Do you have a friend with whom you ate a barrel of salt? If so, be sure to take him to Wieliczka. In this charming town near Krakow, you can visit the Salt Mine together. Did you know that it was entered on the UNESCO World Heritage List as one of the first 12 objects in the world? And this is just one of the reasons why tourists from the farthest corners of the globe come here every year.
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The ‘Wieliczka’ Salt Mine – Tourist Route – information, attractions, tour
You can visit the ‘Wieliczka’ Salt Mine in several ways (as an individual tourist, in an organized group or on a school trip) and along various paths (the Tourist Route or the Miners’ Route). We have chosen the Tourist Route with an individual ticket. Let’s go on an adventure!
The assembly point and the entrance can be found at the Daniłowicz Shaft. Be prepared for about 2-3 hours of sightseeing at a temperature of 17-18 degrees Celsius. There is no heat, so we recommend quite warm clothes.
Put on comfortable shoes, because you will go down 380 stairs right from the start. In total, you will defeat about 800 of them! Thanks to this, you’ll descend to a depth of 135 m underground. Is it worth it? We do not promise that it will take your breath away from the impression, but we guarantee that you will be satisfied with the views. You won’t see anything like it anywhere else.
Do you know this gentleman with long hair and a globe in his hands? It’s probably hard to recognize him by his face, but (judging by the caption on the attached picture) it’s Nicolaus Copernicus. Hundreds of years ago, before the mine was open to tourists, famous Polish astronomer was said to have visited it as a student. To commemorate this, a salt monument of Copernicus was erected. Touching it is strictly forbidden. Can you guess why? Well, because under the influence of moisture that we have on our fingertips, it could simply dissolve in a short time.
During the tour, your guide will probably tell you a lot of interesting facts and stories related to the salt mine. And certainly the legend about the ring of Saint Kinga – a Hungarian princess who was proposed to by the Polish ruler Bolesław Wstydliwy. Be careful, a (salty) tear may flow down your cheek from emotion.
Do we have any food lovers here? On the salt walls of the mine you will find numerous speleothems and efflorescences, which took their names straight from the kitchen. In the photo above you can see plump cauliflowers, covering the ceiling like a delicate duvet or a layer of whipped cream. There is also something special for gluten-lovers: thin noodles loodely hanging from the walls.
In order not to miss anyone, we also have an attraction for popular historians. To be precise, those who are interested in a very distant history. It is a neolithic salt works from six thousand years ago. It is said that the first traces of human activity in ‘Wieliczka’ dates back to 3500 BC.
All the attractions of the mine are great, but the real beauty spot is yet to come. The most important (and probably the most beautiful) point on the Tourist Route is, of course, St Kinga’s Chapel. It looks most impressive from above, illuminated by huge chandeliers. However, you must go downstairs to see the details. All sculptures and the altar are made with extreme precision and make an amazing impression.
The Last Supper is carved on one of the walls of Saint Kinga’s Chapel. When you stand some distance from the ‘picture’ and look at it from the right angle, it will appear to be three-dimensional. It may not be ‘Avatar’ 3D, but it also looks pretty nice.
When going to the salt mine, would you think that you will have a little trip to the lake? For us, the underground water reservoir was a real surprise. And that beautiful turquoise color… Wow!
There were many more people who were delighted with the mine waters! Some daredevils willingness to explore them even paid with their lives. More than 100 years ago, a group of German soldiers sailed into one of the chambers on the ferry (you can see this chamber in the photo above). Unfortunately, their ship was heavily overloaded and the ropes could not withstand the load. As a result, seven servicemen drowned.
Can you imagine an underground bungee jump or a balloon flight? Both took place in the Stanislaw Staszic Chamber which you can admire in the photo above. Impossible? Not in Poland. The salt cave is really impressive in size, and its ceiling reaches higher than Wiolczi’s eyesight.
Before leaving the underground, take a look at the display cases where salts and crystals of various types & colors are waiting for you. It is unbelievable that salt can take so many shapes!
Before you get to the surface, you will have to wait a while in the elevator queue. Then you will have the opportunity to see that ‘Wieliczka’ is really visited by people from all over the world. If you’ve never been to a mine before, we’re sure you’ll be surprised by the look and feel of the elevator. It is more like an unstable makeshift cage than a typical lift in a block of flats. But don’t worry, the staff will safely take you upstairs.
Wieliczka Salt Mine – tickets and opening hours
Below you will find ticket prices for the Tourist Route with an English-language guide:
- Normal ticket – PLN 139.
- Reduced ticket (children, teenagers, students, seniors, people with disabilities) – PLN 117.
- Family ticket (2+2) – PLN 418.
- Children up to the age of four enter for free.
