Auschwitz - how to get there?

Monsieur

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February half term or easter - eldest daughters and I would like to visit for a few days.
I know ryanair fly to krakow so that would probably be the transport sorted unless there us a cheaper and/or better option?

Also, where would be the best place to stay? Doesn't gave to be 5 star but some luxury wouldn't go amiss!

Any thoughts or ideas?
 
Hi M, I stayed at Hotel Galicja ( Oswiecim )about 2006.
About 15mins from the camp .I think you could book trips from the hotel.
We rode their on the bike though.
 
Hi I did a Ryanair krakow short break in Sept we stayed here http://nocleg.jordan.pl/
Its cheap as chips and does the job 5 mins walk from the old city centre booked through an online discount website not direct.

All the hotels do day trips to Auschwitz about £30 per head including minibus and all entrance fees well worth it but its a lot of walking book the day before.

The other trip not to be missed is the salt mines about £22 per head all in its not what you expect!

Google Wieliczka Salt Mine

Krakow is a great city to visit there is also Schindler’s Factory Museum just across the river from the old town
 
There are lots of very nice hotels in Kraków...it's a really nice Imperial city

I can't remember the name of the one we stayed at on Greg's Eastern bloc tour, but if you do a search for it here, you'll probably find it......a courtyard for parking bikes in ( i know you said you were flying but good info none the less) and it's a large, slightly past its best but nonetheless very impressive hotel.

Auschwitz is about 30 mins drive out of Kraków, but small hire cars are cheap there.

Don't forget to go to Birkenau (Auschwitz II - Birkenau) as well......Auschwitz is (IMO, and I've run into some warm water for this before) almost a Disneyfied concentration camp mockup now, although it certainly had a serious effect on me and the rest of the group......Birkenau is only a couple of KM down the same road and will give you a real punch in the face as you see the sheer scale of the machinery of mass extermination :(

When you go, go open mindedly.......see it with open eyes rather than as it's presented to you.....

I clearly and fondly (although that sounds odd) remember standing in the middle of the vast empty space that is the remnants of one section of Birkenau, looking up at the sky and hearing the skylarks singing......it was 'right' for me that although the surroundings were absolutely awful in what they represented and what they had clearly been used for, there was still life, joy and beauty to take forwards from it....it's just a shame that 'we' as a race really haven't learned a fucking thing from it :(
 
I would advise not to stay in Krakow city but rather the Jewish quarter, Kazimierz.
There's several good quality and very cheap hotel deals to be had:beerjug:

P1030047-XL.jpg


And to your question........
P1020903-XL.jpg
 
I would advise not to stay in Krakow city but rather the Jewish quarter, Kazimierz.
There's several good quality and very cheap hotel deals to be had:beerjug:

Eastern Bloc raid hotel... 2 mins fom main square

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_...w_Lesser_Poland_Province_Southern_Poland.html

Been back since as well. :beerjug:

Hired a mini bus (taxi) for Auschwitz trip the last time we visited....

That's the fella :clap
Looking at the map and description, it also seems to be in Tim's recommended quarter :thumb2

This hotel is located in Krakow (Old Town), close to Wawel Castle, Main Market Square, and Wawel Cathedral. Also nearby are Old Synagogue and St. Mary's Basilica.

Certainly a memorable place, mostly for the location views and atmosphere, but also because, rather horrifically, I was sharing a room with Greg and he has a habit of walking around with his big :censor: hairy :censor: on display :blast

royal-hotel.jpg
 
It's a place I really feel I must visit - Fanum, interesting thoughts :beerjug:

How long to ride there? :thumb2
 
Sorry, facetious.

2 days there, two days spent there, two days back if you want to be comfortable but can still cover some miles in a day.

Add another day for contingencies and you're about right, although it's certainly do-able in less if you hustle on
 
It's a place I really feel I must visit - Fanum, interesting thoughts :beerjug:

How long to ride there? :thumb2

I wouldn't ride all that way just to go to Auschwitz but take in more of Poland whilst you are there. We went south of Krakow to Zaopane and the Tatra mountains and over into Slovakia.

Auschwitz is a must though. As with anywahere I guess you are in a lottery of which guide you get and the guide we had (and I seem to recall Tim had the same lady) was superb. She kept reinforcing several things such as Auschwitz was a work camp not a death camp, Birkenea was the death camp, don't just think of Jews, there were 100,000's of gypsies, intelectualls, homoesexuals etc as well and they must be remembered as well).

Totally disagree with Bill about Auschwitz being 'Disneyfied' but maybe missed his point however 100% agree with his other point concerning the shear scale of the place. Another interesting point is only prisoners in Auschwitz were tatooed with a number and this was to save on photographic supplies which were a rare comoditty in the war.....!

Its still amazing to think it happened and not so long ago in reality.
 
It's a place I really feel I must visit - Fanum, interesting thoughts :beerjug:

How long to ride there? :thumb2

There are other 'Camps' closer.

I've been to Bergen Belsen where Anne Frank met her end and Dachau near Munich, both have dedicated visitor centres with lots of info.

As Bill mentioned earlier, have we really learnt from those horrors......:rob
 
That's the fella :clap
Looking at the map and description, it also seems to be in Tim's recommended quarter :thumb2



Certainly a memorable place, mostly for the location views and atmosphere, but also because, rather horrifically, I was sharing a room with Greg and he has a habit of walking around with his big :censor: hairy :censor: on display :blast

royal-hotel.jpg

There's now a great bar/restaurant at the side of the hotel...it's also where breakfast is served...crap photo though

image-3_zpsc7529c56.jpg
 
There are other 'Camps' closer.

I've been to Bergen Belsen where Anne Frank met her end and Dachau near Munich, both have dedicated visitor centres with lots of info.

As Bill mentioned earlier, have we really learnt from those horrors......:rob
Bergen Belsen in well worth a visit ... not far from Hanover / Ruhrgebiet
Post WWII the Germans let it go back to forest. It has a very thought provoking visitors centre - most who dies there were victims of typhoid
 
I have travelled the world and Krakow, birkenau, Auschwitz is without doubt the most thought provoking and I always encourage visitors to Krakow to save plenty of time for the two sites.
 
If you stay in Krakow you must go to Schindlers factory.

It is just across the river in the Jewish quarter.

There is also the location of the bus stop in the film nearby

Another place is Nova Huta - the only significance of this place is that is was erected to destroy the cultural significance of Krakow
 


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