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Visiting Auschwitz – How to Plan the Auschwitz Tour

Visiting Auschwitz, albeit a very somber experience, is one of the must things to do in Poland. The largest Nazi Germany concentration and extermination camp during World War II, where over 1,3 million people lost their lives, needs no introduction. Conveniently located near Krakow , Auschwitz can be an easy addition to your Poland itinerary.

It took me almost 37 years to finally visit Auschwitz (although I’ve been to other Nazi Germany camps in Poland), and even if I knew very well what to expect, the place still overwhelmed me with its cruelty and tragedy. And I think everyone should plan a trip to Auschwitz to understand history better and see what people are capable of when the ideology brainwashes them. And, of course, to pay respect to all the unnecessary victims. It’s important to visit places like Auschwitz so we can do our best to prevent similar tragedies from happening in the future.

If you are visiting Poland (especially Krakow , Warsaw , Katowice , or Wroclaw ), I prepared this guide to help you plan your Auschwitz tour without too much hassle. There are different ways to visit Auschwitz, but no matter which one you choose, be prepared for one of the most difficult yet necessary travel experiences of your life.

Table of Contents

Where is Auschwitz

The former Nazi Germany Concentration Camp, Auschwitz-Birkenau, is located in a town of around 37.000 inhabitants called Oświęcim in southern Poland. Krakow is less than 70 km away, and Katowice is 35 km away. Warsaw, the capital of Poland, is around 330 km away from Oświęcim.

A brief history of Auschwitz

Even if Auschwitz is known mainly as the extermination camp, it was established as a concentration camp in mid-1940. It was one of over 40 camps in Poland that were supposed to be a solution to the problem of overflowing prisons full of arrested locals. The first people were brought to Auschwitz on June 14th, 1940, from the prison in Tarnow.

Since 1942 Auschwitz has also been used as the extermination camp where Nazis implemented their plan to murder Jewish people from all over Europe. At the peak of its operation, in 1944, Auschwitz was divided into three parts: Auschwitz I (the oldest one, in the old Polish military barracks), Auschwitz II-Birkenau (the largest one, founded in 1941, the majority of victims were killed here), and Auschwitz III (this was a group of over 40 sub-camps created near industrial plants, made for work prisoners).

Numerous Polish villages were demolished, and locals were evicted to develop such a large institution. The camps were isolated from the outside world. The total area was around 40 square kilometers, including all three Auschwitz camps and the so-called “interest zone” used for the technical or supply background, offices, and barracks for Nazis.

Since Auschwitz had a strategic location on the front line, in August 1944, the camp’s liquidation began – the prisoners were taken to Germany, and the evidence of the crimes was covered up. The liberation of Auschwitz took place on January 27th, 1945, when around 7,5 thousand prisoners were still held there.

Altogether, in the almost four years of operation, over 1,3 million people lost their lives in Auschwitz; the majority were Jewish (around 1,1 million), but also Polish (about 150 hundred thousand), Roma people (23 thousand), and other nations.

In 1979 Auschwitz was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List – it is the only former Nazi concentration camp with that title in the world.

How to visit Auschwitz

You can visit Auschwitz two ways: with a tour from where you are staying in Poland (most likely Krakow, Katowice, Warsaw, or Wroclaw) or independently, reaching the site by car or using public transport. Both options are doable; however, the tour is a slightly better one as everything will be taken care of for you.

There is a wide selection of tours to choose from that depart from Krakow as well as other mentioned cities. Most of them cover more or less the same things: pick-up from your accommodation, transportation to/from Auschwitz and back, the entrance ticket to the concentration camp, and the guided tour on-site.

When I visited Auschwitz, I arrived by train from Warsaw, with the change in Katowice. I was at the museum almost an hour before my guided tour of the site was supposed to start, and despite the poor weather (it was raining on that day), there was no place to hide and wait for the tour. Visitors were not allowed to enter the museum until a few minutes before the tour was about to start. Me and a few other unlucky visitors just stood near the trees, hiding under the umbrella and waiting for our time to enter the site. I can’t say it was a comfortable situation (but at least the weather worked perfectly well for such a sad place to visit). Recently, a new visitors center was opened so hopefully the situation is better.

When using public transport, you need to rely on the schedule of trains/buses and, just in case, plan to be at the site with some extra time ahead; hence a tour is a better option. Still, visiting Auschwitz is doable independently – I did it, and once the tour of the site started, it was really good.

Visiting Auschwitz – practical information

Visiting Auschwitz memorial site is free of charge; however, I recommend joining the tour with the educator provided by the museum. They have a huge knowledge of the place and the tragedy that occurred here and can answer all the questions visitors always have. Tours are available in various languages: Polish, English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Russian, Czech, and Slovak.

Even if you decide to visit the site independently, you still need to book the entry pass – those with free entrance start in the afternoon. You can buy/reserve your ticket online at the website of Auschwitz Museum here.

Currently, the price for the tour with the educator is 80 PLN for Polish and 90 PLN for other languages. When booking the ticket, you must state your full name and surname – this will be checked later.

Since tickets can sell out quickly, booking one at least a month in advance is recommended. If there are no tickets left for the day you want to visit Auschwitz, you can join the organized tour from Krakow or other cities, as tour operators usually have tickets booked in advance. Due to the sensitive nature of the place, children under 14 years old should not visit Auschwitz Museum.

