Wieliczka Salt Mines

Wieliczka Salt Mines
Phone
+48 731 434 924
Website
Wieliczka Salt Mines
Address
ul. Daniłowicza 10

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Editor's review

The salt mines are a thirty minute bus ride from the city centre and a well trodden part of the tourist trail. They are unquestionably a marvel, and they have been under the aegis of UNESCO since 1978. All tours are guided and there are regular English tours during the season, otherwise you can buy a pamphlet and join a Polish group. Unfortunately, this means that you can't breeze through the duller rooms (of which there are a few), or linger in the more inspirational ones. All the same, if you're here for more than a couple of nights, they are well worth the trip. The chapels, above all that of Saint Kinga, are extraordinary. Picasso said that the altarpiece in St. Mary's Church was the eighth wonder of the world, yet the aforementioned chapel can certainly hold its own with Stoss's creation.

Editor
Editor & Krakow Local

A message from Wieliczka Salt Mines

Tours run daily (except major holidays).

Wieliczka Salt Mines

Wieliczka Salt Mines

Reviews

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Kristina

I was looking for Wieliczka,but it was a big disappointment for me. Im a young person, but was exhausted after the long tour. I was angry,that no explanation how much stairs you have to climb and you have to walk kilometers. I couldnt wait to get out from there.

Reply Apr 9th, 2019
steven halliwell
United Kingdom

disaster dont go, I would rather walk back to uk with nails in both shoes than go their again Had to fein illness to get out!!

Reply Oct 3rd, 2011
Visiting Krakow
United States

Indeed it is expensive , but well worth it! This is totally unique place and the tour lasted well over 2 h. Money well spent I would say.

Reply Sep 15th, 2011
Ju
France

This place is a tourist trap! Our guid wasn't so nice, she wanted finish quickly the visit... Moreover it's expansive!

Reply Jun 25th, 2011
Natasha
Russia

Great place to see, especially in Summer as it is wonderfully cool underground. One of the best sights I've ever been too!.

Reply May 30th, 2011
Marco & Michele
Italy

We had our trip organized smoothly by the same company which booked our Hotel in Krakow - Freebookers. Very well organized. Wieliczka is a stunning place and we are very happy that we had opportunity to see it.

Reply Apr 27th, 2011
Marika
Denmark

This place is magic and in the middle of Winter with the snow around is just like a fairy tale still. Loved it and my kids adored it too!

Reply Dec 21st, 2010
Charles
United Kingdom

Wonderful place to visit with great guides. Bit rushed at times but I have been 3 times and will go again.

Reply Nov 18th, 2010
KRAKOW FTW
United Kingdom

was sick

Reply Nov 17th, 2010
Christian Betting
France

This is a totally magical place and an underground lake and a chapel(!) are just stunning. Quite powerful experience to go underground in the tiny lifts. Highly recommended.

Reply Nov 9th, 2010
Srikanth Bobby Pagidipalli
United Kingdom

"Amazing magnificent they have built the mine with minimal resources and its good they preserved the history. In fact I love the whole experience of me visiting Poland (Krakow History, Market Square, Wawel Castle, Niepolomice Castle, Food, People in Krakow, Zakopane Mountains) Would definitely recommend to everyone and must see place. "

A big thank you to my wonderful friend Kasia.Z for showing me many places around Krakow (trip date: 18-08-2010 to 25-08-2010).

Reply Aug 29th, 2010
Srikanth Bobby Pagidipalli
United Kingdom

Amazing magnificent they have built the mine with minimal resources and its good they preserved the history.

In fact I love the whole experience of me visiting Poland (Krakow History, Market Square, Wawel Castle, Niepolomice Castle, Food, People in Krakow, Zakopane Mountains)

Would definitely recommend to everyone and must see place.

Reply Aug 29th, 2010
Marius
Netherlands

Just like from the fairy tale. Our kids loved it. We had fun day out! Well worth seeing.

