Krakow - long weekend
Discussion
Thinking of going to Krakow for a long weekend in January as always fancied it. Not sure if any decent package deal recommendations or whether I’ll just do the normal book a hotel and book flights myself. Thinking of staying in the old town? A must do for me will absolutely be visiting Auschwitz as always wanted to visit, I guess booking trips there are easy enough or are there any recommendations for tour companies online to book a trip through?
Any suggestions would be appreciated!
Any suggestions would be appreciated!
January 27th marks the liberation of Auschwitz, which is now International Holocaust Remembrance Day.
Not the jolliest of days, but might add some poignance given that’s a primary reason for going.
Auschwitz is an hour on the train followed by a 10-15 min walk. The salt mine (recommended) is less than half an hour by bus. So no dramas getting around or limiting yourself to a packaged tour.
It’s been a very long time since I’ve been so no point making any reccos, but I recall Krakow old town in winter being a very stunning thing to look at.
Not the jolliest of days, but might add some poignance given that’s a primary reason for going.
Auschwitz is an hour on the train followed by a 10-15 min walk. The salt mine (recommended) is less than half an hour by bus. So no dramas getting around or limiting yourself to a packaged tour.
It’s been a very long time since I’ve been so no point making any reccos, but I recall Krakow old town in winter being a very stunning thing to look at.
We did it a few years back, it's a stunning city, we did AirBnB in a fairly central location, did both salt mines and Auschwitz, both arranged locally, sorry don't remember exact details but the Auschwitz one picked us up in City centre, provided a picnic lunch and dropped us off in Centre again. It's a pretty poignant experience though.
Book it all yourself, Krakow has decent public transport.
From the airport we jumped on the train to old town. Same as Auschwitz and Salt Mines, went on train. Booked tour tickets direct. We bumped into my cousin (didn't know she was in Krakow at same time) on the Auschwitz tour, she had booked with a tour company. Had been picked up pretty early, had a long wait at Auschwitz before the tour time. Whilst we pretty much just waltzed up straight off train to desk ready for our tour to begin.
From the airport we jumped on the train to old town. Same as Auschwitz and Salt Mines, went on train. Booked tour tickets direct. We bumped into my cousin (didn't know she was in Krakow at same time) on the Auschwitz tour, she had booked with a tour company. Had been picked up pretty early, had a long wait at Auschwitz before the tour time. Whilst we pretty much just waltzed up straight off train to desk ready for our tour to begin.
Supernova190188 said:
Thinking of going to Krakow for a long weekend in January as always fancied it. Not sure if any decent package deal recommendations or whether I ll just do the normal book a hotel and book flights myself. Thinking of staying in the old town? A must do for me will absolutely be visiting Auschwitz as always wanted to visit, I guess booking trips there are easy enough or are there any recommendations for tour companies online to book a trip through?
Any suggestions would be appreciated!
We have just booked for 4 nights in January for a quick getaway. We paid £420 for flights and 4 nights accommodation with Jet2 so worth checking them and other operators out for deals as it was significantly cheaper than doing it ourselves with flights + luggage, accommodation etc. This is 5th/6th trip so drop me a message if you want anythingAny suggestions would be appreciated!
Auschwitz - it seems to be an ongoing issue due to a lack of English speaking tour guides that tours via companies and 3rd parties like get Your Guide are being cancelled at short notice. Recommendation seems to be booking tickets directly on their website and make your own travel arrangements to Oświęcim (closest station) and then walk from there. There is supposed to be a free shuttle between Auschwitz and Birkenau (not used it myself)
Krakow is very walkable or use the trams to get around so anywhere in and around the old town or Kazimierz is good for location. If you do use the trams you need to validate tickets or its a fine and they are prolific at handing them out. the ignorant foreigner excuse is met with a shrug and accompanying fine to be paid
We've been twice, mainly for Energielandia but last time we wanted to go to Auschwitz and ended up not going. Unless you book direct it seems a very painful experience. I found a review online where one person was picked up by tour bus at 5am, got to Auschwitz, queued for a ticket until 8:30, then the ticket permitted access from 2:30. So a LOT of waiting around and potential for missing out completely.
We did the Salt Mines instead, well worth a visit.
Not used public transport, first time we used taxis, second time hired a car which was ridiculously cheap.
We did the Salt Mines instead, well worth a visit.
Not used public transport, first time we used taxis, second time hired a car which was ridiculously cheap.
Been to Krakow twice now, last a couple of years ago.
I booked a coach trip to Auschwitz and although it was an early pick up the process was very good and actually we were escorted past the main queue straight into the security check and onto a tour, it was very good but I can't remember the tour companies name unfortunately.
We also did the Salt mines on the same day which as others have said is really worth seeing but I wouldn't do them both on the same day if I was to to it again because it's a hell of a lot of walking in one day, the salt mines go on a long way.
