Holidays in Poland

teckno

Has anybody ever taken a holiday to Poland and done the Aushwitz Tour. Any information would be great like where to stay and how to book the tour. Sorry to sound morbid but I love history and I have always wanted to see Aushwitz

CherieAmour

I was staying in Krakow and we got 2 trains there. It took about 1 1/2 hours.

There's no tour as such, you just go in and wander around it. There were plenty of coaches in the car park though, so I'm sure if you were with a tour operator that provided accommodation nearby, they would offer the trip. We just made our own way.

Be prepared though, it really left me feeling very upset during and for a long time after visiting it. I've heard plenty of people say they got a bad feeling there and there really is an awful despair in the air.

There are also plenty of idiots posing for photos under the Arbeit Macht Frei sign and other inappropriate places with smiles plastered across their faces. If you feel anything like I did when I was there, you'll want to take their cameras off them and smash them up.

The whole experience was lost on a lot of the visitors who had no respect for where they were. I was affected by it anyway, and it will always be with me.

ro1798

been twice(no i am not sick) was there with 2 sets of peoplein 98 and 2005... first time we got the train direct from the main station in krakow took hour or so annd then bus to to the first site.... it is split in 2 and you can get a taxi between them about 5euro.

second time was weird.. we were in the main station in krakow and we missed a train... some guy was holding tour guides etc and he offered to drive 3 of us there and back and between the 2 camps.. bit hesitant but it worked out great... cost us 50 euro for the day ...

worth seeing if you are in krakow.. and as the last poster said there is a feeling you get as you walk around hard to explain... apparently no birds fly or sing over the second camp.... and when you go you will notice how quiet it is for a countryside....

hope that helps

ronan

Owen

It's a very sad, lonely, and desparate place to visit. I felt a very deep remorse in my stomach throughout, even though I obviously had nothing to do with the place. It took me months to get it out of my head. To the OP, go if you must, but be prepared.

zaratustra

Has anyone been for holidays in Poland.
i was there in this summer in place near to Baltic sea called Miedzyzdroje.
This place is worth visiting. Everything is cheap enough. Accommodation about 20 euro per day, lunch 10 euro included beer (pint of beer 1,5 euro, cigarettes 20's 2 euro )
and very good night life.

xzanti

Travel forum ftw

Gumbyman

Don't go!!

zaratustra

Gumbyman wrote:

Don't go!!

why not?

_blank_

zaratustra wrote:

why not?

The place has more Poles in it than Dublin ffs.

Kintarō Hattori

You couldn't have posted this in the worst place, the Travel and Holidays forum would be much more apt.

To answer your question, yeah I've been there several times, Plock, Warsaw, Zakopane, Morskie Oko, Krakow and Wieliczka ?
It's a great place and I'm going back in about a week for a weekend!

zaratustra

my pictures : http://www.munstermotorbike.com/Forum/viewtopic.php?t=138

biko

I been to Warsaw twice and Zakopane and Auschwitz Birkenau.
All nice, besides the death camp.

zaratustra

Auschwitz Birkenau.???? what you have been there for? is nothing there, very sad place...

Ishmael

Gumbyman wrote:

Don't go!!

Don`t leave me now, now, now
While the sun smiles
Stick around and laugh a while!

nesf

Moved from AH.

Owen

Poland is amazing. I've been to Gdansk, Warsaw, Lodz, Katowice, and in 2 weeks, I'm off again for a week starting in Krakow, down to Zakopane (Which is supposed to be incredible), up to Krakow again, to Lodz, and then to Katowice. Can't wait!

Zakopane :

Baggly

Reval, poznan, warsaw, katovice are all great places to visit.

reval for the beach

poznan for night life

warsaw for the sights

zakopane for the snow in the winter

oh and novy targ has a lovely hospital should you get a concussion while skiing...i speak from personal experience.

zaratustra

katovice for the snow in the winter???

It isn't good idea!!!

Zakopane is good for the snow!

mikedragon32

zaratustra wrote:

Auschwitz Birkenau.???? what you have been there for? is nothing there, very sad place...

???

What the?

Nothing there? Except the biggest memorial to the millions who died in the holocaust. It's not supposed to be fun. It's testament to how barbaric man can be.

zaratustra

mikedragon32 wrote:

???

What the?

Nothing there? Except the biggest memorial to the millions who died in the holocaust. It's not supposed to be fun. It's testament to how barbaric man can be.

