1. Krakow: Nowa Huta Tour with a Local NGO Guide
Get an interesting lesson about the history of Nowa Huta and see typical examples of Socialist Realist architecture aboard a Communist-era car. Learn where the large statue of Lenin stood on Aleja Róż (Avenue of Roses), and marvel at the grandeur of Plac Centralny (Central Square). Get familiar with the history of Polish communism by taking a ride in a classic Polish car of that era and visiting bomb shelters that were built around a city in the case of World War III. Get impressive views from Centrum E and the Nowa Huta Cultural Center, and then look for the shelters built to prepare for nuclear war. See the former Światowid Cinema, and visit the 13th-century Mogila Abbey and its little church of Saint Barthélemy. Learn about the legend of Queen Wanda on Wanda Mound, and discover the birthplace of the district at the Kombinat steel factory. Look at a famous sign that was altered after the fall of communism, and take photos of a Soviet tank outside the Ludowy Theater (People’s Theater). Discover the story of the Arka Pana (Lord's Ark) Church and Chapel of Conciliation and the battle the locals waged to have it built. Upgrade your tour to the extended 3.5-hour option, and include a visit to either a Cold War bomb shelter or a communist apartment.