I booked through Jet2 because it worked out better value than booking flights and a hotel separately when I went.
I booked a coach trip to Auschwitz and although it was an early pick up the process was very good and actually we were escorted past the main queue straight into the security check and onto a tour, it was very good but I can't remember the tour companies name unfortunately.
We also did the Salt mines on the same day which as others have said is really worth seeing but I wouldn't do them both on the same day if I was to to it again because it's a hell of a lot of walking in one day, the salt mines go on a long way.
I booked through Jet2 because it worked out better value than booking flights and a hotel separately when I went.
fooman said:
Been meaning to arrange a trip but went to Gdansk as flight were cheap still good. Maybe 2026 as mrsfoo wants to visit Auschwitz who said romance was dead.
Really wrongly of me I visited Gdansk a couple of years ago. I had to go, had nothing to do with planning it and dreaded it.I expected a third world s
thole and expected some run down Eastern bloc grey dreary brutal town.What a truly lovely city, super clean, welcoming and as it was summertime fantastic warm weather. No chavs or scumbags just felt safe and very family friendly.
JimmyConwayNW said:
What a truly lovely city, super clean, welcoming and as it was summertime fantastic warm weather. No chavs or scumbags just felt safe and very family friendly.
Exactly like Krakow, easily my favourite city break ever.As other's have said, if you are going to visit Aushwitz go with a tour company. It's a long day, from memory it took about 8 hours, so definitely do not do the salt mines on the same day. We were picked up from the hotel at midday, went straight in and were back at the hotel by 8PM.
The salt mine is fairly close to the city, we booked a tour, but it would be much cheaper to just get an Uber there.
There are loads of Michelin Star restaurants there, we paid less than £60 for a meal for two, deserts and a drink each.
Krakow is very reasonably priced, a 30 minute Uber from the airport was £11, a Vodka out £3, the prices are crazy cheap compared to London.
Just watch out for the charity scammers in the old town square claiming they are raising money for Ukraine, that is literally the only negative I can think of.
And if you are into guns, there are quite a few shooting ranges where you go to. Again it is not expensive, I think we paid £80 per person to fire six different guns including an AK47.
The Wokda bar is a must do
JimmyConwayNW said:
Really wrongly of me I visited Gdansk a couple of years ago. I had to go, had nothing to do with planning it and dreaded it.
I expected a third world sthole and expected some run down Eastern bloc grey dreary brutal town.
What a truly lovely city, super clean, welcoming and as it was summertime fantastic warm weather. No chavs or scumbags just felt safe and very family friendly.
It is and Soport on the coast is greatI expected a third world s
thole and expected some run down Eastern bloc grey dreary brutal town.What a truly lovely city, super clean, welcoming and as it was summertime fantastic warm weather. No chavs or scumbags just felt safe and very family friendly.
pavarotti1980 said:
Auschwitz - it seems to be an ongoing issue due to a lack of English speaking tour guides that tours via companies and 3rd parties like get Your Guide are being cancelled at short notice. Recommendation seems to be booking tickets directly on their website and make your own travel arrangements to O?wi?cim (closest station) and then walk from there. There is supposed to be a free shuttle between Auschwitz and Birkenau (not used it myself)
I went back in 2016 and booked directly with the museum and made my own way there by a regular bus from Krakow station to Oswiecim. Whilst the official group tour of Auschwitz main camp was excellent, I really wanted to experience Birkenau on my own (not a fan of groups) so got on the free shuttle coach and spent the rest of the afternoon taking it all in.Krakow was excellent, and back then very cheap. My (new/modern) hotel (Hotel Q) was a short walk over the river, which made an excellent base and was £50 a night, and eating out was cheap. I would definitely recommend it.
tim0409 said:
I went back in 2016 and booked directly with the museum and made my own way there by a regular bus from Krakow station to Oswiecim. Whilst the official group tour of Auschwitz main camp was excellent, I really wanted to experience Birkenau on my own (not a fan of groups) so got on the free shuttle coach and spent the rest of the afternoon taking it all in.
Krakow was excellent, and back then very cheap. My (new/modern) hotel (Hotel Q) was a short walk over the river, which made an excellent base and was £50 a night, and eating out was cheap. I would definitely recommend it.
Podgorze is a good spot and an easy walk to the Jewish District. We tend to try and stay somewhere between Old Town and Jewish District for ease of access to both. The places is still cheap compared to the UK (unless you never leave the main square and drink in the Bull Pub)Krakow was excellent, and back then very cheap. My (new/modern) hotel (Hotel Q) was a short walk over the river, which made an excellent base and was £50 a night, and eating out was cheap. I would definitely recommend it.
As others have said, the aircraft museum is amazing; it’s huge with rows and rows of slightly dilapidated Cold War jets out in the open, and so much interesting stuff in the hangars, and you have excellent close-up access to everything.
