PolishOrigins was very well organized, providing us with updated itineraries when changes were made, as well as making good suggestions for us when we weren’t sure about things we could do in the area. PolishOrigins constantly checked in with us to see how we were doing before we left for our trip to ensure we would arrive on time. Additionally, all the necessary information on meeting our tour guides and keeping to a timetable was very well handled. PolishOrigins did an impressive job coordinating such a long trip with many people, and I am deeply appreciative of all the time and effort put into planning what ended up being a very memorable trip.
The guide in Gdansk, Łukasz Darski, was one of the best tour guides we’ve had the pleasure of being with. He was very knowledgeable about the history of the city, and was able to weave a continuing narrative of the complexities of Polish history during the three days we were with him. Additionally, Łukasz was very personable and told us fascinating stories of his own personal experiences growing up in Gdansk. Łukasz was energetic, accommodating, and very experienced as a guide, and any group that visits Gdansk will be lucky to have him.
In Krakow, our guide Pawel, was wonderful. He knew the city’s history very well, and took us inside several beautiful churches. He also provided a great narrative to the city’s history in the underground museum we visited. Pawel was a very kind and thoughtful tour guide, and like Łukasz, any group that visits the city and gets guided by Pawel will be a very lucky group indeed.
I would have booked a longer trip with the same number of tour sites had I realized how much there was to see and do.
Our general guide for the trip, Zenon, was excellent. Zenon always made sure that we had tickets for museums or exhibits, and he served as a great translator and navigator during our trip. He was very patient with our group of people, and constantly went above and beyond his responsibility to us as our general guide. For instance, he found a printing shop late one night in Nowy Targ for my father to print off various genealogical photos for my family. Zenon also socialized with us frequently and we feel that he is in many ways a part of our family.
All of my genealogical goals for the trip were achieved, and much more, far beyond my expectations. We were able to trace my family genealogy as far back as the church records would allow, and because of Zenon’s ability to communicate and bargain with record keepers, he was able to access many records that I did not think would have been possible to access. Furthermore, I was able to interview one of my ancestors, which was a remarkable experience.
Generally, the hotels were excellent. They were conveniently located closed to major squares or downtown areas, and were very clean and professional. The food was generally quite good, and the accommodations comfortable. I especially enjoyed the spa facilities at the Grand Stamary in Zakopane. The hotel in Krakow was very nice, and had an excellent breakfast buffet. It was also a great location, as it was easy to walk to the square, and there were also good restaurants in the area.
An outstanding trip from beginning to end. I thought that Agnes did a fantastic job preparing all the details in our itinerary, and Zenon was just fantastic during our trip. He was deeply dedicated to ensuring that we were having a great time, and really went above and beyond to make a wonderful trip to Poland for us. I was especially touched by Zenon’s kindness, patience, and good sense of humour. He did a great job of working with us and constantly translating to make our visit with our Polish relatives a memorable and happy experience. I really can’t thank him enough for everything that he did, and I look forward to returning to Poland and visiting with his help again.