Castle (14th c.) were built as strategic strongholds high on the cliffs on either side. Czorsztyn Castle was destroyed in a peasant uprising, but it has been partially restored and its ruins make for an adventurous visit. Niedzica Castle, in a delightful counterpoint, is in perfect condition. In fact, today, it is actually a working hotel in addition to housing a fine museum. Our trip begins at Niedzica Castle, then continues to the raft wharf in Sromowce Nizne and ends 15-km later in Szczawnica. It lasts two or three hours, depending on the water level of the river. While on the raft, you will enjoy excellent view of the high summits of Trzy Korony and Mt. Sokolica.
Price:
- EUR 85 per person
Price includes: transportation, English speaking tour escort, English speaking guide, rafting, ticket to the Castle. Duration 8 hrs.
Tours during the Congress
Krakow - City Tour (everyday) reserve »
For over a thousand years, Krakow has been the centre of science, culture and art in Poland and our city sightseeing tour is a fine introduction to this historic city. The tour could begin with a short walk along the streets of the former Jewish district of Kazimierz. Next, Wawel Hill, crowned by Wawel Castle and Wawel Cathedral and the seat of royal power up till the 17 century. The Castle was home to many Polish kings and queens and the royal crypts in the Cathedral their final resting place, along with several other Polish heroes. A walk up Grodzka street leads you to the heart of Krakow, the Rynek Główny,or Main Market Square. There, the large, Gothic Cloth Hall is the perfect place for shopping for local souvenirs. Our last sightseeing stop is the twin-spired St. Mary's Church with its famous medieval altar by Wit Stwosz and where, every hour, the brave trumpeter of Krakow still calls out his warning.
Price:
- EUR 34 per person
Price includes: transportation, English speaking guide, entrance tickets to the Royal Castle, Royal Cathedral, St. Mary's Church. Duration 4 hrs.
Auschwitz and Birkenau Museum (everyday) reserve »
The most well know cemetery and place of genocide in the world. Started in 1940 as a concentration camp for Polish political prisoners, Auschwitz became the centre for extermination of European Jews in 1942. During 1940-1945, the Nazis killed about 1,500,000 people here, mainly Jews, but also Poles, Gypsies, Russians POWs and members of other nationalities. Our tour begins with a 15-minute documentary film about the liberation of the camp, then a museum-guide shows you the exhibitions in some of the surviving prison blocks, the gas chamber, and the crematorium. After a short break, we continue to Birkenau, where we go up the watchtower above the entrance gate to see the view of this largest of all Nazi extermination camps.
Price:
- EUR 34 per person
Price includes: transportation, English speaking guide, entrance tickets to the museum. Duration 6 hrs.
Wieliczka Salt Mine (everyday) reserve »
Legend has it that the salt mines in Wieliczka were a part of the dowry of the Hungarian princess, Kinga, when she wed Bolesław the Chaste over 700 years ago, making the Wieliczka Salt Mine one of the oldest in all of Europe. Over the centuries, devout and superstitious, miners have carved fabulous figures, monuments and altarpieces out of its salt walls. These amazing works of art, in addition to the mine's historical importance, have earned the Wieliczka Salt Mine a place on the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage list.
Our route through the mine leads you through galleries and chambers on three levels, from 64 to 135 meters below the ground, including the unique and richly ornamented Chapel of the Blessed Kinga. The route is 2.5 km long and you have to walk down 400 steps all told. The last stop in the mine is the souvenir shop and snack bar. From here, a lift carries you back to the surface. (Lift down instead of walking down stairs - only on special request.)
Price:
- EUR 34 per person
Price includes: transportation, English speaking guide, entrance fees. Duration 4 hrs.
Tours after the Congress
Zakopane, 27 – 28 August 2008 (Wednesday/Thursday, 2 days, 1 night) reserve »
Day 1: transfer from Krakow to Zakopane, check - in Afternoon: walking tour along Krupówki Street, dinner with folklore.
Day 2: after breakfast: sightseeing tour of Zakopane, cable car to Gubałówka Hill, lunch, transfer to Krakow.
Highlights: Koliba Villa – Museum of the Zakopane Style, created by Stanislaw Witkiewicz Krupówki – the most famous Polish promenade, where you can buy souvenirs ‘’from the mountains’’, take a shot of you with the white bear, meet highlander in a folk costume, and maybe even a highlanders’ band.
Prices:
- EUR 360 per person in double or twin room (single supplement EUR 50)
Price includes: accommodation with breakfast in dbl or twin room, English speaking tour-escort, English speaking guide on 27,28.08.2008, dinner with folklore on 27.08.2008, lunch on 28.08.2008.
Polish Travel Agency ORBIS Co. Ltd - Krakow
Congress Department
ul. Kremerowska 5, PL 31-130 Krakow
congress@orbis.krakow.pl
www.orbis.krakow.pl
tel.: +48 (12) 422 17 07, 422 30 44
fax: +48(12) 422 28 85