KRAKÓW: CITY OF LITERATURE - Classical Pursuits€¦ · Kraków’s literary residents have...

OVERVIEWWhen, after many years in exile, Czesław Miłosz came to live in Kraków in the 1990s, his presence prompted a unique gathering of poets from east and west. After several well-received readings, the poets went to a café, where each occupied a separate table to sign books and chat with their readers. A long queue formed. When curious passersby asked what they were queuing for, they heard “for the poets.” They joined the queue.

It is no wonder that in 2013 UNESCO appointed Kraków as its City of Literature.

Kraków’s literary residents have included the Nobel prize–winning poets Czesław Miłosz and Wisława Szymborska, science fiction writer Stanisław Lem, and satirical playwright Sławomir Mrożek. Its living, internationally acclaimed poets include Adam Zagajewski and Ewa Lipska. It is their influence and the unique literary atmosphere of Kraków that have created a city that lives and breathes literature. Our base will be Kraków, an ancient and beautiful city that has remained largely intact from its earliest medieval days. Kraków is home to one of the oldest universities in the world and is the cradle of Polish modernism. Throughout Poland’s turbulent history, Kraków has been the historical, cultural, and intellectual heart of the nation. Musical, dramatic, and artistic expression are also part of the Kraków landscape, often combining with literature in performance.

In addition to discussing the works of some of Poland’s extraordinary poets, we will discover other cultural contributors to Polish modernism—painting, philosophy, theatre, literary cabarets, opera, and the revival of a vibrant Jewish culture. We will also take part in the Miłosz Festival, an annual gathering of literary heavyweights from around the world. Theatres, museums, medieval churches, restored synagogues, and atmospheric cafes reverberate with poetry and music.

We will visit Nowa Huta (literally “New Steelworks”), one of only two planned socialist realist cities ever built. The site is a Soviet attempt to create an in-your-face proletarian opponent to intellectual, artsy-fartsy, fairytale Kraków, and arguably one of the finest examples of deliberate social engineering in the world.

We will conclude our visit with several days in Zakopane, Poland’s leading mountain resort. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Poland’s intellectual elite decamped here. Writers, poets, painters, and architects have gathered in Zakopane for a hundred years in a bid to reinterpret Polish culture.

June 7 – 15, 2017

WORLDWIDE QUEST INTERNATIONAL | TOLL-FREE 1-800-387-1483 / 416-633-5666 | [email protected] | 491 KING ST. E. TORONTO, ON M5A 1L9

KRAKÓW: CITY OF LITERATUREA TOWN WHERE PEOPLE QUEUE FOR POETRY

What is a Classical Pursuits Literary Adventure? Ann Kirkland founded Classical Pursuits in 1999 to provide thoughtful vacations for inquiring adults, with the world’s best literature, art and music as our guides. By exploring and celebrating the particular visions of writers and artists in the location in which their works were created, we paradoxically discover the timeless truths that make these works great. Classical Pursuits Literary Adventures are a collaborative effort. Classical Pursuits develops the themes and selects the leaders. Worldwide Quest is in charge of production, expertly looking after all the logistical arrangements.

Most important, with a Classical Pursuits Literary Adventure you will not lose the spontaneity, flexibility, and sense of personal discovery you seek in your own private travels – only the logistical hassles.

OUR ADVENTURES ARE A SPECIAL BALANCE OF:• in-depth discussion of important literature;• guided walks to immerse ourselves in the cultural

and natural history of a place;• informal talks with local people to provide background

and context to our inquiry;• generous unscheduled time; • exceedingly convivial company; • and of course, lingering conversation over great meals!

A WORD ABOUTClassical Pursuits

What’s involved? The only prerequisites are to read before

you arrive and to come with an open mind.

Adventure for the mind. Travel for the soul.

SIGNATURE MOMENTS

Browse the oldest bookshop in Europe


DETAILED ITINERARY

Dialogue with local scholars

Experience Krakow’s Jewish

traditions

Visit the model of Soviet social

planning

Explore the artists’ hangout

of Zakopane

Kraków

Zakopane

POLAND

CZECH REPUBLIC

SLOVAKIA

DISCUSSION LEADERTamara Trojanowska is professor of Polish culture and literature of the 20th and 21st centuries at theUniversity of Toronto. Her research interests include the intersections of culture and history, discourses of identity, and theories of drama, theatre and performance. Tamara led a very popular Toronto Pursuits seminar on Krzysztof Kieślowski’s acclaimed 1989 Decalogue television series. She was also the chief advisor on two previous Classical Pursuits trips to Poland.

