This really was a trip of two halves, the beautiful Old Town of Krakow, the breathtaking Salt Mines at Wieliczka, and the harrowing dark history of Auschwitz and Birkenhau.
The trip to Auschwitz and Birkenhau was the main draw, to visit and understand more about Europe's dark past and to see the two sites in person. The sites are vast, with many tourists booking on to the tours there, and you get a huge sobering sense of sadness and disbelief of what happened here. The experience was very moving and put many things into perspective. For me personally, the hardest part was the exhibits of the glasses, clothing, suitcases and hair that I found difficult to comprehend, alongside the blocks where torture and medical experiments took place, especially for those who tried to escape. Be prepared for some difficult viewing and stories told by the guides.
The next day was definitely lighter, visiting the Salt Mines. These aren't ordinary mines, these are huge and go on for miles and miles, all the way to the capital Warsaw apparently, a 3 hour drive away! The are about 350 steps down into the mine and then you are led by the guide through a labyrinth of tunnels and caverns as they tell you all about the history. It's still a live working mine today! There are a number of Chapels underground and a big lake which is rather spectacular to see. The lead up to the big moment is a huge chamber with hanging chandeliers, used as a church and you can hire this incredible venue out for about £1,500!
Finally, there is loads to do in the old town of Krakow, totally walkable and lot of boutique shops and side streets to explore. The castle fortress is located at the southern end and there are lots of churches/cathedrals dotted around that are beautiful and free to enter.
I stayed in the Pod Roza hotel, a beautiful boutique hotel in the old town, with it's own spa undergournd in the cellars, it was really spectacular!
