Auschwitz Birkenau Museum Tour from Krakow 

Description

In 1939, after the invasion of Poland by Nazi Germany and the loss of the defensive war by the Polish army, all the western regions of Poland, including the town of Oświęcim, were annexed by the Third Reich. The town was renamed as Auschwitz and the same name was given to a complex of concentration and extermination camps that were built there. The history of the Auschwitz concentration camp can be divided into two primary periods: the years 1940-1942, when it functioned as a concentration camp and a place of slow extermination, and the years 1942-1944, when it was transformed into the biggest centre of immediate mass extermination of Jews, who had been transported into the camp under the policy conducted by the Third Reich that assumed the extermination of the entire Jewish population in Europe. It is estimated that over 1.1 million women, men and children died in the camp during these four years. Around 90% of casualties were Jews brought there from all the European countries that were occupied by Germany or situated in the zone of German influence. Most of them were put to death in gas chambers and others were victims of brutal punishments, medical experiments or inhumane living conditions in the camp. A visit to the Auschwitz Museum allows you to learn about the cruel fate of these people and to broaden your historical knowledge of the Holocaust.

A trip to the Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum is a specific encounter with the history of Nazi cruelty and the fate of the Holocaust victims, which is the saddest in the history of humanity. During the tour, tourists will see a permanent exhibition, original camp buildings in the main part of the complex (Auschwitz) and the most important sites in Brzezinka (Birkenau). Konzentrationslager (KL) Auschwitz was established as a result of Nazi policy conducted in the territory of occupies Poland in order to destroy the Polish state by means of mass deportations and systematic extermination. The KL Auschwitz camp was the largest Nazi concentration camp and extermination centre, so we ask that you to maintain due respect to the memory of the victims. During the tour, the group will be accompanied by an experienced museum guide who will tell tourists step by step about the sad fate of the camp victims. The entire sightseeing tour, including travel, will last around 7-8 hours – the visit to the first part of the Museum will take 2 hours, and the visit to Birkenau will take around 1 hour. Please remember that the programme of the trip does not include any lunch break. Because the camp is situated on an extensive open space, please remember to take clothes that will give you adequate protection against the prevailing weather conditions.

Highlights

• Visit the Auschwitz-Birkenau complex, the largest of the Nazi concentration camps
• Tour the permanent exhibitions and buildings at the Auschwitz I-Main Camp and the most important original camp buildings in Auschwitz II-Birkenau
• Licensed Professional Guide service included
• Avoid the queues with a skip-the-line ticket
• Roundtrip transportation from Krakow included

• Expert tour guide
• Return (round-trip) transportation from Krakow
• Pick up from Selected Hotels in Krakow City Center
• Skip the Line Access
• Entrance ticket
• Headsets when appropriate at Auschwitz I Main Camp
• Visit to the most important parts of Auschwitz I Main Camp and Auschwitz II Birkenau Camp
• Short breaks (10 – 15 minutes)

Excluded

• Gratuities
• Food/Beverage

Important Information

• Schedule: 09:30, 11:30 Varies Daily (Prior notice will be provided)
• Duration: 8 hours
• As per the requirements of Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum, all participants are required to provide their full name and contact details as part of the booking
• Entrance may be refused if the name provided on the booking is not identical to the name on the ID provided when entering
• Pick-up is possible from the hotels located in the center of Cracow. If your hotel location is in an area beyond this or in an area with limited traffic/accessibility, then you will be picked up from the nearest possible pickup place. The exact location and pickup time will be provided to you by the tour operator at least a day before your scheduled tour
• Departure time might differ from the time listed. The exact pickup time and pick up point will be confirmed up to 1 day prior to the tour date
• Luggage is not permitted in the camp with the exception of hand baggage. Hand baggage is considered to be luggage with maximum dimensions of 30cm x 20cm x 10cm. In order to enter the museum, it is requested that no luggage should be brought to the camp with exception of water bottles and personal belongings not exceeding the size of a wallet/purse.                                                            
• It is the responsibility of all visitors to be at the meeting point at confirmed meeting time. Guests arriving after departure cannot be accommodated & missed tours or tickets cannot be refunded.
• This tour involves a fair amount of walking, uneven grounds, and stairs; comfortable shoes are recommended.
• Auschwitz-Birkenau is an open-air museum, where the weather can change rapidly. Therefore, the participants are required to bring warm, waterproof clothing (e.g. sweaters, jackets, umbrellas) and sun-protective items (e.g. hats, caps, sunglasses)
• The guided tour of Auschwitz Birkenau State Museum is approximately 3.5 hours long and is conducted according to Auschwitz Birkenau State Museum Rules and Regulations
• It is recommended to take a packed lunch from Krakow to consume during a short break between both camps
• On this tour, some of the venues or parts of the venue may be subject to last-minute, unpredictable closures.   
• Tour Operator reserves the right to refuse participation on its tours to any guest under the influence of drugs or alcohol or to any guest whose behavior is disorderly, or poses a threat to other guests or staff.
• Only pay toilets are available around the museum

List of available pick up points (subject to change with prior notice): 

• Floriana Straszewskiego 14, 33-332 Kraków, Poland
• Mercure Kraków Fabryczna City, Fabryczna 13, 31-553 Kraków, Poland
• K+R ul. Pawia 18a, 31-154 Kraków, Poland
• Aparthotel Lwowska 1, Lwowska 1, 30-548 Kraków, Poland
• Novotel Krakow Centrum, Tadeusza Kościuszki 5, 30-105 Kraków, Poland
• ibis Krakow Centrum, Władysława Syrokomli 2, 30-102 Kraków, Poland
• Sheraton Grand Krakow, Powiśle 7, 31-101 Kraków, Poland
• K+R ul. Starowiślna 65, 31-052 Kraków, Poland
• Premium Hostel, Pomorska 2, 30-039 Kraków, Poland
• K+R ul. Wielopole 2, 31-072 Kraków, Poland
• ibis Krakow Stare Miasto, Pawia 15, 31-154 Kraków, Poland
• Hotel Galaxy, Gęsia 22A, 31-535 Kraków, Poland
• Qubus Hotel Kraków, Nadwiślańska 6, 30-527 Kraków, Poland
• Art & Garden Residence, Krowoderska 71, 31-158 Kraków, Poland