Poland

Symbol of the atrocities of the Holocaust, the Auschwitz-Birkenau Concentration Camp is one of the most infamous places on Earth. After all, it was here that over 1,1 million people, mainly Jews, died during World War II at hands of the Nazis in the biggest extermination campaign ever seen in history.

During my visit to Krakow, I booked a guided tour to the Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II-Birkenau camps, a very tough but extremely educational and necessary visit to remember the horrors of the past to make sure that they are never repeated.

With a 25% Jewish population up until 1939, Jews have always been an essential part o the history of Krakow. Settled in the quarter of Kazimierz, they flourished for centuries until World War II, when all Cracovian Jews were confined to a ghetto on the outskirts of the city and expelled from their historic home in Kazimierz.

During my second day in Krakow, I decided to explore Kazimierz, the traditionally Jewish quarter of Krakow where the few synagogues left in the city can still be found. I would continue my visit with the area where the Krakow Ghetto once stood before finishing at Oskar Schindler’s Factory to hear about the Nazi businessman who employed over 12,000 Jews to save their lives during the Holocaust.

The city of Krakow, former capital of Poland and seat of the Polish monarchs for centuries, is without a doubt one of the most charming cities in Europe. Its beautifully preserved medieval Old Town, where you can find most of the places of interest of this Unesco World Heritage city, is one of the few places in Poland that escaped from complete destruction during World War II.

During my first day in Krakow, I explored all the highlights of the Old Town, starting in Market Square and following the Royal Road all the way from St. Florian’s Gate to Wawel Castle, the former residence of the kings. Check out this itinerary to discover one of the liveliest cities of Poland!