Once you have your ticket, you need to arrive at the Auschwitz visitors center 30 minutes before your tour starts to go through the security check (it’s rather thorough, similar to the airport), have your ticket inspected (remember to have the ID or passport with you), get the headset for the tour and meet your group. You are allowed to have a bag or backpack with a maximum dimension of 30x20x10 cm; any larger luggage must be left in the paid lockers.

Auschwitz Museum is open every day except January 1st, December 25th, and Easter Sunday. Opening hours vary depending on the month and are as follows:

• 7:30-14:00 in December
• 7:30-15:00 in January and November
• 7:30-16:00 in February
• 7:30-17:00 in March and October
• 7:30-18:00 in April, May, and September
• 7:30-19:00 in June, July, and August

The closing time means the last entrance – after that, you are allowed to stay on-site for an hour and a half. However, if you want to see Auschwitz Museum properly, you need at least 3,5 hours for that – that’s also how long the standard tour with the educator lasts. It is usually divided equally between Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II- Birkenau. A free shuttle bus runs between the two sites every few minutes.

Taking pictures and making videos is allowed in Auschwitz, for individual use, except in two places: the hall with the hair of Victims (block nr 4) and the basements of Block 11. Your educator will remind you not to take pictures there.

Remember what sort of place you are visiting and behave there with respect. It might be obvious for most, but I can’t count how many times I’ve read news about inappropriate behavior in Auschwitz and other similar sites in Poland, so I think it’s worth reminding this is not your typical tourist attraction but a place of one of the greatest tragedy that ever happened in the world.

Getting to Auschwitz independently

If you decide to visit Auschwitz on your own, you must get to the visitors’ center, where your tour will start. The new visitors center, which opened just recently, is located at 55 Więźniów Oświęcimia Street in Oświęcim ( here is the exact location ). If you drive there, there is a large parking lot where you can leave your car before visiting the museum.

If you use public transport, there are both trains and buses you can take to reach Oświęcim. I recommend trains as they are slightly faster and more comfortable; however, some buses stop next to the museum, so that’s convenient. You can check all the connections on this website , where you can also find the location of the bus stop in Oświęcim (there can be three different ones).

The train station in Oświęcim is located at Powstańców Śląskich Street, some 20 minutes walking from the Auschwitz museum. It’s a straightforward way; you can check the map with the directions here . I recommend catching the train that gives you at least an hour between arriving at Oświęcim and when your tour starts.

Auschwitz tour from Krakow

Numerous Auschwitz tours depart from Krakow, so you will easily find the one that suits your itinerary and needs. Here are some recommended ones:

• Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum and Memorial Guided Tour from Krakow
• Auschwitz & Birkenau – Fully Guided Tour from Krakow
• Auschwitz-Birkenau Guided Tour with Private Transport from Kraków
• Auschwitz-Birkenau Guided Tour by Private Transport from Krakow

You can also combine visiting Auschwitz with Wieliczka Salt Mine , another UNESCO-listed site near Krakow and a must-visit place in Poland. Here are the tours that go to both places in one day:

• Day Trip to Auschwitz-Birkenau and Wieliczka Salt Mine from Krakow including Lunch
• Full-Day Tour of Auschwitz and Wieliczka Salt Mine from Krakow
• Auschwitz-Birkenau and Salt Mine Tour with private transport from Krakow
• Combined: Auschwitz Birkenau and Salt Mine private chauffeur from Krakow

If you decide to go to Auschwitz from Krakow on your own, you can take the train from the main train station to Oświęcim. They are rather frequent, more or less every hour, and the journey takes a bit over an hour (depending on the connection, the longest one is 1h20min).

If you want to take the bus, they depart from the MDA bus station, next to the main train station. The price for trains and buses is similar, between 15 and 20 PLN, although trains tend to be cheaper and faster. You can check all the connections and buy a ticket here .

Auschwitz tour from Warsaw

Even if Warsaw, the capital of Poland, is located over 300 km away from Oświęcim, it is possible to go for a one-day Auschwitz tour. However, you can expect a long day, and a large part of it will be spent traveling. But if you are visiting Warsaw only, Auschwitz can be a good addition to your Poland itinerary, so you can better understand the country’s complex history.

Here are some of the recommended Auschwitz tours from Warsaw:

• From Warsaw Auschwitz and Krakow one day tour by train with pick up and drop off
• One day tour to Auschwitz-Birkenau from Warsaw with private transport

Going for the day trip from Warsaw to Auschwitz independently is also possible using trains. You can take the 6 am train to Katowice and then change for the train to Oświęcim, arriving in the town around 10:30. If you decide to do that, you can book your Auschwitz tour for 11:30 or 12:00. On the way back, you can catch the train after 16:00 from Oświęcim to Katowice, and after changing for the train to Warsaw, you will be in the capital after 20:00.

Auschwitz tour from Katowice

Since Katowice is less than 40 km from Auschwitz, it’s easy to go for a day trip. You need to take the local train to Oświęcim, it takes less than 50 minutes, and the connections are more or less every hour.