I was there years ago. this place only scares me... I just don't like this kind of things.

Tom Dunne

zaratustra wrote:

katovice for the snow in the winter???

It isn't good idea!!!

Zakopane is good for the snow!

You don't by any chance happen to work for the Polish Tourist Board? Is there a Polish Tourist Board?

I was in Warsaw last week for a couple of days. Not the most happening of places, certainly not geared up for tourists.

Thankfully, the hotel had loads in it.

zaratustra

tom dunne wrote:

You don't by any chance happen to work for the Polish Tourist Board? Is there a Polish Tourist Board?

NO, thanks god. They pay 200 euro monthly. Thanks for that

tom dunne wrote:

I was in Warsaw last week for a couple of days. Not the most happening of places, certainly not geared up for tourists.

Thankfully, the hotel had loads in it.

True, I don't like the capitol also. It looks very grey, only Blocks and sad people over there. I prefer Krakow City. Have you been at train station in Warsaw? It's worth to see, looks very Communism.

Kintarō Hattori

ned78 wrote:

Poland is amazing. I've been to Gdansk, Warsaw, Lodz, Katowice, and in 2 weeks, I'm off again for a week starting in Krakow, down to Zakopane (Which is supposed to be incredible), up to Krakow again, to Lodz, and then to Katowice. Can't wait!

Zakopane :

Ned you c'nut!!! I can't believe you haven't been to Zakopane already! It's fantastic. I love the place. I dunno if the market will be there this time of year though. Look out for the river running through the town, it's small, but it's fantastic what they've done with it. Krupowki is the main street and is quite plesant to walk along, plenty of small shops and places to eat. You should take the trip up to Gubałówka, not much to do, but you get a great view over Zakopane and the surrouding area.

If you get a chance and if the trip is still running get your girlfriend to bring you to Dunajec. You can take a trip downriver. On one side you have Poland and on the other you have Slovakia. Just past halfway the Slovakian tour guides have to bring their trip to an end as they'd end up in Poland if they kept going. It's amazing, it's mostly shallow water and as your taking the trip you can see the differences on either side. It's mad to think you could hop out and wade into Slovakia!

One thing though. If you do not visit Morskie Oko I promise I WILL come down to Cork, find you and beat the living daylights out of you. You have to go to Morskie Oko. It's only a few hours outside of Zakopane and transport should be no problem. It's an incredibly beautiful sight.

Repeat after me Ned: 'I have to go to Morskie Oko'.

zaratustra

One thing though. If you do not visit Morskie Oko I promise I WILL come down to Cork, find you and beat the living daylights out of you. You have to go to Morskie Oko. It's only a few hours outside of Zakopane and transport should be no problem.

I love Morskie Oko so much. The Lake on the top of Mountain.

i am just wondering, have you any problem with the
Language when you are on the holidays in Poland?
No too many polish speak english over...

Kintarō Hattori

zaratustra wrote:

I love Morskie Oko so much. The Lake on the top of Mountain.

i am just wondering, have you any problem with the
Language when you are on the holidays in Poland?
No too many polish speak english over...

Well if I didn't have my girlfriend with me I would have a problem!
She's from Plock though so the language isn't a problem!

bittihuduga

where is this photograph from? how is it in winter - jan-feb?

eo980 wrote:

Ned you c'nut!!! I can't believe you haven't been to Zakopane already! It's fantastic. I love the place. I dunno if the market will be there this time of year though. Look out for the river running through the town, it's small, but it's fantastic what they've done with it. Krupowki is the main street and is quite plesant to walk along, plenty of small shops and places to eat. You should take the trip up to Gubałówka, not much to do, but you get a great view over Zakopane and the surrouding area.

If you get a chance and if the trip is still running get your girlfriend to bring you to Dunajec. You can take a trip downriver. On one side you have Poland and on the other you have Slovakia. Just past halfway the Slovakian tour guides have to bring their trip to an end as they'd end up in Poland if they kept going. It's amazing, it's mostly shallow water and as your taking the trip you can see the differences on either side. It's mad to think you could hop out and wade into Slovakia!

One thing though. If you do not visit Morskie Oko I promise I WILL come down to Cork, find you and beat the living daylights out of you. You have to go to Morskie Oko. It's only a few hours outside of Zakopane and transport should be no problem. It's an incredibly beautiful sight.

