4 Days Exploring 2 Polish Riverside City Gems over Bank Holiday August Weekend.

Meet the group at the airport and board our flight to Bydgoszcz

Upon arrival we will take our private transfer to our hotel the 4-star Mercure Bydgoszcz Sepia where we will be staying for the next 3 nights. Centrally located in Bydgoszcz, the hotel offers a restaurant and is just a 5-minute walk from the Old Market.

Each room at the hotel is air conditioned and has free WiFi and a flat-screen TV. There is also a minibar and a safety deposit box. The private bathrooms come with a hairdryer.

Mercure Bydgoszcz Sepia features a fitness room, a sauna, banquet facilities and a roof terrace with a panoramic view.

Breakfast is included each morning.

Throughout the tour we will be staying in twin rooms but there is an option to have a room to yourself for the trip. If you wish to have a room to yourself for the 3 nights the supplement will be £70 The supplement will be payable at the same time as the balance.      

The Travel Buddies trips work on the basis that as long as you are having a good time then that is what matters, if you don’t feel like coming on one of the excursions or joining the rest of the group for dinner one evening then that is absolutely fine. This is an adventure for everyone and there is nothing worse than having to go somewhere/do something that you don’t really fancy!

Feel free to do as much or as little research as you like, some members will know what they would like to visit as soon as they book the trip, Others will just turn up at the airport and have not researched at all. Either is absolutely fine. We all have different ideas as to what constitutes a great time away! 

As it will be too early to check in upon arrival we will leave our luggage securely at the hotel and head off to discover the beauty of Bydgoszcz on a guided walking tour. We will uncover the secrets of old tenement houses, stroll along romantic boulevards and bridges, and feel the atmosphere of a port town.

Learn about local cuisine, port vibes, and life in Bydgoszcz. See Mill Island, Venice of Bydgoszcz, Bydgoszcz Cathedral, The Old Market Square, and much more.

Discover the secret of the treasure hidden in the Cathedral over 300 years ago. Take a coffee break or discover some local snacks with the help of our guide.

This afternoon we will embark on a peaceful and atmospheric mini cruise along the Brda River in Bydgoszcz and listen to the history of the city from our guide as we  sip on regional wines and sample local cheeses.

Dinner will be booked locally for the group at a traditional restaurant.

Today we will take the train to visit Torun for the day. I have not included the train tickets as some members of the group may prefer to return to Bydgoszcz at different times but the return fare is around £10.

Toruń is a UNESCO World Heritage city renowned for its exceptionally preserved medieval brick Gothic architecture, its association with astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus, and its centuries-old gingerbread tradition.

Here we will have some free time to wander and explore before discovering  all about Torun’s speciality, delicious gingerbread. 

The Living Museum of Gingerbread is a must visit whilst in Torun. Prepare for a high-energy interactive show and you guessed it!  We knead dough, add spices (ginger, cardamom, cloves), and use traditional wooden moulds to bake our own souvenir gingerbread.

Free Morning to explore the city at our leisure. 

This afternoon a little tour like nothing you will have done before 🙂

Morning visit to the Museum of Soap and History of Dirt, a one-of-a-kind place that will transport us through 5,000 years of the history of dirt and cleanliness!

We will take part in a unique manual soap-making workshop and discover the fascinating history of hygiene, from ancient times to the present day, during a guided tour of the museum. (the experience lasts around 1 hour)

Every participant will make their own fragrant soap bar to take home as a souvenir.

Dinner will be booked locally at a traditional restaurant.

Today we have a full free day with the option to take public transport to Biskupin.

Biskupin is a 38-hectare archaeological open-air museum in north-central Poland, often called the “Polish Pompeii,” featuring a reconstructed 8th-century BC, Iron Age fortified settlement of the Lusatian culture. Discovered in 1934, the site offers full-scale replicas of wooden houses, ramparts, and streets, providing insights into prehistoric life, farming, and trade.

It is around 40 minutes on the bus and the entrance fee is around £6

This evening we will take our private transfer to the airport for our flight home.