Or you can go for a tour, here are the Auschwitz tours from Katowice:

• Auschwitz – Birkenau from Katowice
• Auschwitz & Birkenau English guided tour by private transport from Katowice
• Auschwitz tour from Wroclaw

Wroclaw is another popular place to visit in Poland, and since it’s located around 230 km from Oświęcim, you can go for an Auschwitz tour from Wroclaw too. If you decide to do it independently, you can take the train to Katowice and then change for the local train to Oświęcim. A one-way trip should take you less than 4 hours.

Or you can go for a tour; here are the recommended ones from Wroclaw:

• Auschwitz-Birkenau Tour from Wrocław
• Private Full-Day Tour to Auschwitz-Birkenau from Wroclaw

Auschwitz Museum Tour

As for the museum itself, here is what you can expect.

You will start in the oldest part of the concentration camp – Auschwitz I, where the infamous gate with the sign “Arbeit macht frei” (meaning “Work Sets You Free”) is located. Here, you will visit numerous barracks where inmates were kept – now you can see different exhibitions there, showing the reality of Auschwitz and halls with personal belongings taken from arriving prisoners – luggage, shoes, glasses, etc., or hair of Victims. You will learn all about cruel practices here, including medical experiments or torture.

Visiting this part of Auschwitz museum is a very somber experience, and it’s really difficult to comprehend the tragedy that happened in this very place.

Besides the barracks in Auschwitz I, you will also see where the camp commander lived or the first crematorium where Nazis started their experiments with killing using gas. In this part of the Auschwitz tour, you can take pictures everywhere except the two places in Blocks 4 and 11 – they will be clearly marked, and your educator will remind you about this restriction.

The visit to Auschwitz I takes around 1,5 hours. Afterward, together with your group and educator, you will take the shuttle bus to Auschwitz II-Birkenau, located some 3 km away.

Auschwitz II-Birkenau is where around 90% of victims died. It is a huge area that worked kind of like the killing factory, with four gas chambers and crematoriums. This is also where most prisoners arrived – you most likely know the view of the railway tracks and brick gate – that’s Auschwitz II-Birkenau. This part of the visit is mostly outdoors.

You will walk around the area, see the remnants of the camp, visit some barracks inside, and learn all about the horrific tragedy that happened here. When Auschwitz I has a more intimate, even claustrophobic feeling, Auschwitz II-Birkenau can overwhelm you with its scale and enormity.

You will spend around 1,5 hours here, too; afterward, you can take the shuttle bus back to the visitors center when you started your tour.

Final thoughts on visiting Auschwitz

Even though I’ve lived in Poland almost my whole life, and Auschwitz has been a familiar topic since I remember, it took me nearly 37 years to finally visit the place. Before I was in different Nazi Germany sites in Poland, mostly in Majdanek in Lublin, so I didn’t feel the need to visit Auschwitz too. But I don’t regret the decision to go there eventually.

You can read and learn about the place, but nothing can prepare you for visiting Auschwitz. Some areas look familiar (after all, pictures of the “Arbeit macht frei” sign or Birkenau gate are present everywhere), but you will still be overwhelmed by the place and seeing it in real life. It’s hard to comprehend the cruelty and tragedy that happened here, and dealing with all the thoughts invading your mind afterward can take a while. It can be one of the most difficult-to-understand places you will ever visit.

Still, despite it all, I think everyone should go to Auschwitz to see where fanaticism and totalitarianism can lead and why we should avoid them at all costs.

Travel Resources

You can find the best accommodation options at Booking . They have many discounts and excellent customer service. Click here to look for the place to stay in Poland

Never travel without travel insurance , you never know what might happen and better safe than sorry. You can check the insurance policy for Poland here.

I recommend joining organized tours to get to know the place better and to visit more places during your trip. You can find a great selection of tours at Get Your Guide – click here .

For the end I left a few announcements that might interest you:

• Sign up to my newsletter or follow me on Bloglovin to get updates about the new posts
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• I’ve included a few handy links of services and products I personally like and use so you can plan your own trip to Poland too. They are often affiliate links. This means I will get a small commission if you book/purchase anything through my links, at no extra costs for you. Thank you!

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Kami and the rest of the world

What to expect on your visit to Auschwitz

A couple of years ago, my girlfriend and I were hostelling our way through central Europe. We’d made it to Berlin, which is a little like those crossroads in movies, the ones with a dozen signs pointing in every possible direction.

There were too many choices as to what to do next. We could head north into Denmark, west to the Netherlands and Belgium, or south into the Czech Republic.

“What about Poland?” my girlfriend said. “We could see Auschwitz.”

The drive from Krakow

A couple of days later I was bouncing along in a small bus through the green lanes of southern Poland, just outside Krakow. The driver didn’t speak any English, nor did the other four sullen Poles on board. When we mentioned the word Auschwitz the driver just grunted and gestured to the seats.

The drive from Krakow to the old camp doesn’t take long. After thirty minutes we stopped on a road like any other road. A few of us got off and the bus rumbled away. Opposite was a shady boulevard lined with birch and oak trees. Glance up and you could just make out the red bricks and roofs of Auschwitz I, the original camp built by Polish political prisoners in the early 1940s.