Reply Jul 2nd, 2010
Oceana
United States

Awesome and very beautiful place! Wrap up warm as it is cold down there:)

Reply May 15th, 2010
Sarah
Germany

I found it one of the most beautiful places that I have ever seen. I loved the underground lake.

One piece of advice that I could offer to anyone planning to visit - go on the organized tour, it works out more expensive - that's true. But we have tried to do it by ourselves and had a nightmare catching the minibuses from the centre, as the stops are not clearly indicated. I am sure it is easy when you know Polish well, but if you know only few words - it becomes quite a challenge!

Reply Mar 31st, 2010
k8
Poland

it is! you should book a visit!!!!

Reply Jan 29th, 2010
Mike
United States

Wow. That looks awesome...!

Reply Jan 29th, 2010
johnbhoy
United Kingdom

A totally wonderful day to remember for a very long time this place is 1 of the main reasons we holidayed in poland this year and it didnt let us down

Reply Sep 7th, 2009
jen
United States

Awesome. We took a bus here and it was amazing. apparently if you lick the walls it's all salt, but i didn;t try it this time!

Reply Jul 30th, 2009
Helen Cresswell
United Kingdom

This was certainly worth the trip, although it did drag a bit at times. The main room is amazing...

Reply Jun 10th, 2009
Kent
United States

Been waiting a few years to see the Wieliczka Salt Mines since my Polish friends first described them to me. What a fantastic place to visit! My only wish would that it was wheel chair accessible so everyone could enjoy it.

Reply Jun 5th, 2009
jeff
United States

I'd like to get married in that chamber. Like a sort of elves marriage! Amazing!

Reply May 18th, 2009
Francisco d'Anconia
Argentina

It was such a pleasure to go down in the mines! What a unique experience!

Reply Feb 10th, 2009
Ben
United Kingdom

I've never been to a place like this! Definitely recommended if you have an extra afternoon in Krakow. Krakow Tours made everything effortless :)

Reply Jan 19th, 2009
Fruity
United Kingdom

Cool place! I went with Krakow Tours and they took care of everything for me. This salt mine is really unique - definitely worth a visit!!

Reply Dec 3rd, 2008
odenan
United States

what an incredible place - not for the claustrophobic as most of the time you are walking in small dark tunnels - but eventually you get to the magnificent room pictured above :) really interesting place!!

Reply Oct 28th, 2008
Lord Underwood-Parry
United Kingdom

WOW! This word describes this place to a tee. A whole underground world, completely built out of salt. Churches, statues, even the chandeliers!! What a remarkable place. Down near the bottom (where they dont take you) there is a sanitorium, where asthma and lung illness sufferers go and the salt and depth makes them better! The mine has schools, hospitals, canteen, churches, rivers, the Pope! A must for anyone to Poland, and dont forget Auschwitz as well.

Reply Sep 8th, 2008
Dave
United Kingdom

This is a must do if you are visiting Kracow. Words cannot adequately describe what you will see in the mines, and I'm not that easily impressed, seen the Grand canyon etc but this is a much bigger wow. Plan to stay a little longer after the guided tour as there is a restaurant and museum (at 132 metres below ground). It's only a 20 minute run out of Kracow. There is a lift back up to the surface so less fit people should be ok on this tour. You do have to walk down steps for what seems like forever though. We used Kracow Tours on this site for all our transport and found them to be excellent. Nice vehicles, friendly and very efficient staff. Thank you.

Reply Jun 18th, 2008
Jim Crooke
United Kingdom

Thank God this isn't in the UK or the US or they would have a McDonalds down there! Visit it whilst it remains unspoiled. It is well worth the effort.

Reply May 9th, 2008
john kelly
Ireland

not to be missed when visiting Krakow

Reply Mar 18th, 2008
Cheryl
United States

Amazing - they also said the air is good for you and that the 3hr underground tour is healthy who knew!

