Mary Gelewski
19 Feb 2018
Travel / Two Older Polish American Sisters to visit Poland 1st Time [29]
My grandfather, a Gorzielewski, was born in 1886 in a small village called Mosciska, near Plock, Poland. His wife was a Nyckowska. I don't know where she was born. From what I understand, they both came to America separately and married in New York in 1911. My father, one of 12 children, always wanted to go to Poland, but he never made it. We want to make the trip in his memory and we want to go to the place where my grandfather was born. If we find out where our grandmother was born, depending on how far away it is, we'd like to go there too. Before discovering my grandfather's birthplace, we were planning to go to Warsaw, Krakow and definitely Auchwitz. Then we thought we'd go to additional places like Prague and Budapest. We plan to come in April or May. Is this the best time weather wise? We can be flexible.
What is a reasonable amount of time to devote to Poland? Aside from Mosciska for our family, I have also read great things about Gdansk, Wroclaw and Poznan. Knowing this will be our only trip to Poland, what places would be on the top of your list that we should see?
Also, is it feasible to think we can do this on our own? Without a tour group, or without a travel package from an agent? My sister looked at one deal through GoRealEurope online and two weeks was costing over $6000 not including airfare. That seems way too expensive to me. My sister and I are healthy and in our mid 60s. We like to walk a lot and we're good with technology, GPS.
Thank you in advance for your advice.
I haven't told my sister yet, but I'm thinking Copenhagen would be a good place to visit on this trip, but I know we may have to narrow our itinerary down. I'm hoping we can spend at least three weeks on this trip.
My grandfather, a Gorzielewski, was born in 1886 in a small village called Mosciska, near Plock, Poland. His wife was a Nyckowska. I don't know where she was born. From what I understand, they both came to America separately and married in New York in 1911. My father, one of 12 children, always wanted to go to Poland, but he never made it. We want to make the trip in his memory and we want to go to the place where my grandfather was born. If we find out where our grandmother was born, depending on how far away it is, we'd like to go there too. Before discovering my grandfather's birthplace, we were planning to go to Warsaw, Krakow and definitely Auchwitz. Then we thought we'd go to additional places like Prague and Budapest. We plan to come in April or May. Is this the best time weather wise? We can be flexible.
What is a reasonable amount of time to devote to Poland? Aside from Mosciska for our family, I have also read great things about Gdansk, Wroclaw and Poznan. Knowing this will be our only trip to Poland, what places would be on the top of your list that we should see?
Also, is it feasible to think we can do this on our own? Without a tour group, or without a travel package from an agent? My sister looked at one deal through GoRealEurope online and two weeks was costing over $6000 not including airfare. That seems way too expensive to me. My sister and I are healthy and in our mid 60s. We like to walk a lot and we're good with technology, GPS.
Thank you in advance for your advice.
I haven't told my sister yet, but I'm thinking Copenhagen would be a good place to visit on this trip, but I know we may have to narrow our itinerary down. I'm hoping we can spend at least three weeks on this trip.