Auschwitz I. Image Thomas Hee, Flickr

Auschwitz I

On busy days, over 30,000 tourists will walk through the grounds of Auschwitz. Dozens and dozens of tours run simultaneously through the old camp and Birkenau, a few minutes down the road. As such, they run a pretty efficient ship. When you arrive you sign up for a tour time and are equipped with a pass, headset and radio. Your guide has a microphone and a transmitter, so all you need to do is tune in to their frequency. You begin where so many prisoners once did, beneath the rusted metal words “Arbeit macht frei” (work makes you free).

The next few hours are hard to describe. Your guide leads you through the avenues and neat brick houses of Auschwitz I. There are bare dormitories, old corridors, chilly parade grounds and – everywhere – double lines of razor wire poles, each equally spaced from its neighbour, and arched in a candy cane curve.

Image c/o Monica Kelly, Flickr

In every room, rows and rows of faces stare out from the walls: old prisoner profiles in black and white. Most look blank and empty; they portray nothing. But studying them is worth the price of admission alone. You could look at the eyes for hours, searching for a glimmer of hope, a pang of fear or a hint of determination. You can’t help but wonder what they were thinking.

Your guide says, “Three weeks after these were taken, all these people were dead.”

Every piece of the place has a story attached. Here a room, three feet by three feet, where four men were made to stand in the dark until they died. There the square outside notorious Block 11, the prison within a prison, where inmates were routinely executed against a brick wall. The house of the camp commandant, Rudolf Hoss, and the gallows where he was executed by the Allies in 1947. The gas chambers, the piles of hair, glasses, shoes… children’s toys.

The fields of Birkenau. Image Mattia Panciroli, Flickr

Tourism in Auschwitz has attracted some criticism in recent years (the alleged ‘death tourism’) but I don’t really buy into it. You can criticise the actions of individuals, sure, but I think educating and illuminating future generations on one of the darkest times in human history can only be a good thing. Just like Winston Churchill said: “Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.”

After the original camp, the tour moves to Birkenau, which is an experience in itself. The close streets and heaviness of Auschwitz I are replaced by acres of grass, clear skies and two parallel railway tracks that come to an ominous, and very final, stop. There’s a warped tranquillity in Birkenau. Yellow wildflowers grow beneath the guard towers. You can see nearby villages and rolling hills. There’s the warble of distant birdsong. It’s hard to imagine that up to 20,000 people per day were killed and burned here. Apparently the nearby residents, the ones who hadn’t been rounded up in the first few years of Nazi occupation, could see and smell the smoke for miles. They slept with the distant glow of the ovens outside their window.

Image c/o Nick Perrone, Flickr

A visit to Auchwitz is the difference between reading the music and hearing it played. You can read about the horrors that happened there, watch documentaries that give you all the facts, but until you stand in the gas chambers, hear the eerie silence around the ash pools of Birkenau and see the dusty wooden bunks where prisoners would huddle together – you won’t understand it.

At the end of the tour you’re left standing outside the red brick main entrance to Birkenau. I remember thinking how quiet the place was. Even with so many people in it. there was so much silence in that place.

Travellers can visit Auschwitz on some of our trips through Poland . All entry fees to the World Heritage Site go towards preserving the camp for future generations. 

Feature image c/o Matti Panciroli, Flickr 

Feeling inspired?

James Shackell

I was born in 1987 and aged from there. I like the sound of pop-rocks and dislike the sound of styrofoam. The length of my forearm is approximately the same as the length of my shin. My favourite Beatle is Ringo. I believe that junk food tastes so good because it’s bad for you and that your parents did the best job they knew how to do. If Johnny Cash wrote a song about my travels it would be called ‘I’ve been to several places but still have many other destinations on my to-do list, man’. Sometimes I have trouble finishing sen

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auschwitz without a guide. possible? - Krakow Forum

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auschwitz without a guide. possible?

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I want to visit auschwitz and make a vlog. I've been there twice before so would rather do it without a guide. the website onlynlers you book with a guide. is there any way to visit without?

Yes there is.

You can get a bus, private transfer to auschwitz a d go in without a guide.

Be sensitive with your vlog, it’s not really a place for vlogs to be honest.

It should be treated with the respect it deserves.

SIGHTSEEING WITHOUT AN EDUCATOR-GUIDE

Visiting without an educator-guide is possible at certain times on the basis of free admission cards, which can be downloaded in the visit booking system:

January, November: from 1.00 p.m.

February: from 2.00 p.m.

March, October: from 3.00 p.m.

April, May, September: from 4.00 p.m.

June-August: from 4.00 p.m.

December: from 12.00 p.m.

On the following dates, entry to the Museum grounds is possible only with an educator-guide:

January, November: from 8.00 to 13.00

February: from 8.00 to 14.00

March, October: from 8.00 to 15.00

April, May, September: from 8.00 to 16.00

June-August: from 8.00 to 16.00

December: from 8.00 to 12.00

You are wrong saying website onlynlers you book with a guide. Just select time slot without 'language'

It will be done with the utmost respect. I've already done vlogs at terezin, Lodz and ravensbruck.

The rule is no video or photography is allowed for commercial use without permission.

This topic has been closed to new posts due to inactivity.

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Tours & Trips including Auschwitz 2024/2025

Find the right tour for you through Auschwitz. We've got 107 adventures going to Auschwitz, starting from just 3 days in length, and the longest tour is 28 days. The most popular month to go is August, which has the largest number of tour departures.

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107 auschwitz tour packages with 1,132 reviews.

