Wieliczka Salt Mine: A Visitor Guide!
Only 14km from Krakow, you will find one of Poland’s most visited attractions, the Wieliczka Salt Mine. I visited the mine in July 2019, and it didn’t disappoint.
Amazing is the only way to describe the place. Firstly, the sheer scale of the place, and Secondly, the fantastic detail that has gone into building these stunning chambers. The chapels, in particular, are astounding, all adorned with statues and monuments; there is even an underground lake.
There are lots of ways to visit the Wieliczka Salt Mine. You can take public transport or an organised tour if this is more convenient. This article will give you everything you need to know to make the most of a trip to this interesting and unusual tourist attraction!
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Why Visit The Wieliczka Salt Mine?
The mine has been welcoming visitors since 1722. In 1978, it became only one of twelve objects on UNESCO’s World Cultural and Natural Heritage List.
It is easy to see why. The mine is a labyrinth of tunnels and chambers over 300km long and, in places, 327 metres deep, with the first mine shafts dating back to the 13th century. You will find huge corridors and chambers that have all been carved out of rock salt, as well as incredible wooden structures and beautifully crafted carvings. This place is truly remarkable!
Most visitors take the ‘tourist route’ through the mine. Although this route will be enough for most visitors, a more intense and longer route takes visitors through the ‘miners route’, which may be more suitable for those interested in the mining techniques and wanting a more hands-on experience.
How To Get To The Wieliczka Salt Mine
There are various ways to get to the mine depending on your time and whether you want to travel independently or as part of a group.
For independent travellers: The No 304 bus leaves Galeria Krakowska shopping mall directly to Wieliczka Kopalnia Soli. Zone I (Strefa I) and II Agglomeration (II Aglomeracja) and cost 4.60Zt
Catch the train from Krakow’s central train station to Wieliczka Rynek Kopalnia train station. Trains run roughly every 30 minutes and cost 3.50 Zt.
For those who would prefer to visit as part of an organised tour or those short on time, there are many different tour operators to choose from. I only decided to visit the mine the night before, so I booked a trip with Viator. The tour was very well organised and had us back in Krakow by 2 pm.
Wieliczka Salt Mine Ticket Information:
There are 3 different types of tour:
The Tourist Route:
The tourist route is the most popular route, taking you through almost 3km of corridors and 20 different chambers. The journey starts at the Danilowicz Shaft, where you will initially descend around 350 steps into the mine.
During the tour, the guide will talk about the mine’s history and some of its secrets. Our guide was excellent and did a fabulous job entertaining some of the children on the tour!
Ticket prices (for foreigners): Adult 116 Zt Children 96 Zt Children under four go free.
The Miner’s Route:
The miner’s route allows you to see what life was really like as a miner. After getting into some overalls and gathering your equipment, the tour leader, known as the Forman, will guide you on various mining tasks, giving you the chance to become a novice miner. The tour starts from the Regis shaft, located in the centre of Wieliczka, leading you away from the busy tourist route!
If I had the chance to visit again, I would sign up for this. It looks so much more fun and is a great way to learn about the history of mining without the crowds!
The Pilgrim’s Route:
For those interested in the religious significance of the mine, special group tours can be arranged with a minimum of 20 people. This route will take you through the underground “God Bless” Pilgrims’ Route. At the end, there is also a chance to partake in mass with any accompanying priest.
Ticket prices (for foreigners): Adult 116 Zt. A minimum of 20 per group; smaller groups can be arranged by paying the minimum 20-person cost.
Graduation Tower:
The graduation tower measures 7,500 square meters of surface area and a 22-meter high observation tower from which you can admire the panorama of the park and mine shafts.
The Tower holds many therapeutic properties which can help cleanse the respiratory tract. This treatment may be especially beneficial to those suffering from respiratory conditions. If you want to visit the tower, I recommend visiting the salt mine independently. Most group tours will not have time to visit the tower as well.