Repeat after me Ned: 'I have to go to Morskie Oko'.

spurious

The salt mines in Wieliczka are worth a visit.

Auschwitz-Birkenau is a must-see. If you are up Gdansk way, the remains of the camp at Sztutowo (Stutthof) are interesting. The same thing as Auschwitz, but not 'officially' a Vernichtungslager (extermination camp).

Kintarō Hattori

bittihuduga wrote:

where is this photograph from? how is it in winter - jan-feb?

It's from a town about 100km south of Krakow. I don't know what it's like during those months as I've only been there during the summer.

anthony4335

Zakopane nice enough place, but a for a skiing holiday its very poor. All the slopes seem to be indepentant of one another. OK for starting off, but anything else is a waste of time. As for the town it is nice with a good night life. The locals go a little crasy ,but generally seem good for a laugh.

dixiefly

ned78 wrote:

Poland is amazing. I've been to Gdansk, Warsaw, Lodz, Katowice, and in 2 weeks, I'm off again for a week starting in Krakow, down to Zakopane (Which is supposed to be incredible), up to Krakow again, to Lodz, and then to Katowice. Can't wait!

Zakopane :

I've been to Lodz several times with work. Maybe I didnt see it all but it was pretty drab. Warsaw is ok, old part of the town is nice. I hear good stories about Krakow. All in all, would not be high on my travel priority list. There are so many places around and so little time to do it. When you have kids you have to pick and choose your travel destinations more.

Kintarō Hattori

dixiefly wrote:

I've been to Lodz several times with work. Maybe I didnt see it all but it was pretty drab. Warsaw is ok, old part of the town is nice. I hear good stories about Krakow. All in all, would not be high on my travel priority list. There are so many places around and so little time to do it. When you have kids you have to pick and choose your travel destinations more.

Lodz IS possibly the most drab and depressing place on the planet, it wuldn't give you a good or accurate impression of what the rest of poland is like.

-splatto-

Was there in june.Our hostel in Krakow booked it all for us,a bus collected us at the door,brought us there,provided us with a guided tour and brought us back,i'm sure most hostels/hotels do the same.
I must say,I hope that this isn't taken the wrong way but I was dissapointed with it.Ofcourse,the place is very upsetting but I felt that our Tour guide ruined it for us and it was as if she was the one showing dissrespect rather then tourists.
She was Dutch and had very poor English,it was if everything she said to us had just simply been learned off and when we would ask her to elaborate on certain things she didnt seem to know anything,she whisked us threw the Gas chambers in Aushwitz 1 without even mentioning what they were.
Then when we went up to Birkenhau,thunder and lightning started after 15 minutes and the whole tour was cancelled without a word of explanation other then she didn't want to get wet.
I was in Dachau a few years ago and we had a young South African student as a tour guide and he was excellent,really knew his stuff.Although,the things that happened in Dachau were not half as bad as Aufshwitz,I found it a much more upsetting place,mainly because of the information our tour guide was giving us.

BuffyBot

I've merged these to holidays in Poland threads together

Jrad

I was there and krakow is f*cking awful, but salt mines and concentration camp good. Poles are w@nkers though, not a single decent soul in that whole wretched country.

Also in concentration camp its a strange set up, you get there have a burger and chips in the shop and then walk around looking at pictures and locations of Jew extermination, its charming!

Kintarō Hattori

Jrad wrote:

I was there and krakow is f*cking awful, but salt mines and concentration camp good. Poles are w@nkers though, not a single decent soul in that whole wretched country.

That's a VERY strong statement to be making about a country of 40 million people.

BuffyBot

Jrad, take some time off. PM me when your time is up.

If you want to generalise in a negative way about entire nations, then do it elsewhere.

-splatto-

The Polish people are great!We were inter-railing this summer and found that the Polish people in Krakow were the most welcoming!Every night,just random people came up to us in the street and asked us did we know where to go and would bring us off to good pubs and Nightclubs!The people working in shops and restaurants were the most polite out of anywhere in Europe!To us it seemed as though they were just happy to see tourists as there didnt seem to be many around!

RoundyMooney

Cracow (Krakow?) is far from awful, in fact it would be my city of choice if and when I visit Poland again (I may be back in November as it happens).

As others have said, the salt mines are superb, and Auschwitz/Birkenhau (Oswiecim) has to be seen. I didn't experience any irreverent behaviour there, and the tour guide was excellent, gave a thought provoking tour, and was willing to answer any questions we put to her.