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Krakow, Auschwitz & Wieliczka Salt Mine - 4 Days

What an amazing tour! Krakow is indeed a beautiful, historic city - however, it was mainly thanks to our guide Seweryn we enjoyed it so much! He took care about everything (accommodation; day tours; recommended us some places to eat; organized us a free museum tour) and he was always kind, passionate and organized. We'll be back! ;)

Krakow & Auschwitz

I felt like I was the only person involved in this "group" tour. When I booked this I was under the impression I would be with a group. I never met a consistent guide or any other consistent person on the same activities. It seemed like the accommodations and tours were arranged for me through TourRadar/Euroadventures. But quite honestly, I could have done that myself with better accommodations.

Krakow, Auschwitz, Enamel Factory & Wieliczka Salt Mine - 4 Days

The people of Krakow were wonderful, the food was delightful, the historical sights were stunning, and my tour guide Seweryn Osowki was one of the most attentive and engaging guides I have experienced. All of the arrangements were made and he made me feel at home in his country. When I make a trip back to Poland, I plan to book with him again and will definitely recommend him to all my friends.

• Coach / Bus

Highlights of Southern Poland

The Poland tour was excellent! The group leader Beata was awesome and all guidance, planning and itinerary was wonderful. Totally recommended!!

• Sightseeing

Pearls of Poland (for couples)

Kuba was extremely knowledgeable and contributed considerably to our understanding and enjoyment of the spots we saw. He was sensitive to my mother's special needs and programmed stops in the tour so she could rest. He also showed up on our final day with special Polish donuts for us to enjoy -- a thoughtful and very sweet gesture. We recommend Kuba highly!

Highlights of Poland (Classic, 10 Days)

Poland was an amazing country. The people are resilient and welcoming. The itinerary was packed and it might be nice to have a few late mornings. All local experts were knowledgeable, approachable and honest about their country. We were surprised initially that the tour had 40 people, we anticipated “ small group” to mean 10 - 15, however we have made several new friends.

6 days in Krakow and Szczawnica- private exclusive tour for 2 people

6 days in Krakow and Szczawnica- private exclusive tour for 5-8 people

Highlights of Poland

I had a fantastic time on this tour. Our guide Alexandria was wonderful. This tour was absolutely great. Everything was smooth sailing. Well organized.

• 10% deposit on some dates Some departure dates offer you the chance to book this tour with a lower deposit.

Portrait of Poland

The hotel In Gdansk was awful There were hotels near town that were the same rate and we could have gone into old town after dinner. I didn’t like not having a choice for dinner. We all ate the same. The hotel in Krakow was close to a Shopping center not close to what makes Krakow special. The hotel in Krakow could have been a whole lot better . We spent 3 nights there but we were not close to go to old town after dinner

Tailor-Made Private Trip to Southern Poland with Daily Departure

• Book With Flexibility This operator allows you to rebook your dates or tours with them for free, waiving change fees.

Best of the East

Such a fun and alternative trip to take! We went to Prague, Poland, Budapest, and Austria. Even though it was one of the coldest weeks, our tour guide made it beyond enjoyable. She had so many suggestions of places to go and all were great. My favorite stop was Krakow, Poland, what a beautiful city and so much fun. I had an absolute blast while on this trips, the tour guide were energetic, fun, and knowledgeable, the trip was well run and flexible which I enjoyed, the company had optional activities set up for us which was nice to not feel pressured to do them if you wanted to explore on your own. The accommodations were always comfy and clean and the buses we took for all the trips were enjoyable and filled with fun movies to watch. I would highly recommend traveling with Euroadventures, their attention to detail, responsible yet fun guides, and flexible, activities filled schedule are all beyond worth it.

• Walking Adventure

Best of Poland (11 Days)

Kacha the tour leader is amazing. Very well organized, knowledgeable and accommodating. I loved the tour

• €100 deposit on some dates Some departure dates offer you the chance to book this tour with a lower deposit.

Tailor-Made Private Poland Tour with Daily Departure

Highlights of Poland (Small Groups, 10 Days)

What people love about auschwitz tours.

Seweryn was a fantastic tour guide and very knowledgeable about Krakow's history. I enjoyed learning about the many historical and religious details we saw around Krakow. He also went above and beyond to help me when I had trouble purchasing train tickets, and when I got sick offered to reschedule one of the tour days. I really enjoyed his tour and would highly recommend it.

Did their Krakow, Poland trip in December during the Christmas markets. Really a great trip and experience. Everything was very organized, had really good hotel near the square/old town (I booked the 3-star hotel, private room option with my husband), guides were very good & knowledgeable and the excursions/tours were very good. We also received a lot of extra information and recommendations for things to do and places to go (food and drink too) in our free time which was really nice and helpful. I was a bit nervous reading a few of the reviews here on Yelp but our experience was fantastic and nothing like what some others wrote in their reviews. Krakow was an amazing city and one of the most beautiful in Europe. Definitely recommend this trip and company.

I had a great first time experience of Krakow through this tour. My tour guide Seweryn was very friendly, flexible, organised and helpful and made the whole process very smooth. The trips to the mine, factory and camps were well laid out and gave me plenty of time for independent sightseeing and fun. If you want to come to Krakow I would highly recommend you do a trip this way!