Ticket prices (for foreigners):
- For those who have purchased mine tickets: Adult 6 Zt Children 4 Zt
- For those without mine tickets: Adult 9 Zt Children 6 Zt
The Tour (Tourist Route):
You start the tour at the entrance to the Danilowicz Shaft. It’s here that you will meet your guide. These guides will show you the way around the route and share with you all its history and some of its secrets, including the legend of Princess Kinga and how she brought the salt treasure to Polish land.
The first part of the tour is descending 350 steps to an underground depth of 135 metres. Gradually, you will wander deeper into the mine through its many corridors and a further 450 steps.
The tour itself is approximately 3 km. Altogether, there are around 20 chambers, all beautifully carved out of the rock salt.
Some chambers are small with carvings of some of the mine’s historical figures. Some show more of the equipment and how the miners lived and worked; others are more religious structures such as chapels.
The most impressive sights for me were the timber structures used to maintain the site and keep it structurally safe!
During the tour, you will also come across a coffee shop and gift shop selling souvenirs made from local salt.
Towards the end of the tour, you find the fabulous Chapel of St Kinga, which is 54m by 18m and 12m high and all painstakingly carved out of the salt rock.
From chandeliers to altarpieces, everything here is made of salt. It took over 30 years (1895) for three men to complete this underground temple, and about 20,000 tonnes of rock salt had to be removed.
This place is the climax of the tour! However, if you want to take pictures, you must pay 10 Zt at this point; it’s worth it, though! This place is amazing; the detail in the carvings is incredible and like nothing I’ve ever seen before.
Your guide will give you some time to walk around and take it all in, and if like me, take hundreds of photos!
After the main event, you’re taken to another large chamber that includes a fully functioning restaurant, children’s play area and another gift shop.
Again, you are given some time to wander around, and then the whole group meets up to get the tiny lift back to the surface. Be warned, though, this lift is small, and you are squeezed in very tightly; I’m not claustrophobic, but even I felt uncomfortable packed next to strangers in such a tiny space. Thankfully, the ride to the surface was only around 30 seconds, so you don’t have to bear it for long!
Tips For Visiting The Wieliczka Salt Mine:
Book in advance or get there early! The mine opens at 7.30 am with only a trickle of visitors; however, by 9.30, many tourists will arrive via tourist buses. At peak times, tickets for the day may also be sold out. Your best bet for getting a ticket is to book in advance online.
Bring a jacket. If heading to the mine during summer, I recommend bringing a light jacket or cardigan as the temperatures are much cooler down in the mine. It’s not cold but notably cooler than the summer heat.
Be prepared to walk! Altogether, there are around 3 km of passageways and 800 steps throughout the tourist route; make sure you have comfortable shoes!
Allow plenty of time. From start to finish, it takes around 3 hours. In the peak season, you may need to wait a while for the lift back to the surface.
Claustrophobic, be warned! You will need to walk down a large spiral staircase at the start of the tour; although it’s quite roomy, some people may find this uncomfortable. Once down in the mine, the corridors are generally spacious and not crowded. However, the lift backup is very small, and I even felt slightly anxious!
Make the most out of the mine microclimate. The mine has its own microclimate with no pollution, which is excellent for those with respiratory conditions. If you want to take advantage, you can even stay overnight in the mine’s own spa; if not, remember to breathe deeply as you wander through the mine to get the most out of the clean air.
Final Thoughts
Before visiting Krakow, I knew little about the Wieliczka salt Mines. However, I enjoyed learning about the history of the mine. I was fascinated with how these miners managed to carve out such spectacular chambers all hundreds of metres below the ground!
I enjoyed it so much that I would love to return one day and do the ‘miners tour’ and maybe check out the spa.
If you are looking for something different to do whilst in Krakow, I highly recommend visiting the Wieliczka Salt Mine. However, I would say to buy tickets online and travel independently to the mine to allow more time at the site and maybe check out the Graduation tower, which, unfortunately, I never had the chance to visit.
If you are short on time, I would visit with an organised tour as I did. Most tours leave Krakow around 8.30 am and have you back in the city by around 2 pm.
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