Krakow and Prague-one week
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Krakow and Prague-one week
Mid-Oct. we are flying into Krakow late afternoon Friday and flying out of Prague Thursday evening. Suggestions on how to spend the time greatly appreciated. We would like to go to Auschwitz and Terezin.
Tours/tour guides/accommodations and anything else please. Two 67 year olds, well-traveled, good physical condition.
Tours/tour guides/accommodations and anything else please. Two 67 year olds, well-traveled, good physical condition.
#4
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While in Krakow, hop on a local train to Wieliczka (dirt cheap ticket, slow local train, no reservations etc., about 20 minutes); from the Wieliczka stop walk a couple of hundred yards to the salt mines, stand in line for a ticket, tell the agent which language group you wish to join (no individual entries), stand by the relevant flag, and soon your group will be guided down into this amazing wonderland. No need for a "tour" they try to sell you in Krakow.
See www.wieliczka-saltmine.com
For the concentration camps a tour is best.
See www.wieliczka-saltmine.com
For the concentration camps a tour is best.
#5
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I didn't visit Terezin, but did spend a day at Auschwitz / Birkenau, and would strongly recommend taking a guided tour from Krakow. As I'm sure you realize, it can be a very emotional experience, so I would not have wanted to drive or even try to manage public transportation afterwards. I also planned on a very quiet evening, and again, am glad I did so.
While in Krakow, do consider making time for the <i>Lady with an Ermine</i> -- she is very special.
FWIW, I would have found it difficult to fit both Krakow and Prague into the same 6 days -- plan your priorities accordingly!
While in Krakow, do consider making time for the <i>Lady with an Ermine</i> -- she is very special.
FWIW, I would have found it difficult to fit both Krakow and Prague into the same 6 days -- plan your priorities accordingly!
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In Your Pocket is an excellent guidebook. For tours, I just used Viator and took one that appealed to me, it was good.
How much do you want to spend? I've stayed at the Pod Roza a couple times and really like it a lot. It's very near the main square, very convenient location. I've also stayed at the Hotel Grodek which I really liked a lot also. It's more expensive but had a really good included buffet breakfast. I think the Pod Roza did, also, now that I think of it, I like their Old World Style.
How much do you want to spend? I've stayed at the Pod Roza a couple times and really like it a lot. It's very near the main square, very convenient location. I've also stayed at the Hotel Grodek which I really liked a lot also. It's more expensive but had a really good included buffet breakfast. I think the Pod Roza did, also, now that I think of it, I like their Old World Style.
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Prague nd Krakow (esp Krakow) are cheap cities and mid october if off season.
You can find good hotels for much less than in western Europe
Krakow I recommend :
Hotel 4 stars for about 100 €/night : Unicus
Appartment (on the place) Venetian house : 50 € - lovely.
Prague I recommend (both close to Republik Namesty, both 4* both about 100 €/night) :
Paris (great)
King Courts (real great)
You can find good hotels for much less than in western Europe
Krakow I recommend :
Hotel 4 stars for about 100 €/night : Unicus
Appartment (on the place) Venetian house : 50 € - lovely.
Prague I recommend (both close to Republik Namesty, both 4* both about 100 €/night) :
Paris (great)
King Courts (real great)
#12
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In Krakow, I really liked the vodka at Szambelan.
Tours to Oswiecjm are available everywhere but aren't fully necessary. Visitors cannot walk around Auschwitz on their own - all entries are guided tours and you can join a group when you arrive at the information center. When you're on the tour, see just how much the guides implicitly de-emphasize how the Holocaust targeted Jews. The cheeriest place is the gallows upon which the Allies hung Rudolf Hoess.
Birkenau (aka Auschwitz II) is where you'll see the Gate of Death. Tourists will clamber into and around the gatehouse like zoo monkeys. The barracks in Birkenau and its size will have the most impact. You can google transit from one to the other if you don't choose a tour. Our tour left entirely too little time for Birkenau.
Terezin is a completely different facility. It's also more immediate than Auschwitz I because you can enter the claustrophobic bunk rooms and obtain more of a feel of conditions. Plus you'll learn how the Nazis used it to dupe the Red Cross. The facility is also more intact than Birkenau, which had much of its buildings razed after the Soviets liberated it.
Tours to Oswiecjm are available everywhere but aren't fully necessary. Visitors cannot walk around Auschwitz on their own - all entries are guided tours and you can join a group when you arrive at the information center. When you're on the tour, see just how much the guides implicitly de-emphasize how the Holocaust targeted Jews. The cheeriest place is the gallows upon which the Allies hung Rudolf Hoess.
Birkenau (aka Auschwitz II) is where you'll see the Gate of Death. Tourists will clamber into and around the gatehouse like zoo monkeys. The barracks in Birkenau and its size will have the most impact. You can google transit from one to the other if you don't choose a tour. Our tour left entirely too little time for Birkenau.
Terezin is a completely different facility. It's also more immediate than Auschwitz I because you can enter the claustrophobic bunk rooms and obtain more of a feel of conditions. Plus you'll learn how the Nazis used it to dupe the Red Cross. The facility is also more intact than Birkenau, which had much of its buildings razed after the Soviets liberated it.
#13
Our hotel arranged our small group transportation and tour to Auschwitz. They also arranged private airport transfers at the same cost as a taxi.
The hotel was a few blocks off of the main square and very quiet. Amber Boutique Hotel. It is two connected townhouses, one section is three star and the other four star. Very helpful front desk. Reasonable prices.
The hotel was a few blocks off of the main square and very quiet. Amber Boutique Hotel. It is two connected townhouses, one section is three star and the other four star. Very helpful front desk. Reasonable prices.
#14
In Krakow we stayed at Hotel Pugetow and liked it a lot. Had tried to book their sister hotel, the Hotel Grodek, but they were full. However, we did stop for a drink there, and if I were to stay right in the center that would be my preferred location as it is a little bit hidden/tucked away but still very central.
http://www.donimirski.com/en/hotel-pugetow-page-73678
http://www.donimirski.com/en/hotel-pugetow-page-73678
#15
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There are easy-to-take and very affordable day trips from Warsaw to Auschwitz / Birkenau. If they differ in length, take the longer one, as the shorter ones don't give people much time at Birkenau (as BigRuss just noted). I was very glad to take a tour, as I was much too powerfully effected by the experience of these camps to have wanted to try managing driving or public transportation on my own, and frankly, I didn't want to re-orient to the world quickly enough to do so -- I wanted the time to reflect on my experiences while they were still very fresh. And it seems that everyone on my tour felt similarly, as the bus was remarkably hushed the entire way back, even though it was full with people who had been quite chatty on the way there.
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In Krakow, you might consider taking a ride into Nova Huta, a socialist planned community begun in the 1950s. The church built there was the product of the persistent struggle of the priest who would eventually become Pope.
#18
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Virginiafish,
I am hoping to do this itinerary in November..Praque and Krakow. I would love to know how you are getting to both places..train to Praque?
I will be flying from Boston and I am having hard time figuring out itinerary. Would love to know more.
JJ
I am hoping to do this itinerary in November..Praque and Krakow. I would love to know how you are getting to both places..train to Praque?
I will be flying from Boston and I am having hard time figuring out itinerary. Would love to know more.
JJ
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