Auschwitz Birkenau Tour with Licensed Guide

• Transport by air-conditioned bus
• Headsets to hear the guide clearly
• Professional local guide
• Visit at Auschwitz National Museum
• Entry/Admission - Państwowe Muzeum Auschwitz-Birkenau
• Guaranteed to skip the lines
• Pawia 18b, 31-154 Kraków, Poland Kiss&Ride stop next to Mercure hotel
• Not wheelchair accessible
• Near public transportation
• Infants must sit on laps
• Confirmation will be received at time of booking
• Most travelers can participate
• Please note that the tour is offered in English
• Please note, that the maximum size of backpacks or handbags brought into the Auschwitz Museum & Memorial can not exceed dimensions: 30x20x10 cm
• Please note, you MUST take your ID or Passport with you
• Please note that the time of departure might change due to availability of the guides at the museum. The change in time of departure does not qualify for a refund.
• This tour/activity will have a maximum of 30 travelers
• For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.
• You'll start at Pawia 18b Pawia 18b, 31-154 Kraków, Poland Kiss&Ride stop next to Mercure hotel See address & details
• 1 Panstwowe Muzeum Auschwitz-Birkenau Stop: 4 hours - Admission included See details
• 2 Brzezinka Stop: 90 minutes See details
• You'll return to the starting point

• justineb533 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles It has a chapel... Visited the salt mines as something to lighten the mood after mine and my brothers visit to Auschwitz and it was amazing! Absolutely stunning! If you are travelling to Poland to sight see, make sure you add the mines as a definite must visit! There was a lot more to see down there than I thought and will most definitely be returning in the future. Just be very aware that you go down 130 meters underground, by stairs. Which is almost as tiring as walking up stairs. You do get back up to the exit in a lift though. Read more Written April 15, 2024
• johnvK5662UN 0 contributions 4.0 of 5 bubbles A must if visiting Krakow Definitely worth a visit. Advice is to pre-book a tour or you'll end up queuing for at least an hour and maybe not get in (as happened to us the first time) Don't use Viator to book either - tour guide never showed so 2 hours wasted and a lot of hassle getting in touch and getting a refund. Thankfully a kind hearted security guard let us then jump the queue so we got in on day 2 and did a self-tour!! Would have liked to have seen more of the factory itself but it's a museum with a lot of information to absorb. Read more Written April 15, 2024
• beaneychris 0 contributions 1.0 of 5 bubbles Very poor accessibility Although various literature and advice that the mine was accessible to those with mobility issues including those in wheelchairs, once we arrived we were told that this was only possible on the accessible tours at 8am or 6pm. This meant that we wasted all our money and hours of our day traveling there and back as we were unable to get back in the evening due to the area being shut down due to a car rally which blocked all the roads in the vicinity. We were really looking forward to this and it was very disappointing that there was nothing in the information provided by the tour operator to say that you needed to be able to walk down approximately 800 steps, which my wife would have found impossible as she had damaged her knee just prior to coming to Krakow. Read more Written April 15, 2024
• E6786UTclaired 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles A must see experience! If you’re visiting Krakow this is a must for your list of things to do! Incredible tour, like an underground city. Our guide was very knowledgeable but also funny which really helped us to enjoy the experience. Not suitable for small children or those with walking difficulties as there are 800 steps down and lots of tunnels and chambers to explore. Book this trip and you won’t regret it! Read more Written April 15, 2024
• angelpaws2 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles High recommend! Be ready for lots of stairs but it’s very worth the descent ! The views were breathtaking and the chapels were some of the most beautiful I have ever seen. The tour guide was knowledgeable and witty, I was not bored once! Read more Written April 15, 2024
• B3882OQlucyb 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles A fun half day out Such a smooth process from start to finish. Both our driver and the representative at the mine were friendly and communicated clearly. Our guide for the tour of the mine was so clear and knowledgable and she really made the day for us. Would 100% recommend! Read more Written April 14, 2024
• Quest49161247950 0 contributions 4.0 of 5 bubbles Highly recommend but a little rushed Kept well informed of pick up times, excellent and knowledgeable guide. Fascinating mines with great history and much to admire. Some of the carvings were jaw dropping in their beauty and intricacy. A little rushed and could have done with a 20 minute break at the coffee shop not 10 mins bearing in mind the amount of walking you have to do. Besides this issue would highly recommend Read more Written April 13, 2024
• Lorraine F 0 contributions 2.0 of 5 bubbles Salt Mine Impossible to hear guide throughout visit. No microphone & she wore a mask and spoke quietly! Mine is impressive but wish we’d booked with another operator as this was poorly organised & we were not given enough information. Read more Written April 12, 2024
• andrewrG9789AR 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Salt mine tour by Hello Krakow Salt mine tour from Krakow Hotel collection prompt and as arranged. Swift transfer to Salt mine and introduction to the tour guide Samantha (amazing and funny lady) once descending the stairs an amazing tour of a truly breathtaking area beneath the town. Hard to believe everything you almost walk on or observe is salt. The chapel area is awesome, would love to experience a live worship in there, and imagine the acoustics would be amazing. Superb tour and very informative though delivered hilariously by Samantha. Smooth trip back to hotel Thoroughly recommend this trip Well done ‘Hello Krakow team’ Read more Written April 9, 2024
• A-Dymond 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Must visit this beauty Must do place to visit. Be warned a lot of walking, however there are benches at various stops. It is so vast and so beautiful. Your guide Anges was lovely, she seemed really knowledgeable. The lift back up is an experience! Read more Written April 7, 2024
• Mary C 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Great guide!! Really enjoyed this tour, mainly because the guide was superb, knowledgeable, clear and very engaging. The museum is full of great historical information and i thoroughly enjoyed the tour. High recommend Read more Written April 6, 2024
• DETownsend 0 contributions 3.0 of 5 bubbles Decent salt mine tour Pickup was a choice of 3 locations, with exact timings supposedly sent to you the day before. This did not happen, with a +/-15 min wait given, which admittedly they were just about in, however this did leave us feeling worried the minibus might not arrive. The minibus was a tight squeeze. The salt mines were a great experience but we were left wondering whether arranging our own transport would be easier as the salt mines provide their own guides. Read more Written April 5, 2024
• Jenny M 0 contributions 3.0 of 5 bubbles Schindler's Enamel Factory Good tour but on arrival no tickets given to tour guide even though we paid in advance, so confusion but tour guide sorted this took an extra hour to gain entry, tour guide very good explained everything in detail.Would not show up with pre booking a queue very very long to get a ticket if not prebooked Read more Written April 4, 2024
• 108hjohnson 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Recommend! Highly recommend booking! It was well organised and we avoided the mad rush and massive queue. Was well organised and our guide was AMAZING. My only criticism was the headsets which were not the most comfortable! Read more Written April 4, 2024
• emma jane J 0 contributions 3.0 of 5 bubbles A good trip, but disappointing experience of your company This is a review of the tour company - not the memorial - which is a must see. Booked and paid c.€180 for this tour for 4 people weeks before arriving in krakow. The day before the tour, the pick up time was changed from 10am to 5am, as the company had not secured tickets to the memorial and needed to be top of the queue in the morning. So we were up at 4.30 , on a bus at 5am, top of the Q shortly after 6am, where we stood until 7.30am when ticket booth opened. Our host did successfully manage to secure tickets for the group who then passed us on into the memorial to the actual tour guide. This is essentially just a bus pick up / drop off service - as tickets all had to be bought on the morning at the memorial. No discount was offered, and it was too late to be able to change to another tour. A second disappointing experience of Discover Cracow. However, The memorial is definitely a must. Read more Written April 3, 2024