Wednesday, June 7: Arrive KrakówYou will be met on arrival and transferred to our city centre hotel. An afternoon guided walk in the historic Market Square sets the stage for the five-night stay. This UNESCO World Heritage site, once the capital of Poland, largely escaped destruction during WWII; its unspoilt medieval cityscape is a treasure. Meals: DinnerOvernight: Stary Hotel, Kraków

Thursday, June 8: Kraków Start the day with a first literary discussion and an introduction to Kraków’s rich cultural history and its contemporary relevance. Then visit the Wawel Royal Castle, rebuilt in the 16th century with beautiful


grounds and a splendid interior. The Gothic Cathedral is located next door on Wawel Hill. Follow the Royal Route to Market Square to visit the Matras bookshop, established in 1610 and one of the oldest bookshops in Europe. Overnight: Stary Hotel, KrakówMeals: Breakfast, Lunch

Friday, June 9: KrakówAttend the Miłosz Festival, the biggest celebration of poetry in Central Europe, with attendance from the biggest names of world literature. Past participants include Robert Hass (USA), Ruth Padel (UK), and Marie Lundquist (Sweden). Please check with us for 2017 Festival details. Later in the day visit the Jagiellonian University, the oldest higher education institution in Poland and one of the oldest in Europe founded in 1364 by the Polish king Casimir the Great. Visit lecture rooms, communal halls, professors’ quarters, a library and a treasury containing rectors’ Gothic maces and the Jagiellonian globe.Overnight: Stary Hotel, KrakówMeals: Breakfast, Dinner

Saturday, June 10: KrakówA second literary discussion starts the day, followed by a discussion on the influence of the Jewish people on Polish culture with a speaker from the Jagiellonian University Sociology department. We will discuss the influence the Jews had on the Polish narrative and life, the influence of the absence of it during and after the holocaust, and the revival in current times. Then take a walking tour of the Kazimierz Jewish Quarter, including the Altshul, the oldest synagogue in Poland and the Rema Synagogue, the synagogue of Rabbi Moses Isserles, the great codifier of Jewish law. Continue to the Jewish Ghetto of Podgorze to visit the Museum of Contemporary Art, dramatically housed in what was once the Oscar Schindler Factory Museum. Overnight: Stary Hotel, KrakówMeals: Breakfast, Lunch

Sunday, June 11: Kraków Set off for Nowa Huta, the eastern-most district of Kraków. The district was built by the Communist authorities in post-WWII Poland in response to the resistance to their regime from middle-class Cracovians. Intended as a model of Soviet realism and social planning Nowa Huta’s architects sought to construct the ideal city. Meet with the creators of Teatr Łaźnia Nowa, a modern theatre venue focused on socially minded works. Overnight: Stary Hotel, KrakówMeals: Breakfast, Lunch

Monday, June 12: Drive to ZakopaneThis morning’s literary discussion is followed by a discussion on Poland’s achievements and challenges, raising the question of how to keep your identity in a world of change? This afternoon head out into mountains, stopping to visit the village of Chocholow made of lovely 19th century wooden houses for a taste of ocsypek – smoked sheep milk cheese. Arrive in Zakopane at the foot of the Tatra Mountains. Enjoy mountain music this evening. Overnight: Litwor Hotel, ZakopaneMeals: Breakfast, Dinner

Tuesday, June 13: ZakopaneThis morning’s literary discussion includes a consideration of Zakopane: the Cultural Enclave and the Touristland. Then travel out into the surrounding countryside, taking a cable car to Kasprowy Mountain for more amazing views. A short walk in glorious mountain scenery builds an appetite for lunch at a traditional mountain shelter. Zacopane is known for its beautiful wooden villas dating from the late 19th and early 20th centuries which established the town as a haven for writers, poets, painters, and composers. Explore the town this afternoon with a visit to the small wooden church and the atmospheric mid-19th century cemetery. Overnight: Litwor Hotel, ZakopaneMeals: Breakfast, Lunch

Wednesday, June 14: Drive to KrakówOn the way back to Kraków, stop at the scenic Dunajec River to enjoy a river cruise in traditional wooden pontoon boats. See Niedzica Castle and the XVth century Debno Podhalanskie church. The afternoon is free to revisit favourite sites before our celebratory dinner this evening. Overnight: Stary Hotel, KrakówMeals: Breakfast, Dinner

Thursday, June 15: Depart KrakówTransfer to the Airport for homeward bound flights. Or consider extending your trip with a stay in Warsaw. Please enquire about our Warsaw post-tour extension.

Note: The itinerary and accommodation described here are subject to change due to logistical arrangements, artists’ schedules and to take advantage of local events.