With the ticket for the Tourist Route you can enter the Cracow Saltworks Museum.
The Tourist Route is open every day between 8:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. Exact tour times should be checked on the mine’s website.
Wieliczka Salt Mine – how to get?
The Wieliczka Salt Mine is located less than 15 km from the center of Krakow.
- Car. You can get here from Krakow in less than half an hour. There are two paid car parks close to the mine: the first one is located at Tężnia Solankowa (entrance from 22 Dembowskiego Street), the second one can be accessed from 10 Daniłowicza Street.
- Bus. If you want to get here from Krakow, catch the bus 304 at the Dworzec Główny Zachód stop near Galeria Krakowska. Get off at the Wieliczka Kopalnia Soli stop. Remember to buy the ticket that covers zones I and II.
- Rail. Take the suburban train at the Kraków Główny station and get off at the Wieliczka Rynek Kopalnia. From here it is only a few minutes walk to the destination.
Wieliczka Salt Mine – interesting facts and tips
- Do you want to show your foreign friends one of the most visited and recognizable attractions in Poland? No problem! In the ‘Wieliczka’ Salt Mine, the guides speak English, German, French, Italian, Russian, Spanish and Ukrainian. However, book such trips in advance.
- Did you like the St Kinga’s Chapel? We know from official and unofficial sources that after the Tourist Route closes, you can get married there. It’s just a magical, unusual place. Unfortunately, the price for renting a chapel for this type of celebration is shrouded in mystery, and to find out, you need to contact the marketing department individually.
- If you believe in superstitions, and even if you don’t, it’s worth… licking the salt wall in Wieliczka. It sounds a bit unsterile, but it is said to bring health, happiness and success. We agree that it’s worth the risk.
- Salt has tremendous healing power! It is irreplaceable in the prevention and treatment of respiratory diseases. Asthmatics, allergics and sinus sufferers – go to Wieliczka asap and be sure to take advantage of its benefits. In the mine, 135m underground, there is the famous Health Resort (in Polish: Health Resort). It is used by patients of all ages. In the nearby you will also find the Graduation Tower (in Polish: Tężnia Solankowa). After the visit, an immediate improvement in well-being is guaranteed!
The ‘Wieliczka’ Salt Mine – reviews
- Patrix – 7/10. I was here a long time ago on a school trip. I honestly admit that I remember the ‘Wieliczka’ Salt Mine a bit more epic, but it was still great. It’s nice that the tour is guided, so we can hear how it all worked. And it’s very bad that the guide told us that you can get married in the chapel in the mine. Now it turns out that my dream wedding will be much more expensive than I expected. Anyway… a very nice trip. Pleasant sightseeing. The only thing I can complain about is the ticket price.
- Wiolczix – 8/10. An absolutely magical underground trip. I visited the ‘Wieliczka; Salt Mine for the first time when I was a child and it already made an amazing impression on me. I came back after several years and it turns out that it is even more beautiful than then. Of course, the number 1 attraction for me is Saint Kinga’s Chapel with huge chandeliers. But it is not everything. Huge caves, turquoise lakes, salt ‘decorations’ on the ceilings… You won’t see such views anywhere else in Poland or even in the world. You must go there. If only to squeeze through these narrow underground corridors from the photo below. 🙂
Wieliczka Salt Mine – frequently asked questions
How long does it take to visit the Wieliczka Salt Mine?
The visiting time of the Wieliczka Salt Mine depends on the selected option. The Tourist Route (Trasa Turystyczna) takes about 2 hours, the Miners’ Route (Trasa Górnicza) – about 3 hours, and Following the Legends (Śladami Legend) and Discovering Soliland (Odkrywanie Solilandii) – about 2.5 hours.
Do I need to book tickets to Wieliczka in advance?
There is no need to reserve tickets to the Wieliczka Salt Mine, you can buy them at the ticket offices. However, it is worth buying tickets in advance, especially if you are going on a weekend, holiday or vacation. Once you arrive, it may turn out that there are no more places available for the day you have chosen.
How much does a ticket to the Wieliczka Salt Mine cost?
Entrance prices to the Wieliczka Salt Mine depend on the selected variant and route. A regular ticket costs from PLN 101 (Miners’ Route, Tourist Route) to PLN 124 (In the Footsteps of Legends). Reduced tickets cost from PLN 81 (Miners’ Route, Tourist Route) to PLN 101 (In the Footsteps of Legends).
What footwear for the Wieliczka salt mine?
When entering the salt mine in Wieliczka, wear comfortable shoes with a flat sole. Right from the start you will have to climb several hundred stairs. Also remember that the ground you will be moving on is not perfectly even and flat in every place. Comfortable footwear will protect you against unexpected falls and leg pain.
