It was a 3 day weekend and I wanted to go somewhere I hadn't been before and somewhere cheap. Ryanair was offering cheap tickets to Warsaw and Poland had been on my list for awhile.Even though Poland is a part of the Schegen Agreement, once we got off of the plane, it seemed as if all of the non-Polish looking people were stopped by Security and had our passports examined. The weather was cold and dreary in Warsaw, as to be expected in March. We spent the day walking all over the Old Town which was actually very pristine and colorful. The Royal Castle was nice to visit especially as it started getting colder outside. Warsaw has numerous museums to check out, but if you're on a tight budget I'd recommend just doing the Royal Castle.
The next day we took a train to Krakow and then a mini-bus to Auschwitz Concentration Camp. The bus drops you off not far from the main entrance. Auschwitz is FREE to tour, but for 10 euros you can join a guided tour group. If you choose to take a tour, check the site first to know what time your language will tour that day. The tour is about 2 hours and extremely thorough. If you're in Poland Auschwitz is a must see.
Poland is not one of my favorite countries, but I'm happy I went. Transportation, food and lodging are very cheap. For less than 10 euros we had a very filling traditional meal. The trains were on time and cheap. It's a country that's packed full of history and merits being visited.Some pics contributed by LDM
