Pilgrimages & Journeys to Special Places

FORMER P.O.W. CAMPS

POLAND

A tour for those with an interest in the former

Stalag VIIIB / 344

Prisoner of War Camp

Monday 8^th – Friday 12^th September 2008

4 nights / 5 days half-board

Ł685 per person (there is a single supplement of Ł75)

We have already taken four groups to visit the site of the former Stalag VIIIB prisoner of war camp at what used to be known as Lamsdorf in Poland (Upper Silesia). There is an excellent museum there now. We see where the camp used to be, a reconstruction of one of the huts, the station where most prisoners arrived, the various memorials, as well as seeing the museum itself and the surrounding area, and watching a film about the camp. In Krakow we take the opportunity to pay our respects to the British prisoners who died at the camp, or while on working parties in the area. Our groups have been made up of former prisoners of war and of family members of former prisoners.

The tours are always moving for the participants, but enjoyable too, and many new friendships have been made - and some old ones re-started! There have been lots of memories to share, of course, and stories to be told.

We have a special Stalag VIIIB/344 Lamsdorf website.

Click HERE to visit it.

The price includes:

· Return flights from UK to Krakow.

· 2 nights half-board at Hotel Ostoya Palace, Krakow

· A guided tour of historic Krakow by coach, and then a visit to the Rakowicki Cemetery where former inmates of Stalag VIIIB are buried.

· 2 nights half-board at Hotel Mercure, Opole.

· Visit to the Stalag VIIIB Museum at Lambinowice (Lamsdorf).

· Visits to other significant places where some VIIIB prisoners were in work camps, including museums at Blechammer and the Luiza Coal Mine.

· English speaking guides.

· All entrance fees and specialist museum guides.

· Lunch in Krakow on Tuesday 9^th September at the Wierzynek restaurant, one of the finest in Poland, with transport by horse drawn carriage from the hotel. Lunch on Wednesday en route to Opole.

· Luxury modern coach transport throughout.

· The services of a Camino Tour Manager, with the group throughout.

A more detailed itinerary is below.

Insurance available.

Deposit: Ł100 per person at time of booking, plus insurance if required.

Balance payable 56 days before departure.

Bookings are subject to our booking conditions which will be sent to you with your booking form.

To book (or to receive more information) please request a booking form by writing, emailing or phoning Camino Journeys Ltd:

FREEPHONE

0800 04 39 384

(from outside UK: +44 1843 862190)

CAMINO JOURNEYS LTD

PO Box 292, Broadstairs, Kent CT10 2WY

email caminomail@btinternet.com

ITINERARY

Everything in this itinerary is possible (subject to circumstances) but nothingis compulsory: the needs and wishes of group members will be taken into account. Travel will be comfortable and nobody will be rushed. Inevitably some will not be as quick on their feet as they used to be, and this has been taken into account when planning this tour. If anyone has specific walking difficulties or other needs, including special dietary requirements, let us know and we will do our best to see that your needs are met.

Monday 8^th September: UK to Poland these are the flight times for 2007 – the 2008 schedules are not yet available so we cannot yet guarantee that they will be the same. We will inform you as soon as possible when we have the full information. It might be possible to fly from other departure points as well.

Flights from UK to Krakow

depart Gatwick 16.55 arrive Krakow 20.15

or depart Bristol 08.20 arrive Krakow 11.55

or depart Newcastle 16.35 arrive Krakow 20.10

or depart Liverpool 17.15 arrive Krakow 20.50

Transfer to Hotel Ostoya Palace for 2 nights half-board

Tuesday 9^th September

Morning visit to the Commonwealth War Cemetery, where former inmates of Stalag VIIIB/344 are buried. Sightseeing of historic Krakow in electric vehicles. Horse drawn carriages provide the transport to lunch at the Wierzynek Restaurant. There may be an optional excursion in the afternoon.

Afternoon free. Optional tour to Auschwitz. Dinner at the hotel.

Wednesday 10^th September

Depart Krakow for Opole stopping en-route to visit other significant places including the Museum of the Luiza Coal Mine and Blechammer (and the small museum there) where some Stalag VIIIB prisoners were in work camps. A stop for lunch and arrive Opole late afternoon.

2 nights half-board accommodation in the Hotel Mercure located in the centre. Dinner in the hotel restaurant.

Thursday 11^th September

Visit to the Lambinowice museum on the site of Stalag VIIIB/344, fully escorted throughout with a specialist guide provided by the museum. The tour will include other significant places in the surroundings, such as the station where prisoners arrived, a reconstructed hut, memorials, etc. There will be an English video at the Museum.

Evening dinner in the hotel.

Friday 12^th September

Return to Krakow for the return flight to UK (see the note about flight times above).

depart Krakow 15.25 arrive Gatwick 16.50

or depart Krakow 12.25 arrive Bristol 14.00

or depart Krakow 20.35 arrive Newcastle 22.15

or depart Krakow 21.15 arrive Liverpool 22.55

The price includes:

Return flights from UK to Krakow, transfers to/from hotels, 4 nights H/B accommodation + lunches on Tuesday and Wednesday, English speaking guides, Camino tour manager, all entrance fees and guides, coach transport throughout, a souvenir Itinerary and Journal.

Please make sure your passport is valid and that it is valid until at least six months after your return.

For UK members of the group, please make sure you have, or obtain, a European Health Card (which has replaced the form E111) which is free (you can apply at a post office) in case medical treatment is necessary in Poland.