What to expect from a visit to Auschwitz?

It might seem like a really hard thing for some people to get their head around but a trip to Auschwitz in Poland might be something you find you enjoy more than you think is possible.

Even if enjoy isn’t the right word then fascinating certainly would be. As one of the largest concentration camps used during the Second World War, the sheer size is the first thing one notices when arriving.

The camp is split up into three areas, named in short 1, 2 and 3. Auschwitz I is the administrative centre, Auschwitz II is called Birkenau and is perhaps the most infamous part as it’s the extermination area. Then Auschwitz III, also called Monowitz is the work camp. All three areas are vast. They are said to have killed over 1.5 million Jews during the war and housed many thousands more too. It’s a huge and intimidating place to arrive at but you wouldn’t be one your own. It’s a group outing and it’s all very much in the safety of feeling like a school trip.

There are a number of tour operators that take coaches out the both Auschwitz, Krakow and the other camps. The tours are run daily and leave from the major tourist parts of in Krakow. The coach then takes you out to the camps in groups and usually arrives for around 9.30am. The journey to the camp takes roughly an hour and a half. There is an English speaking tour guide onboard to talk you through the journey. Upon arrival at the camp you will usually make a beeline for the museum, which was made part of the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1979 and details many aspects of the camp and has plenty of interactive screen and audio and visual footage to make the learning more interesting and easier to digest.

As a group you will then follow your guide to the three different areas of the camp, where there are museums in each. Auschwitz I takes roughly two hours to navigate and then Auschwitz II a little less at 1 hour. The latter is the most emotive and grueling. Here you will see the gas chambers and the so-called medical experiment rooms so an hour is usually quite enough for people. There is a very interesting documentary in the museum that screens throughout the day and is well worth a watch in order to contextualize everything you’ve seen.

Finally the coach leaves at roughly half past three in the afternoon and drops you back at the hotel areas in Krakow. It’s closed for three days a year but open for all the others and will usually charge around 40 Euros admission.

Photo of Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp by chany14

Topic:  General Travel | 1 Comment
Tags:  culture, Poland

About the author

Phil is a freelance writer working on various writing and editing projects ranging from feature film scripts to travel writing. He enjoys writing from experience and sharing information on the many places he has visited over the years