Auschwitz advice

[Jet]

Originally Posted by floridafan101

I would really recommend doing a guided tour of Auschwitz it really is the best way to see it. We wouldn’t have understood half as much and the opportunity to ask questions from our guide as we went along was really helpful.
It was a full day over the 2 sites but it made it very easy with a pick up from the hotel, escorted around Auschwitz and Birkenau and returned back to the hotel.

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I agree with the op..we were just going to do it by ourselves...then realised so many people were doing the tour so decided to do it.
You would miss out on so much by not doing it.
It's a place you will never forget in this life time .

[ozzyowl1]

That's great thanks, we'll definitely book the tour x

[Twin mummy]

I educate on trips to Auschwitz and Birkenau and we always have a guide. Oświęcim is a normal Polish town, now overshadowed by Auschwitz, there is a small Jewish museum in the town which is worth a visit. If you are staying there you could go back to Auschwitz yourself, there is much more to see than they can fit in on the tours.

Block 27 in Auschwitz is very moving, it's the block curated by Yad Vashem, the Israeli Holocaust memorial museum to victims of the holocaust. The first room has video footage of pre-war Jewish life. Upstairs at the top is a room with traced drawings made by children during the holocaust (not in Auschwitz as very few children lived longer than a day). yadvashem/yv/en/exhi...z/children.asp
In the last room in the block is the book of names of victims with blank pages for the names we don't know.

Other blocks tell the story of victims from different countries.

In Birkenau ask to see the women's barracks, especially the one with the drawings on the wall. Walk right to the back to look at Canada (where possessions were processed) and the Sauna building, where prisoners were processed.

Personally I'd stay in Krakow and take the train or a taxi to Auschwitz. I'd go to Schindler's factory, deportation Square and the former Jewish district Kazimierz.

My only other point is to prepare for really cold weather in January with snow on the ground. Make sure you have good walking boots.

[Twin mummy]

Oh and one other point as you mentioned January, be mindful that 27th January is HMD and the anniversary of the liberation of the camp so would be very busy.

[Pluto2000]

Prime Tours Krakow absolutely e exceptional. We have recommended then to friends and they have all had fantastic experiences too x Topolowa Residence is fantastic too, nice walk into the town square where all the restaurants are. Also look up Rizenia for food if you like ribs... WOW!

[amarooney]

You definitely want to go on a guided tour. We've used krakowtrip.com three times great service

[pdcdad]

Originally Posted by ozzyowl1

I have it on my Kindle waiting to be read!

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Amazing book really worth the read especially if you then go to auschwitz.

[pooh's gal]

Just my thoughts but, we went on a tour of Auschwitz and it was so emotional it totally wiped me out but from there we went on to the salt mines and I really shouldn't have gone because I was just so affected by Auschwitz and Birkenau that I simply could not appreciate the mines. I just wish I'd done them another day.

[Jet]

Originally Posted by pooh's gal

Just my thoughts but, we went on a tour of Auschwitz and it was so emotional it totally wiped me out but from there we went on to the salt mines and I really shouldn't have gone because I was just so affected by Auschwitz and Birkenau that I simply could not appreciate the mines. I just wish I'd done them another day.

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It's ten years since I last went..but I remember every bit...the photos on the wall...pots and pans...everyday things and then the huts and other things that should never of happened...It really does stay with you forever.

[Twin mummy]

Originally Posted by sully301

i haven't got any suggestions for your trip but i wondered if you'd read the book 'the tattooist of Auschwitz' it might be good to read before you go

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Originally Posted by ozzyowl1

I have it on my Kindle waiting to be read!

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Originally Posted by pdcdad

Amazing book really worth the read especially if you then go to auschwitz.

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I don't mean to be awkward or dismissive but, although a good story, the tattooist of Auschwitz (like many others) is only loosely based on fact, the Auschwitz museum has recently published a post on facebook pointing out all the discrepancies.

I'd highly recommend reading actual testimony rather than fictionalised stories if you want to find out what actually happened during the Holocaust.