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Please suggest iterniary for Krakow-Warsaw

Hi guys, I will be going to Krakow for 5 nights. AM planning to get rail pass and go to Warsaw as day trip. Any other suggested iterniary besides the salt mine, Auchswitz? Thanks.

Posted by
1078 posts

Auchswitz and the salt mine will take the better part of 2 days. If you are into churches, Krakow is called "the Rome of the North." The tourist office on the square has a brochure that covers the most important churches on or near the square-St. Mary's(?) Catherdale with the spectacular alter carvings and the Franscian church with its stained glass dipiction of the creation are 2 that come to mind.

Posted by
16 posts

I think Warsaw is too far for a day trip from Krakow. The express train takes close to 3 hrs. each way (and on my trip from Krakow to Warsaw, the train was delayed for an hour on top of that, although I don't know that such delays are typical). There is enough in Warsaw to keep you busy for 1-2 days (I spent three nights there) and accommodations are very cheap. Although I usually stay in small European style hotels, I couldn't resist the $80/night weekend rate at the 5-star Marriott directly across from the train station (price included tax and a huge breakfast). I suspect most hotels and B&B type establishments would be even cheaper.

Posted by
16 posts

One more thing ... you had asked about suggested itineraries for Krakow ... I would recommend the museum in the former Schindler factory - relatively new and very well done. I spent two hours there and could have spent a little longer were it not closing time. However, don't go there expecting to learn a lot about Schindler; the focus of the museum is Krakow under the Nazi occupation. There are only about two rooms that deal with the story of Oskar Schindler, including his former office. If you're interested in more recent history, I would also recommend the Craxy Guides tour to Nowa Huta, the planned socialist town that was a gift from Stalin to the Polish people, one of three such towns outside the former Soviet Union (the others are in the former East Germany and in Hungary). There are also lots of walkiing tours available of the historic old town, former Jewish quarter, etc.

Posted by
12 posts

If you do make it to Warsaw and tour the Ghetto area I strongly recommend you make it to Ulica Mila 18. I was just in Warsaw this past June and this place and the story behind it was the most emotional part of my visit to Warsaw. It is Warsaw's Masada.

Posted by
11613 posts

Mila 18 is the title of a novel by Leon Uris, based on real events, if you want something to help you prepare.

Posted by
215 posts

My wife and I really like the Kazimierz, Jewish district in Krakow. There are five pre-WW2 synagogues which are beautiful, interesting and tragic as the vast majority of their congregations died in the
Holocaust. A couple of them have small, but unique museums.

Posted by
2876 posts

I agree with Geoff. It's not worth doing Warsaw as a day trip from Krakow. You'll spend most of the day on the train. Warsaw is worth at least one, and preferably two or even three, full days. In Krakow, don't miss Wawel Castle and Cathedral, along with the other sites already mentioned.