History and Culture School Trip to Poland & Slovakia

Jump into expedition life, allocate some group roles and meet the ground team to discuss your plans. You’ll need to buy a SIM card for the team phone and get to grips with the local currency, the Polish Zloty whilst in Poland and Euros for when you adventure through to Slovakia. Get oriented in Krakow with your local guide, taking in Wawel Castle, the Main Market Square, St Mary’s Basilica and the historic Kazimierz district. Experience Poland’s vivid history at Auschwitz, this former concentration camp has become a symbol of the Holocaust. Listen as your guide unlocks the sad fate of its WWII prisoners, it’s a harrowing but important story. Enter the gates of Auschwitz II (the largest section of the camp) for an insight into daily life, you’ll see everything from the unloading platform and bathhouse to the execution wall. Continue to the Museum and Memorial to see the prisoners’ bunks. Reflect on all you’ve learnt on your journey back to Krakow.

Leave Krakow behind and watch the landscape slowly rise into rolling foothills as you travel towards the mountains. Stop at Zakopane, Poland’s winter capital, nestled at the foot of the Tatras. Stretch your legs with a wander through town, soaking up the wooden chalets, bustling streets and views of the iconic ski jumping hills towering above. After a quick bite, lace up your boots for a trial hike on a nearby mountain above Zakopane, the perfect warm-up for the days ahead. As the afternoon fades, continue across the border to Stary Smokovec and settle in.

Time to tackle a section of the legendary Tatra Magistrale. Follow well-marked trails as they wind through shady forest, across rocky valleys and past tumbling alpine waterfalls, with the High Tatras towering above you. Reach Skalnaté Pleso, a stunning mountain lake, and stop for a picnic with sweeping views of Lomnický Peak and the surrounding summits. Continue on to the Symbolic Cemetery, a moving memorial to climbers and hikers who lost their lives in these mountains, a quiet place for reflection and respect. Surrounded by rugged peaks, follow the red-marked trail onwards to Štrbské Pleso, the highest-situated village in Slovakia. Stroll around the lakeside, explore the village and soak up the alpine atmosphere before heading back to Stary Smokovec for a warm meal and a well-earned rest.

Hop on the morning train and watch the High Tatras fade into rolling hills as you arrive in Košice. Start with a city tour, strolling down the historic main street to admire the Gothic splendour of St Elisabeth Cathedral and the singing fountain nearby. Learn how the city has shifted from medieval trading hub to vibrant modern centre. In the afternoon, you’re free to discover more: wander parks and squares, pop into small galleries, or stop at a café. Don’t leave without trying a traditional meal like bryndzové halušky or hearty kapustnica with your team.

Begin your day with a visit to the opal mines, learning how these precious stones were once dug from the Slovak hillsides. Later, transfer across the border to Kraków and settle in. As evening falls, take a gentle stroll past the Old Town’s colourful facades, glimpse Wawel Castle in the distance, and be sure to sample more Polish traditional dishes. Take a moment to connect, reflect, and take in all you have experienced with your team. Snap a few photos, pick up souvenirs, and jot down highlights in your journal.

You’ll have a full day to explore the city, so make it count. You could join a cooking class and master the art of pierogi, stuffing your dough with cabbage, mushrooms, meat or cottage cheese - then tuck in and enjoy the results. Prefer an outing? Hop on a train to the Wieliczka Salt Mine and wander through its underground chapels and salt-carved tunnels. If you’d rather stay outdoors, opt for an early-morning or sunset stand-up paddleboarding session, seeing Kraków from the water as the city drifts by.

After the best ten days of your life, it’s time to travel home. Cram everything into your backpack and head to the airport. Check in, sit back and let it all sink in. You’ve just experienced something incredible. Poland and Slovakia have opened your eyes and challenged you more than you ever imagined. You’ve fast-tracked your life skills and connected with locals; you’ve led your team and made new friends for life. These experiences will shape who you are and put you on the path to becoming a true global citizen. Prepare to return home forever changed.