TOUR DETAILS

Tour Cost (per person): US$3495*Taxes and Gratuities (per person): US$225

Single Supplement: US$1195If you are travelling on your own and would like to share accommodation, we would be happy to try to match you with a suitable roommate. If we are unable to do so, the single cost applies.

*Approx. cost

Group Size:14 – 18 participants

What’s Included:• Accommodation in double occupancy, based on hotels listed

or similar• Meals as indicated in the itinerary including water, tea and coffee• All activities as indicated in the itinerary• All entrance fees• Readings• Gratuities for local guides, drivers, hotel and group meals

(as indicated above)• Taxes (as indicated above)• Fully escorted by Tamara Trojanowska


Not Included:• Roundtrip airfare from your home • Items of a personal nature• Meals other than those mentioned above• Beverages with meals• Travel insurance• Any item not mentioned in “included features” above

Payment Details:A non-refundable deposit of US$500 per person is required to reserve a space on this tour. A second deposit of US$1000 is required six months prior to departure. Final payment is due three months prior to departure.

We will select from this embarrassment of riches:Poets: Czesław Miłosz, Tadeusz Różewicz, Zbigniew Herbert, Wisława Szymborska, Tadeusz Kantor, Julian Kornhauser, Ryszard Krynicki, Adam Zagajewski, Ewa Lipska, Miłosz Biedrzycki, Sławomir Shuty, and Marcin Świetlicki Filmmakers: Krzysztof KieślowskiTheatre: Theatre Łaźnia Nowa in Nowa HutaPlaywright: Sławomir MrożekNovelists: Stanisław Lem, Jacek DukajComposers: Henryk Górecki, Krzysztof Penderecki, and Zbigniew PreisnerArtists: Wyspianski, Bartosz Szydłowski, and others

Krakow’s castle


WHAT TO EXPECTJoining InstructionsThis tour begins with a briefing and walking tour in the afternoon of June 7th. Please ensure that you arrive in Krakow by 2PM to join the group. When you make flight arrangements or any pre-trip night booking with Worldwide Quest, your transfer from the airport to our group hotel on arrival is included. If you are making your own flight or pre-trip hotel arrangements, this transfer can be provided at additional cost. The tour concludes with a single complimentary transfer from the hotel to the airport on June 15th. Please contact us to verify timing of this transfer prior to making any flight arrangements.

Level of Activity: ModerateA good level of fitness is required to enjoy this trip. You should be able to walk up to two hours at a time over cobblestones and roughly paved streets in cities and over uneven terrain in the countryside. Should you have any questions about your ability to take part in this tour, please give us a call.

AccommodationThe Stary Hotel is housed in a charming 18th century aristocratic residence in the heart of the Old Town. The hotel’s rooftop terrace features views of the Main Market and a picturesque panorama of the Old Town. Spa on site. The Litwor Hotel is a modern take on a traditional hunting lodge in the centre of Zakopane with great views of the mountains. Swimming pool and spa on site.

Transportation We will be travelling in a comfortable air-conditioned vehicle driven by a professional driver. There are no long drives on this tour; the distance between Krakow and Zakopane is about 100km (about a two-and-a-half-hour-drive).

WeatherWe expect mainly sunny skies with some possibility of showers. Temperatures will likely range from highs of 22°C to overnight lows of 12°C .

Travel DocumentsYou will require a passport for this trip. Please ensure it is valid for at least 6 months beyond your scheduled return home.

ADDITIONAL INFOTerms and ConditionsFor additional information about our terms and conditions, please refer to your booking form, the current brochure or our website. All participants booking with Worldwide Quest are covered by the terms of the Ontario Travel Industry Act (Worldwide Quest International, Ontario - License # 2667946).

Cancellation PolicyAll deposits are non-refundable, however you may transfer your deposit to another trip 90 days or more prior to your scheduled departure date. If you cancel within 90 days prior to trip departure, all associated trip costs are non-refundable. The tour price is quoted as a package. No partial refunds or credits will be given for services not used. In the event of a cancellation, you must notify Worldwide Quest immediately and in writing.

Travel InsuranceWe urge you to ensure that you have adequate cancellation and medical insurance in place, should an unexpected event cause you to cancel or interrupt your trip or should the tour not be operable per our terms and conditions. We will offer you Manulife insurance coverage. Medical insurance including emergency medical evacuation coverage is mandatory on all our tours.

TICO #2667946

HOW TO BOOKPlease contact Amanda at the Worldwide Quest Office

for more information and to secure your booking.

1-800-387-1483 | [email protected]

KRAKÓW: CITY OF LITERATURE - Classical Pursuits€¦ · Kraków’s literary residents have...

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