Going to krakow and Auschwitz in January

Going for 4 days.

I now you can go to Auschwitz on your own cheaper but i was planning on going through orbis tours (but they dont seem to respond to emails as im trying to book with them? Does Auschwitz be open on sundays in january?

Was also hoping to do a tour of the city. anyone have any site of the hop on/ hop off tours. are they any good??

I saw on another thread about crazyguides.com - would that be better than the hop on/ hop off tours?

One last question - hoping to do a bit of cheap shopping -any recommendations of where to go and main shopping area?

Sorry again for all the questions - but any other adive would also be appreciated, cheers!

My wife and my daughter visited the place a couple years ago. Tour guides are available right there. As for schedules, check their website. I think you'll find all the onfo you need: auschwitz.org.pl/new/index.php?language=EN&tryb=start&id=675&menu=g

I did a crazyguides tour last January - I really recommend it, though it is intense, rather than hop-on / hop-off. Basically my husband and I were driven around Nowa Huta in a trabbi by a student who was really passionate about the history. He was really flexible about picking us up, and took us on a few detours to show us some really atmospheric views of the steel plant.

Yes, Auschwitz is open 7 days a week, between 8am and 3pm in January. Have a look at auschwitz.org.pl for more info.

Dunno about hop on/off tours but there's a a good guidebook with walks that will give you an insight into the history of the City - it's called Krakow's Old Town, published by Bezdroza and availably from EMPiK (huge book shop) on the Rynek. As far as I know, Crazy Guides concentrate on Nowa Huta, not Krakow.

Main shopping areas are Ul. Florianska, Ul. Grodzka in the Old Town. There's also a huge shopping mall next door to the train station (Galeria Krakowska). Prices probably won't be as cheap as you might be hoping for though...

still smoking eh? :D

There are trains that go there that are really cheap - you don't need a tour guide to take you there!! I hated going round with a tour guide (I went there on the train though) - you can buy a leaflet from the reception and do the tour yourself at your own pace - instead of being part of a group where they don't give you much info anyway.

I went with Krakow tours to Auschwitz (they also do the Crazy tour and Zakopane)

I cost 100zl (80 for students)

The great thing is that they pick u up by minibus from your hotel and transfer you between the 2 sites. The guide was fantastic. The rail station seems a bit of a distance from the site so yes it is cheaper but if the weather was not so great it would be a bit difficult.

Would strongly recommend you do not do it with a guid, they go round to fast, first time I went I did it with a guid, second I went with a group of friends and we did it on our own...so much better.

We paid a taxi driver 80zl each and he took us between the two sites and waited for us and paid for guid books ect..(btw the taxi driver was the person who picked us up from the airport so we had met him prior to that day)