More to explore in Krakow

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Auschwitz Birkenau Tour with Licensed Guide provided by Discover Cracow Tours

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Read Your Way Through Accra

Bus stations. Traffic stops. Beaches. There’s no telling where you’ll find the next story in Accra, Ghana’s capital. Peace Adzo Medie shares some of her favorites.

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By Peace Adzo Medie

Read Your Way Around the World is a series exploring the globe through books.

Accra is rich with stories, some of them only a few words long — Still Hustling; Work Hard and Dream Big; Short Ways Are Dangerous — and written in bold letters on the rear windows of tro tros, the ubiquitous minibuses that ferry residents and visitors around the city. These mantras are meant to represent the people who own the buses. But they also tell of life in Accra, and what it takes to make it in this vibrant city.

Accra, Ghana’s capital, is in the southern part of the country and borders the Atlantic Ocean. For centuries, its coastline has served as an entry point for people both from neighboring countries and from farther away. Ghanaian writers have found rich material in the city, the home of the Ga people. And writers from other African countries and the diaspora, such as Wole Soyinka and Maya Angelou, have called Accra home, even if only for a short time.

Though much of Accra’s creative activity has taken place in centers like the Institute of African Studies at the University of Ghana, interest in stories and books permeates the city.

Merchants selling books line many thoroughfares. There is a good chance that, when you stop at a major traffic light, a bookseller, wares in hand, will come to your window and try to get you to buy at least one. Even bus stations can be a treasure trove. One of my favorite activities as a teenager was shopping for books at Kwame Nkrumah Circle, a busy bus station in the heart of the city, where volumes are neatly arranged in stalls or on canvas spread out on the ground. And when I didn’t have enough money for a book, Accra still came through for me: I could always read and imagine the stories behind the one-liners on the buses idling nearby.

What should I read before I pack my bags?

Nii Ayikwei Parkes’s “ Tail of the Blue Bird ” brings the city to life. This slim novel is set in Accra and Sonokrom, a small village. Kayo, a forensic pathologist working in Accra, has been forced by a high-ranking police officer to investigate a sinister discovery in the village.

The novel’s lyrical prose and rich dialogue, which incorporates Ghanaian words and phrases, make it delightful to read. Through Kayo’s work, outings with friends and encounters with the police, we see different aspects of life in Accra, while his time in Sonokrom and interactions with the village’s intriguing inhabitants offer a glimpse of how people outside the center relate to the city.

If you prefer nonfiction, Ato Quayson’s “ Oxford Street, Accra: City Life and the Itineraries of Transnationalism ” offers an excellent introduction to the city. It takes the reader on a journey through Accra’s history, showing its evolution from a fishing village to a port town during British colonial rule, to a vibrant metropolis that draws in people from around the country and the world. With Oxford Street, a bustling commercial corridor, as a starting point, Quayson evokes the sights and sounds of the city with keen attention to how people interact with each other and their surroundings. Forays into the salsa and gym scenes underline the transnational dimensions of life in Accra.