I was slightly disappointed in the salt mine but the underground cathedral there was an extraordinary achievement.
There are two routes down, we took the easier one as my wife didn’t fancy braving the longer more tricky Miners’ route, which might have been more interesting.
If you are doing a long weekend, be aware that some attractions are closed on Mondays.
Book ahead directly with the camps, we left it to the last few days to book and there were no tickets available, and so we had to go through an agency who dramatically changed our arranged time of collection from a central location, and much time was then wasted going round to other locations to do pick-ups; the guide was good but I’d much rather been able to go around at my own pace.
The food and the beer were excellent, and not expensive, even in the touristy main Square.
Dress up warmly and enjoy!
I was slightly disappointed in the salt mine but the underground cathedral there was an extraordinary achievement.
There are two routes down, we took the easier one as my wife didn’t fancy braving the longer more tricky Miners’ route, which might have been more interesting.
If you are doing a long weekend, be aware that some attractions are closed on Mondays.
Book ahead directly with the camps, we left it to the last few days to book and there were no tickets available, and so we had to go through an agency who dramatically changed our arranged time of collection from a central location, and much time was then wasted going round to other locations to do pick-ups; the guide was good but I’d much rather been able to go around at my own pace.
The food and the beer were excellent, and not expensive, even in the touristy main Square.
Dress up warmly and enjoy!
ThingsBehindTheSun said:
Exactly like Krakow, easily my favourite city break ever.
As other's have said, if you are going to visit Aushwitz go with a tour company. It's a long day, from memory it took about 8 hours, so definitely do not do the salt mines on the same day. We were picked up from the hotel at midday, went straight in and were back at the hotel by 8PM.
The salt mine is fairly close to the city, we booked a tour, but it would be much cheaper to just get an Uber there.
There are loads of Michelin Star restaurants there, we paid less than £60 for a meal for two, deserts and a drink each.
Krakow is very reasonably priced, a 30 minute Uber from the airport was £11, a Vodka out £3, the prices are crazy cheap compared to London.
Just watch out for the charity scammers in the old town square claiming they are raising money for Ukraine, that is literally the only negative I can think of.
And if you are into guns, there are quite a few shooting ranges where you go to. Again it is not expensive, I think we paid £80 per person to fire six different guns including an AK47.
The Wokda bar is a must do
I was going to write this but you've saved me the time. I did the shooting range and it was a great experience you get multiple bullets from about 6 different firearms, from pistols to automatic weapons. If an enemy is ever about 10m away and not moving at all and is prepared to wait a bit, I will be a master assassin. You can get extra bullets if any of the weapons takes your fancy.As other's have said, if you are going to visit Aushwitz go with a tour company. It's a long day, from memory it took about 8 hours, so definitely do not do the salt mines on the same day. We were picked up from the hotel at midday, went straight in and were back at the hotel by 8PM.
The salt mine is fairly close to the city, we booked a tour, but it would be much cheaper to just get an Uber there.
There are loads of Michelin Star restaurants there, we paid less than £60 for a meal for two, deserts and a drink each.
Krakow is very reasonably priced, a 30 minute Uber from the airport was £11, a Vodka out £3, the prices are crazy cheap compared to London.
Just watch out for the charity scammers in the old town square claiming they are raising money for Ukraine, that is literally the only negative I can think of.
And if you are into guns, there are quite a few shooting ranges where you go to. Again it is not expensive, I think we paid £80 per person to fire six different guns including an AK47.
The Wokda bar is a must do
Not sure why everyone recommends the salt mines, I found it all a bit tedious and such a long day, should have done a day out to Zakopane instead. The city square I could sit and drink/eat people watching all day, lovely place.
Castle is worth a visit. There's a Pinball Museum that has loads of retro arcade games if you like that.
Castle is worth a visit. There's a Pinball Museum that has loads of retro arcade games if you like that.
We booked a trip to Auschwitz and the salt mine with Viator for about £90 each. Probably possible to do it for a lot less but it was absolutely perfect for what we wanted.
Picked up a the hotel early morning with a rather moving and very sad video shown on the mini bus on the way to Auschwitz. Tickets provided at the entrance and in after a very short wait.
After the tours we went to the cafe for a provided, decent, packed lunch then headed off for the salt mine.
Afternoon spent descending the (many) wooden steps and following the tour followed by the mini bus trip back to the hotel by evening.
Recommended.
Picked up a the hotel early morning with a rather moving and very sad video shown on the mini bus on the way to Auschwitz. Tickets provided at the entrance and in after a very short wait.
After the tours we went to the cafe for a provided, decent, packed lunch then headed off for the salt mine.
Afternoon spent descending the (many) wooden steps and following the tour followed by the mini bus trip back to the hotel by evening.
Recommended.
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