This is a trip not to be missed. We booked the tour of Auschwitz, Birkenau and Wieliczka from the UK and read several reviews of previous tours. Although we knew that it was going to be a long day, the tour was so engrossing, moving and well organised that it was hard to believe that it lasted 12 hours. On the coach journey to Auschwitz from Krakow a video of the liberation of the camp gave a graphic reminder and set the emotional tone for the visit to the two camps.

The tour driver/guide was excellent throughout the day and provided detailed explanation and descriptions of the camps and answered questions.

As this was mid-January, the queues were not long and the places relatively uncrowded. However, this being January it was worth being prepared for being out in the open for much of the time and for a lot of walking - warm clothes were essential.

The salt mine visit provided a welcome contrast at the end of the day. Lots of steps down and then a waking tour through the passages and hollowed out chambers. It was well guided by a humorous member of the mine staff. And it was warmer underground than outside!

We had visited a bakery in Krakow to get breakfast to take with us before being picked up from outside our apartment at 7.45am The packed lunch was fine and there were opportunities to grab a coffee during the breaks. Thank you to our guide for pacing the day well and dropping us back to our apartment at the end of the day.