What books or authors should I bring along with me?

Accra is at the heart of Yepoka Yeebo’s “ Anansi’s Gold: The Man Who Looted the West, Outfoxed Washington, and Swindled the World .” This work of nonfiction is a wild ride about one of the boldest scams of the 1970s and ‘80s, carried out by John Ackah Blay-Miezah, a charismatic Ghanaian. Blay-Miezah promised huge returns to thousands of investors from around the world, tied to a bogus trust fund allegedly set up by Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana’s first president. While Blay-Miezah targeted victims across the world, his dealings with government officials and other businesspeople in Accra facilitated his scam and, ultimately, contributed to its end. The book is a meticulously researched and riveting account of politics and money in post-independence Ghana.

Fictional stories of murder can also be doorways into Accra. In “ Sleep Well My Lady ,” by Kwei Quartey, a female detective’s investigation of a murder offers a glimpse into the lives of the rich and the not-so-rich of the city. In Kobby Ben Ben’s “ No One Dies Yet ,” Accra is the scene of mystery and sex, in a meeting of Ghana and its diaspora.

What books can show me other facets of the city?

There is always something to discover in Accra, even for people who are already familiar with the city. It helps to know the right people, though — or at least the right books.

“ Accra Noir ,” edited by Nana-Ama Danquah, is a collection of 13 stories set throughout pockets of the city. Their characters encounter the kind of sky-high hurdles that a thriving, cutthroat metropolis puts in the way of its residents — unemployment, corruption, abuse of power. And, determined to make it, these characters do not hesitate to adopt creative and extreme methods, often in places that are hidden from view: hotel rooms and bedrooms, dark alleys and a market at night.

Serena Owusua Dankwa’s “ Knowing Women: Same Sex-Intimacy, Gender, and Identity in Postcolonial Ghana ” is also about finding joy when the conditions are unyielding. It is a study of same-sex desire among women and of their relationships, which happen in every part of Ghana, yet aren’t typically visible in the open. The historical discussion of same-sex desire and intimacy in Ghana, and Africa more broadly, is illuminating, and dislodges widely held reductive ideas about the subject. Dankwa’s interviews with women, including female athletes, both in Accra and in a midsize town, reveal a great deal about desire and intimacy and the influences of class and social norms.

If I have no time for day trips, what books should I read instead?

Books of poetry are one way to travel around Ghana. Kofi Anyidoho’s collection “The Place We Call Home” is rhythmic in its treatment of history and the present. Anyidoho is also the editor of a book of poetry by another Ghanaian great, Kofi Awoonor. “The Promise of Hope: New and Selected Poems, 1964-2013” beautifully renders life in Ghana and abroad.

“The Girl Who Can,” by Ama Ata Aidoo, a writer with a towering legacy , is a collection of stories that explores girlhood and womanhood. Aidoo’s novel “Changes: A Love Story” chronicles one woman’s attempts to live and love on her own terms.

For books that take you on journeys into the past, start with Ayi Kwei Armah’s “The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born.” This classic of Ghanaian literature unfolds during the 1960s and follows an unnamed railway clerk determined to stay on the straight and narrow path — unlike others around him. “ The Hundred Wells of Salaga, ” by Ayesha Harruna Attah, is set in the 19th century. In this novel, the trade in enslaved people plays a major role in changing the lives of two young women. Yaa Gyasi’s “ Homegoing ” goes further back, to the 18th century, to narrate the outcomes of one family’s encounters with the West.

What’s a good place to curl up with a book on a day off?

Accra is a city of beaches and, in addition to sunshine and a cool breeze, a few of its waterfronts have the ambience that make for a good reading experience. But I’m partial to green spaces, many of which are beyond the city limits. Aburi, in the Eastern Region, is a short drive outside Accra. Situated on a hill, the town is cool and has several spots where you can curl up with a book while enjoying the lush scenery.

Peace Adzo Medie’s Accra Reading List

“Tail of the Blue Bird,” Nii Ayikwei Parkes

“Oxford Street, Accra: City Life and the Itineraries of Transnationalism,” Ato Quayson

“Anansi’s Gold: The Man Who Looted the West, Outfoxed Washington, and Swindled the World,” Yepoka Yeebo

“Sleep Well My Lady,” Kwei Quartey

“No One Dies Yet,” Kobby Ben Ben

“Accra Noir,” edited by Nana-Ama Danquah

“Knowing Women: Same Sex-Intimacy, Gender, and Identity in Postcolonial Ghana,” Serena Owusua Dankwa

“The Place We Call Home,” Kofi Anyidoho

“The Promise of Hope: New and Selected Poems, 1964-2013,” Kofi Awoonor (edited by Kofi Anyidoho)

“The Girl Who Can” and “Changes: A Love Story,” Ama Ata Aidoo

“The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born,” Ayi Kwei Armah

“The Hundred Wells of Salaga,” Ayesha Harruna Attah

“ Homegoing ,” Yaa Gyasi

Peace Adzo Medie is author of the novels “ Nightbloom ” and “ His Only Wife ,” which was a Reese’s Book Club pick and one of The Times’s notable books of 2020 . She is a professor at the University of Bristol.

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