Wieliczka Salt Mine

The Wieliczka Salt Mine (Kopalnia Soli “Wieliczka”) was used for salt mining for 700 years but has been open to tourist for about 200. Early salt harvesters boiled the water seeping up from the ground which moved onto digging shafts to extract the salt directly from the rock. Over the years the mine expanded to 9 levels, 245 kilometres of tunnels and is 327m at the deepest point.

Over the years the miners have carved out amazing spaces including several chapels, a restaurant, and a large meeting room. The miners appear to be a very artistic group as there are carvings throughout…

St Kinga’s Chapel

Restaurant (in the Budryk Chamber)

The Warsaw Chamber

Souvenir Shop

Tours of the mine following the “Miners' Route” (you must take a tour) are offered at regular intervals throughout the day and take approximately 2 hours with tickets available on site or online. The walk is about 3.5 kilometers, only 2% of the total tunnel length, including 800 steps with 350 at the start down into the mine (you get to take an elevator at the end to return to the surface).

What I found particularly interesting is that unlike other mines this one is very DRY and CLEAN with solid, concrete paths throughout and excellent tourist facilities. There are a number of dioramas throughout the tour but mostly you listen the guide describing what you are seeing.

The visitor centre on the surface also has toilets which should be used ahead of any tour as they are not so common in the mine (though they do have them).

Nearby there is the “Graduation Tower”, an eye-catching construct made out of wood with water cascading down the exterior which appears to be a place where you can “destress” with the “healing properties” of salt. This can be visited at extra cost though note that there is a nice park between the mine and the tower that can be visited free of charge.

The mine is located approximately 12 kilometers southeast of Krakow with a number of car parks (paid) but is also easily accessed by public transport as it is only a short walk from the Wieliczka Rynek Kopalnia train station.

If you are looking for somewhere to eat, there are several fast-food style outlets at the visitor centre, however, if you take a short walk to the nearby Wieliczka Rynek Górny (Upper Market Square) there is a small, wonderful restaurant serving hand-made perogies, indeed, you can watch them being made!

Pierogarnia "Dzień Dobry" (“Good morning” pierogi restaurant), Rynek Górny 1, 32-020 Wieliczka is well worth a visit with an interior dining space as well as outdoor seating with both savoury and sweet pierogis (boiled dumplings) as well as other traditional Polish food. Pierogies are made to order, literally, with the staff rolling out the pasta, filling it and boiling it to order.

To get there, from outside the main mine visitor centre turn right onto Daniłowicza road then turn left on Klaśnieńska road (just past the car park) which you follow straight then when it turns to the right, do a sharp left to enter the square.