The museum at the former Auschwitz concentration camp is one of the biggest tourist attractions in Poland. Many people wonder whether it is possible to arrange a stay near Auschwitz. Where to stay when going to Auschwitz? How to plan a visit to Auschwitz?
The museum at the former Auschwitz concentration camp is located in a town called Oświęcim in the Małopolskie Voivodeship in Poland. There is no fooling – the former camp is the only tourist attraction in the area. Oswiecim is a small, boring, provincial town.
When going to visit Auschwitz, it is therefore not worth staying in any hotel in Oswiecim (the closest city to the Auschwitz Museum). The ones that are here are not top class hotels anyway.
Auschwitz is about a 40-minute drive from the city of Katowice and about an hour’s drive from Krakow. If we want to explore Poland, it is the best idea to choose Krakow rather than Katowice.
Katowice is not a very attractive industrial city. There are several good hotels in Katowice, but a stay in Krakow is definitely more attractive. Krakow is a much bigger attraction with better restaurants and better hotels.
Summary: Where to sleep when preparing for a trip to Auschwitz? The best choice is to drive from Krakow to Auschwitz and return to Krakow after the tour. Krakow has better accommodation and is a bigger tourist attraction than Katowice or Oświęcim.
It is worth remembering that visiting Auschwitz is free and you do not have to pay for a guide if you don’t want guided tour. Here you can read how to get to Auschwitz from Krakow.
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