We traveled to Poland in June 2017 and used the Rick Steves Eastern Europe Guide to find guides in each city we visited. Our Rick Steves (RS) recommended guide Agnieszka Syroka in Gdansk recommended Tomasz Laskowski ([email protected]) to help us with some genealogical research and to have us visit ancestral sites in the Poznan/Torun area. The RS-recommended guide in Warsaw, Monika Olesko, was unable to accommodate us but recommended Lukasz Godlewski ([email protected]). Both Tomasz and Lukasz were extraordinary guides.
Tomasz started with genealogical research before our trip. Despite family information that part of our family came from Poznan, Tomasz was able to find that we instead came from villages near Torun. He met us there and we embarked on a day and a half journey to see the villages where our family lived and churches where they celebrated important life events. His research traced the family back almost 200 years. He contacted churches ahead of time and even knocked on doors of townspeople to find out more information for us. Solely because of his persistence and engaging personality, we received two personal tours of ancestral churches from the parish priests. On one occasion, after a 45 minute tour of the church, we were invited to the rectory for tea, cake and conversation. This was a highlight of our two weeks in Poland and would have never happened without Tomasz. He is knowledgeable, flexible, interesting and enthusiastic. Tomasz has a great sense of humor and speaks English very well. He was an excellent meal companion (encouraging us to try new foods too) and conversationalist. He has in-depth knowledge of the area and great genealogical instincts. His plan for touring was well organized so we could maximize the time we had. We recommend Tomasz without hesitation for both ancestral research and touring the Poznan/Torun area.
We spent 3 days in Warsaw with Lukasz, who took us everywhere in the city. His knowledge is detailed (but not overbearing) and his English impeccable. He is extremely personable and easy to talk with about any topic. He readily tailored his tour to our personalities and interests. Lukasz has a talent for understanding his clients' interests and desires. As a result, we saw the things we thought important, plus so much more that gave us a real understanding of the city of Warsaw and of Poland in general. His ability to assess his clients' needs make him ideal for extended touring (as we did) or even for just a half day tour. Lukasz always asked us what we were looking to see and do and never steered us toward tourist traps or shops. He recommended sites that were unique and interesting that we had no idea existed but were precisely the types of places we enjoyed. His tour was educational but more importantly fun and interesting. Lukasz's expertise is based on his continual investigation and exploration of the city, beyond his formal training as a certified guide. His recommendations for things to see and do exceeded our expectations and ranged from fine dining to a local milk bar, tram tickets to a private tour of the Palace on the Water (Palac na Wodzie) [where he had once been a tour guide], an open air Chopin concert, to a restaurant along the way that just happened to have a splendid interior with photos of the owner's family. He clearly loves Warsaw with all of its gems and warts, shares his enthusiasm, and helps his clients appreciate all aspects of the city, its culture, history, politics, sociology and food. We have already recommended Lukasz to our friends planning to visit in the Fall and also recommend him without reservation to anyone considering a trip to Warsaw.