No other place in the world stands more as a synonym for the atrocities of the Nazi regime and for the extermination of the Jews than Auschwitz-Birkenau. Being in Cracow, a visit to this place, now a UNESCO World Heritage site is a must - a tough one though.

In the very beginning, Auschwitz was a concentration camp for political opponents and prisoners of war. In 1942 the site was extended by the Nazis to create the biggest and especially the most “efficient” of all extermination camps, Auschwitz II Birkenau, a place only dedicated to the mass-murder of Jews from all over Europe. It was also in Auschwitz that SS Officers first tested Zyklon B, the poisonous gas used in the “final solution”, after an “efficiency test” on a several hundred Russian POWs.

About 1.5 million Jews, the vast majority from Poland and Hungary, were murdered immediately after their arrival or worked to death. After a sometimes day-long trip in horrible conditions through Europe in cattle trains, the victims arrived on the famous “ramp” in Birkenau. There, the SS used a process that became known as “selection”. Young, healthy men and women were separated from their family, their children and elderly parents.

The old, the sick, children & pregnant women were immediately sent to the gas chambers. Those considered fit to work were used as forced labour workers in the numerous industries surrounding the camp, like IG Farben. Very few survived the excessive forced labour practices, the hunger, the illnesses, the criminal medical experiments, the terror of the guards, the punishment and torture.

When the Red Army closed in on Crakow at the end of January 1944, the camp was evacuated. Those prisoners capable of walking were moved deeper into the Third Reich. The majority died on these death marches. Only 7.000 people were found in the camp when it was liberated by the Red Army.

There are numerous excellent books and films about the Shoa and Auschwitz. We would recommend the BBC documentary “Auschwitz: the Nazis and the Final Solution”. The DVD provides outstanding information and incredible footage.

We decided to hire a personal guide just for the two of us, since we could not imagine visiting this place in a group. We wanted to have enough time and have the possibility to ask questions whenever we had some. Our guide happened to be a young woman with an immense knowledge and devotion for the cause.

This was a very challenging day. No matter how much you may know or have read about this place, it is a very strong emotion to be confronted with what remains of this nightmare. Nevertheless, such a visit should be on anyone’s agenda!

Our definite favourite in Cracow!

Every inch of this quarter breathes history, never before have we seen so many synagogues in such a small area. Walking around Kazimierz for hours filled us with tones of different impressions.

The main street in Kazimierz is Szeroka Street or “wide street”, once the centre of Jewish life and culture. Yes, there was a time when this quiet neighbourhood was the most prestigious residential street inhabited by the wealthiest Jews.

Nowadays, Kazimierz is packed with trendy bars and restaurants where visitors can rest their sore feet. We tried various dishes at the excellent Restaurant Ester, especially Jewish Ashkenazy cuisine.

In the evening, the area fills up with young locals who all exhibit a bit of a bohemian touch. One evening we met there with Gosia, a teacher from Cracow, who Heidi had professional ties with in the past. Kazimierz definitely seems the right place to enjoy a good night out!

The grandeur of the historic city centre is simply fascinating. You can stroll around the city centre for days and always discover something new. It has been beautifully restored, features many pleasant and rather cheap restaurants, cafes and bars, offers many parks where you can walk and relax or just sit on a bank and enjoy a beautiful spring day. We spent several days just walking around and enjoyed every single minute.

Rynek Glowny, one of Europe’s largest medieval squares, has always been the main tourist attraction. This Main Market Square is dominated by the former cloth halls that were originally built in the 13th century. Back then, it served as a covered market selling cloth and textiles. Now, the stalls are used as souvenirs and jewellery shops, specialising in selling amber.

The square is surrounded by elegant houses once owned by the city’s wealthiest merchants and aristocrats. Nowadays it is humming with locals and tourists strolling around the numerous flower stalls and colourful artistry shops. Cafes and elegant restaurants line the magnificent facades that reflect so many different architectural genres.

The old centre also features countless churches. The most impressive is the twin-towered St. Mary’s Church with its incredible altar by Veit Stoß.

A bit further to the south of the old centre, the majestic Wawel Royal Castle rests on top of a limestone hill, overlooking the Wisla River. Wawel Hill became the royal residence in 1038 under King Kazimierz the Restorer and watched many kings come and go until the capital was moved to Warsaw in 1609. Nevertheless it continues to hold the royal treachery and Royal apartments.

We only managed to visit the apartments which are all decorated with large wall hangings produced in Brussels in the 16th century and exquisite wooden furniture. Some rooms are adorned with wood-coffered ceilings and friezes. For us, who are used to Austrian baroque and its overloaded architecture, this was a nice experience.

On the other hand, the visit to the salt mines of Wielicka was rather disappointing. At no time do these huge halls within this former salt mine make the visitors feel that they are inside a mountain. Many of large openings are chapels - surprise, this is Poland - others are decorated with sculptures made from salt. These halls are connected by long passages, all squeaky-clean and again, there is never a touch of “hey you are a miner”. All this seems to be a desperate attempt to create a tourist attraction, a busy one though, with about one million visitors a year.

Where could we go for a few days during Easter week? Not too far and not too expensive were the only limitations. This process of finding a proper destination abruptly ended, when a young family from Cracow / southern Poland invited us to exchange homes with them.

The decision was easy, Gilles had never been to Poland and Heidi still had great memories of this city, which she visited in 1990, right after the fall of the Berlin Wall.