Visiting Krakow and Auschwitz in june

[CARL]

We offered an extensive study of the Auschwitz camps just before Christmas and those that came along, including visitors from the US, found the trip to be informative and interesting. You may well have seen the various study trip threads posted in the Konzentrationslagers forum but if not, plenty of information is there. I have been leading groups and private visitors around the camps for nearly twenty years now. Auschwitz, more than any other, has changed dramatically. During the spring and summer, I stay well clear due to the enormous volume of visitors which has risen in recent years to two million per annum. Expect extensive security checks, airport style scans and very large groups with limited time to see only the bare minimum. It is actually still possible to visit the Stammlager (i.e. Main Camp, Auschwitz-I) without a guide but you will need to register through the museum website well in advance and reserve your time slot (only usually available very early in the morning) and print your tickets beforehand.

Below are links to the most recent guided trip we did, the aforementioned Auschwitz visit, along with our next trip which will take in the major camps of Bavaria, Dachau and Floßenbürg.

Concentration Camp Study Trip - Autumn 2019 - Auschwitz

Concentration Camp Study Trip - Spring 2020 - Dachau and Floßenbürg

Carl

[Composite]

‘a few years since I was there but apart from the usual tourist stuff I recall a good (for me) shop on the south west side, between the walled old town and the river....I got a nice (current) Para uniform and helmet...only to be told that I couldn’t export it...and the airport was partially staffed by the military too....I was lucky and got everything out...might be worth checking the current rules.

I too went on a trip to the Camp.....I recall a general all-trip all-hotel pick-up with a sorting-out in a large car park ....customers were given coloured stickers to match their buses....we were given yellow stickers...something which I think was a tad inappropriate and was wasted on the organisers at the time.

A worthwhile visit.

[HetzersGonnaHetz]

Thank you for the further responses gents, hugely appreciate it. I'll have a good look through the Konzentrationslagers sub-forum on here before booking and visiting to get some more information. I have done a few KZ's previously so I am glad I can visit Auschwitz also to pay my respects. It'll be upsetting as I'm not one to pretend to be untouched by these things, but a must do trip for anyone I think.

Hoping to find a trip that really gives plenty of time for the visit, I'd hate to feel rushed, when I visited Dachau and Sachsenhausen the group I was with (family for the former and a school trip for the latter) was given plenty of time to take the places in.

Many thanks
Harvey

[paulscoot]

Went with my wife midway through January, Auschwitz & Auschwitz Birkenau must do visits along with the Schindler factory which also doubles as a museum of the Nazi occupation, learnt a fair bit about the Polish resistance there, Went to a couple of flea markets, didn't see any fleas but saw plenty of fakes! Beer is great Kebabs are great Krakow is great. Truly a beautiful city. hope you enjoy I as much as we did regards ,Paul

some of the tat at the flea market (you've seen it all before)

[HetzersGonnaHetz]

Sounds good mate, can't beat a good kebab so will have to try that, and PLENTY of beer will be consumed on the days we aren't visiting places. Which tour company did you use can you remember for Auschwitz and how did you rate them? Was it rushed at all? Really want to spend a good amount of time there.

A lot of tat mate as you say so may focus my time into enjoying Krakow rather than browsing flea markets, a shame but i'm sure i'll survive with the beer and surroundings

[lebus12]

You have also the flea market, sunday, all is "original", with uniforms ...

[paulscoot]

We did the Auschwitz tour with the taxi firm that took us from the airport to our hotel, they worked out a bit cheaper than the hotel & tourist booth prices. Picked up by mini bus at 9am , about 90 minutes to Auschwitz, joined a group of 30ish and then issued with headphones with which our tour guide showed as around, explained everything and answered questions, all in English and this young tour guide really knew his subject. we then boarded the bus for the short journey to Birkenau where we met with our group and continued the tour with the same guide. the whole day was conducted with complete reverence and the mist and fog that hung around during our visit only added to the atmosphere. I suppose we were back at the hotel by 5pm so a whole day out, something i'll never forget, Regards Paul p.s. the pictures of the fleamarket I posted above were taken on the sunday morning in the jewish quarter.

[HetzersGonnaHetz]

Thank you for that info mate, it seems virtually all the tour companies really offer the same package across the board. Going to see if any offer a bit longer at the camps, don't mind paying the extra if so. I think I'll avoid the flea-markets, seem like honeypots for unsuspecting tourists. Will be a sad day when visiting the camps, however it is something that I've wanted to do for a while. While I'm out there it's the anniversary of Witold Pilecki's death on the 25th of May, unfortunately that isn't the day we are looking to visit Auschwitz yet I will still pay my respects to his bravery and have a beer in his memory.