Wieliczka Salt Mine
Kopalnia Soli Wieliczka
A UNESCO World Heritage salt mine worked for 700 years, with the St. Kinga Chapel 135 meters underground carved entirely from salt, and a 3.5-kilometer visitor route passing through salt lakes and halls of salt sculptures.
The Wieliczka Salt Mine was worked from the 13th century until 1996, making it one of the longest-operating salt mines in the world. It was among the first sites inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978. The mine has 9 levels, reaches a total depth of 327 meters, and has 245 kilometers of tunnels. The visitor route is about 3.5 kilometers long and lies 64–135 meters underground. You first descend 380 wooden steps to the first level, then pass through more than 20 chambers. These include salt-carved statues of Copernicus and Casimir the Great made by the miners; St. Kinga’s Chapel, 101 meters underground and 54 meters long, with a ceiling and chandeliers made entirely of salt crystals, where Mass and weddings are still held; and salt lakes and halls supported by wooden structures. Finally, you return to the surface by miners’ elevator.
The whole tour must be taken with a guide. English-language tours depart every 30 minutes and last about 3 hours, with admission around 140 złoty in 2025. Polish-language tours are cheaper, and a separate “Miners’ Route” experience tour is also available. The underground temperature is a constant 14–16°C, so bring a jacket and comfortable shoes. There are many ramps and steps, and wheelchair access is limited. The mine also has a spa area and an underground restaurant. Getting there: take the SKA1 suburban train from Kraków Główny station for 20 minutes to Wieliczka Rynek-Kopalnia station (about 6 złoty), or take bus 304 for about 40 minutes. You can also join a day tour that includes Auschwitz. In peak season (July–August), book timed tickets online in advance, as queues on site can exceed 1 hour.
Opening hours
07:30–19:30 (Nov–Mar 08:00–17:00); tourist routes limited to guided groups
Nearby sights
- Nowa Huta
- Kraków-Płaszów Concentration Camp Memorial
- Krakus Mound
- Polish Aviation Museum
- Oskar Schindler's Enamel Factory
- MOCAK Museum of Contemporary Art
- Ghetto Heroes Square & Pharmacy Under the Eagle
- Divine Mercy Sanctuary