I have never experienced trouble anywhere in Poland, but in fact found the locals as friendly as you could hope to meet.

Taxis are fine for getting around, as long as a price is agreed. Larger parties will prove more economical if you choose to get around this way. When in Krakow, we took two day trips, one to the mines and one to the camp and hired mercedes limos both times for small money. The cars were at our disposal (nine in our group) for the day and the drivers were happy to wait around for us.

cailinoBAC

I don't understand how anybody could call Krakow 'awful', even if they didn't fall in love with the place. I've been there twice and I would go there again. Really nice atmosphere in the main square in the summer.
Being there twice, with two separate groups of people has meant that I've also been to Auschwitz twice, which was quite harrowing. I had to go a second time though, because the first time we had a French speaking guide and I didn't understand everything. Some people prefer to walk about by themselves but I recommend the guided tour.
The second time I went to Zakopane for a few days. It was spur of the moment and we arrived at midnight with nowhere to stay. We ended up staying in this hostel that my friends said looked like the hotel from the shining, and the rooms seemed to belong in a military institute. But it was only €4 a night, so couldn't complain! There is a lot of hillwalking to be done, but we weren't there long enough. We took the funicular up and had a few goes on the summer bobsleigh, came across some kind of assault course where the guy didn't speak much English but we managed. After we were finished he offered to give us a lift down but we wanted to walk down.
Most of the people we dealt with were friendly, maybe not always in service industry, but that's to be expected really.

Tha Gopher

eo980 wrote:

You couldn't have posted this in the worst place

A bit over dramatic no?

Dont know if i would be interested, for starters it doesnt seem to have marketed itself near as much as Prague, Slovakia, Riga and Bulgaria so Im not surprised there werent many tourists around.

-splatto- wrote:

She was Dutch and had very poor English

I didnt think such a thing existed Most Dutch people seem to know more English than Dutch, they are the only race whos mother tongue isnt English that Ive frequently seen talk to each other in English.

Kintarō Hattori

Tha Gopher wrote:

A bit over dramatic no?

Not particuarly no. The OP had originally posted this in After Hours and when I made that comment the thread was still in After Hours. It was hardly the best place to post about holidaying in Poland, wouldn't the Travel and Holidays forum have been much better?

Does that clear up the light in which my comment was posted?

zaratustra

Jrad wrote:

I was there and krakow is f*cking awful, but salt mines and concentration camp good. Poles are w@nkers though, not a single decent soul in that whole wretched country.

Also in concentration camp its a strange set up, you get there have a burger and chips in the shop and then walk around looking at pictures and locations of Jew extermination, its charming!

i don't know why you've tolerance for this kind of people on the forum?
i am polish myself and i won't say about myself w@nker!

Owen

eo980 wrote:

One thing though. If you do not visit Morskie Oko I promise I WILL come down to Cork, find you and beat the living daylights out of you. You have to go to Morskie Oko. It's only a few hours outside of Zakopane and transport should be no problem. It's an incredibly beautiful sight.

Repeat after me Ned: 'I have to go to Morskie Oko'.

PMSL, this boards friendship of ours is turning violent. I'm off to the Shooting forum to get some backup! Well, this will be the second time I've been to Poland this year, and next year we'll have 2/3 trips again. I'm really looking forward to Zakopane, but I'll have to ask herself about this Morskie Oko of yours. Our trip this time is timed to military precision, with the amount of driving/cities involved, but we might do it the next time!

Cheers for the heads up eo980!

Kintarō Hattori

ned78 wrote:

PMSL, this boards friendship of ours is turning violent. I'm off to the Shooting forum to get some backup! Well, this will be the second time I've been to Poland this year, and next year we'll have 2/3 trips again. I'm really looking forward to Zakopane, but I'll have to ask herself about this Morskie Oko of yours. Our trip this time is timed to military precision, with the amount of driving/cities involved, but we might do it the next time!

Cheers for the heads up eo980!

I'm actually wailing here Ned, you don't know what your missing out on! You'll be within a whisker of one of the most amazing sights in Poland. The 'Eye of the Sea'...... an amazing place. If you miss it this time you simply have to see it next year and anywhooooo Zakopane is a quality place!

The pic below is from when we were there in 2005 and it doesn't do the place justice.