krakow tips

[Bounce]

We use these guys: http://tinyurl.com/y2vbxj33 We've been to Krakow 14 times and are going back again in November. We use Krakow Shuttle to take us from the airport to the hotel. We've also used them to take us to Auschwitz (twice) and the Salt Mines.

Krakow Shuttle pick you up at your hotel for Auschwitz etc. Some other companies make you go to a specific place. We opt for the packed lunch option.

With Krakow Shuttle you can pay for your trip by paying the driver. You can also pay in Sterling. Just look to the top right corner of the site. The first time we used them for hotel shuttle I paid the guy in sterling and tipped him with a couple of pounds. With the Auschwitz tour I'd managed to change money in Krakow so I paid him in Zlotys but the option of sterling is there.

If just turn up at Auschwitz, you'd have to do some reading up on it. It looks a bit complicated. With a tour you are handed a headphone set and the tour guide briefs people as you go along. Also with a tour when you've finished at Auschwitz, the vehicle takes you to Birkenau for another tour.

I wouldn't recommend doing Auschwitz and The Salt Mines in one day. We did and were quite fagged out at the end of the day.

Not OP it all really depends on when you land and how much you want to spend and how long you want to spend travelling to Krakow. With taxis this can be crazy money, there is also the option of travelling via PKP some are direct trains, where as others may require a connection. Or you could perhaps travel by bus.

Another option would be perhaps to hire a car from the airport for the duration of your stay?

We ended up getting a mini bus from katowice Airport to krakow bus station and then walked the remaining distance from the bus station to our hotel which was about a 20 minute walk. The mini bus was 100 Polish zloty (approx £20) for two of us (50 Polish zloty each). We used them for the return trip. It was very good for the price to be honest as we did hire transport on an electric golf buggy type vehicle which charged us the same amount of money for a trip across the city (4 mile commute).

The break in general was very good I had low expectations of Kraków for some reason I had imagined it would be like a place full of poverty and poor restaurants but it was anything but. The restaurants were amazing, we went to the Taste of India on our first night and the second night we went to an Italian called mamma mia.

We also went to a cocktail bar called the Movida, I recommend it to all of those who like a cocktail.

Kraków shuttle was very good, they collected us straight from the hotel at the stated times and gave good guides. As mentioned by some in this thread to do the salt mines and Auschwitz in one day would be a rush and tight to fit in so I recommend doing them on separate days to eachother.

My favorite trip was the salt mines it was interesting and the guide made it fun with his humour/jokes.

Auschwitz on the other hand was as expected a lot more serious and was more saddening if anything. We did Auschwitz 1 & 2 and I recommend going to Auschwitz 1 more than 2 as it had far more interesting parts. Most of Auschwitz 2 was destroyed by the Nazi's so basically your just looking at rubble.

All in all I enjoyed krakow and would look to go again in the future.

 

[Craig R]

I was there in May, loved it. Really cheap for food and drink which was a bonus.

Definitely pre-book the Salt Mines/Auschwitz Tours. We also did a tour of the Schindler Museum which was worthwhile.

This is who we used: https://discovercracow.com/

 

[Craig R]

Auschwitz on the other hand was as expected a lot more serious and was more saddening if anything. We did Auschwitz 1 & 2 and I recommend going to Auschwitz 1 more than 2 as it had far more interesting parts. Most of Auschwitz 2 was destroyed by the Nazi's so basically your just looking at rubble.

All in all I enjoyed krakow and would look to go again in the future.

The sheer scale of Auschwitz 2 is pretty mind-blowing though. Hard to imagine until you are standing right in the middle of it.