WW2 Trip to Poland places to visit

ECO_Mental

Hi,

My old man is 80 this year and like old geezers love the WW2 history. Now he has been to Normandy etc so I am going to bring him to Poland mainly to see Auschwitz. We are only going for 3 to 4 days over a bank holiday week end as one of my brothers cant take any extra days off work. Here's my plan at the moment and I would love some suggestions.

Fly into Krakow on Friday evening, probably too late to see anything.

Saturday- Auschwitz, Salt mines Drive to Warsaw
Sunday - Some of the museums, Warsaw ghetto etc like some suggestions.
Monday - Wolfs Lair and the Mamerki bunkers - fly out of Gdansk that evening if I can make it but probably have to wait until Tuesday.

What do you think?? is this too much for the time, by Google maps there will be a lot of driving 4/5 hour journeys it looks like. Is there any other iconic places to see that I shouldn't miss.

Thanks
EM

DaveyCakes

That seems an impossibly optimistic schedule, unless you're planning on not sleeping for the whole weekend. Of those, I've only been to the Wolf's Lair, which takes a good half day at least.

GastroBoy

ECO_Mental wrote: »

Saturday- Auschwitz, Salt mines Drive to Warsaw
Sunday - Some of the museums, Warsaw ghetto etc like some suggestions.
Monday - Wolfs Lair and the Mamerki bunkers - fly out of Gdansk that evening if I can make it but probably have to wait until Tuesday.
EM

I would dedicate an entire day to Auschwitz alone. Although some tours offer to to take you to both places, you will be rushed around and wont get to take it all in. And also, after walking around Auschwitz for a day, believe me, the last thing you will want to do is take a tour of a salt mine. What you'll really want to do is have a cold beer and just reflect on the day.

On that note also, don't be tempted by taxi drivers to take you there and back, the bus is very handy, costs around 2 euro compared to around 100 euro charged by such taxies.

Enjoy your trip!

tac foley

I'd like to read your thoughts on your visit to Auschwitz. I used to go to Buchenwald every year for a short military remembrance ceremony when the Soviets were in that part of former DDR.

Being Jewish it had special resonance for me, and I'd be interested to learn what a gentile thinks/thought.

TIA

tac

Bosh

Definitely a full day required for Auschwitz/Birkenau.

I would also advise booking a personal guide in advance, costs a bit more but well worth it.

We had a young chap & it was amazing how passionate he was about it, despite doing it several times a day, week after week.

As GastroBoy said, take the full day & then leave the evening for reflection.

It's something that will stay with you for a long time.

Extraordinary place on so many levels.

ECO_Mental

Yeah I think I was being a bit optimistic with the schedule, I think now that I might just base my self at Krakow and take my time. Trying to drive all over Poland in a few days was a bit mad. My old man is eighty after all, there is enough things to see and do around Krakow to keep us busy.

IamMetaldave

Auschwitz/Birkenau really will take the day, also it's a solid 45 minutes drive outside of Krakow. You'll want a stiff drink that evening, it's a heavy experience!

beazee

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mi%C4%99dzyrzecz_Fortified_Region - (MRU) 100km to the west of Poznań is something to go for.
http://bunkry.lubrza.pl/en

Artur.PL

It's probably too late, but:
Mamerki and Wolfs Lair, be ready for a lot of mud in winter and spring time.
In Warsaw: Warsaw Rising Muzeum and Polish Army Muzeum, then Warsaw Old Town, good place for dinner but more expensive than other places in city.

Baybay

Not long home from a trip to Poland.

Flew into Krakow on a Saturday morning & went to the salt mines in the afternoon.

The salt mines are amazing but there is a lot of walking involved and many, many steps down into the depths which might be a bit of a challenge for your dad. There is an elevator up though. We spent a couple of hours there & possibly could have spent a bit longer but had a dinner reservation that evening.

On Sunday we went to Auschwitz. That too involves a lot of walking, steps and in our case, snow. It is, no matter what you think you know before you go, very emotional and draining so as others have said, you may not be up to much that evening.
In my opinion, taxis are worth the extra, particularly when travelling with someone older but also, again in our case because it was so cold, it was good to be in a warm car, albeit feeling a little guilty to be in comfort after what we'd just seen.
We spent about four hours there.

Siuin

Glad to find this thread! I'll be heading on a 6 day trip to Poland in April and was wondering what kind of footwear I should bring?

Dietsquirt

ECO_Mental wrote: »

Hi,

My old man is 80 this year and like old geezers love the WW2 history. Now he has been to Normandy etc so I am going to bring him to Poland mainly to see Auschwitz. We are only going for 3 to 4 days over a bank holiday week end as one of my brothers cant take any extra days off work. Here's my plan at the moment and I would love some suggestions.

Fly into Krakow on Friday evening, probably too late to see anything.

Saturday- Auschwitz, Salt mines Drive to Warsaw
Sunday - Some of the museums, Warsaw ghetto etc like some suggestions.
Monday - Wolfs Lair and the Mamerki bunkers - fly out of Gdansk that evening if I can make it but probably have to wait until Tuesday.

What do you think?? is this too much for the time, by Google maps there will be a lot of driving 4/5 hour journeys it looks like. Is there any other iconic places to see that I shouldn't miss.

Thanks
EM

I can only comment on your Saturday excursions as i myself have only done these.
Krakow (i assume that's where you're staying on the first night) to Oswiecim (the town where the Auschwitz Camp is) is approximately an hour drive. If you were to do both camps (Auschwitz & Birkenau), in my opinion, you'd be looking at 3 hours (2 if you leave out Birkenau).

Then, a drive back towards the saltmines near Krakow (45ish minutes). In my experience with the saltmines, you have to get there, register/sign up, they only let people down the shaft;) every 20 minutes in groups of 30+. This will be another 2-3 hours spent in the mines, especially (and i mean no disrespect here), if you're father is 80 years old. The stairs down the mines at the beginning are quite tough and i suggest you think seriously about it (you can't stop half way down as there's a constant slew of people). There's a lift at the end of the tour to take you back up.

After this you're looking at 3/4 hours drive to Warsaw.

This is a doable trip but you'll be exhausted in my opinion by Friday night.

ECO_Mental

Thanks again guys,

I have decided only to stay around the Krakow area my initial plan was far too optimistic there is enough to see and do around Krakow anyway.

Although from what you are saying about the salt mines I might have to reconsider. His joints aren't the best and he has a touch of arthritis, sure god love him at the moment he is getting acupuncture to get ready for the trip. I think I will play it by ear when we are there and if he feels up to it then we will go.

Hes active enough when he wants to be:rolleyes:

Siuin

OP, around when are you planning to head to Warsaw? Just a heads up that there will be a huge delegation of Jewish students heading over for March of the Living (April 3rd-9th) and basically all the facilities get closed off for security reasons during this period. Hopefully you'll be going either before or after this time- it's a fascinating trip for anyone, but even more so for a person who's particularly interested in history.