Reply Mar 12th, 2008
Kim
Canada

undeniably beautiful; lots of steps; stairways not for people afraid of heights; definitely worth seeing the chapels

Reply Feb 25th, 2008
J Howarth
United Kingdom

The most spectacular and amazing sight to have ever experienced, truly in awe!!!!

Reply Feb 14th, 2008
Bob Duck
United Kingdom

Excellent - I have never seen anything like it

Reply Jan 30th, 2008
Mike B
United Kingdom

Well worth visiting indeed. The Chapel is truly marvellous.

Reply Jan 25th, 2008
Eddie Sapinski
New Zealand

I visited the Wieliczka salt mines, not knowing what too really expect,I was so amazed,by what i saw, unbelievable, amazing, is how i would describe this visual feast.The tour guide was great, he really made the journey through the mines live and breathe the magnificent histoty behind all aspect of them.

Reply Jun 25th, 2007
Mark
United States

Krakow was magnificient. The Wieliczka Salt Mine is worth a trip by itself. If t had been in the Free World for the last 50 years it would be known as one of the Man-Made Wonders of the World. Our guide Marta was excellent.Be prepared for a fair amount of walking.

Reply May 31st, 2007
Carl
United Kingdom

I love Monica-she's the greatest!

Reply May 4th, 2007
Jo Piper
United Kingdom

Oh my god, the most wonderful city in the world. The Salt Mines were incredible no photographs do the craftsmanship justice. If you nothing else in this life spend a few days in Krakow, for me the best in the world.

Reply May 2nd, 2007
dan ryan
United Kingdom

everything in this room is made of salt.. except the door which is made of wood ... priceless !!!

Reply May 2nd, 2007
Jenny Ang
Singapore

My colleagues were discussing holiday trips and asked me which is the most unforgettable trip for me. I was there in 1998 after an exhibition in Paris, took a one week side trip to Eastern Europe, visiting Budapest, Warsaw and Krakow - the salt mine. I remembered we took a train from Warsaw -it was a pleasant ride where we had lunch and some wine onboard and frankly, I wasn't expecting anything interesting in a salt mine but wow, the hundreds of steps down the 3 levels, the sights underground were spectacular and I especially liked the chapel, sculptures and those ancient equipment on display. To me - this is the most recommended must see place in Poland.

Reply Apr 16th, 2007
ANDY
United Kingdom

Fantastic, GO!

Reply Feb 16th, 2007
VLM
United Kingdom

I visited the salt mines as part of my birthday weekend in Krakow. I went with 12 friends and not one of us was disappointed (hungover - yes)! It was an amazing experience and our guide Mark was superb! He knew everything about everything and his english was excellent.

I can't recommend the place enough, we booked through the tourist info centre in the market square and it cost about 90z, well worth every penny!

Reply Feb 5th, 2007
Ian Smart
United Kingdom

salt is such a link with human life, to experience a real life mine was very interesting, but more the sculptures produced by miners in their own time (difficult to believe) but the quality from guys used to wielding hand tools with force is just fantastic. Tour very entertaining and informative all questions answered with authority. A must visit when in Cracow, easy bus trip too.

Reply Oct 28th, 2006
barbara metchick
United Kingdom

as a person who takes thousand each year on various tour of various 'must see' sights the salt mines are a reall joy to investigate always fun and interesting with a real twist of the sureal given the world that lies around this particular area of concentration camps and (in the pat) poverty and hardship these salt mines provide a light hearted break from the doom and gloom of what could be very depressing excursions!!! Great

Reply Sep 26th, 2006
Simon MIlls
United Kingdom

I'm not a ig fan of tours, and went there with low expectations but was really gobsmacked! There's one really large hall which is quite awesome. It feels a bit like Raiders of the Lost Ark as you make your way around the rickety-looking wooden bridges and stairs. One tip - if you have kids - hold on to them tight!

Reply Aug 25th, 2006
Terry Bridle
Canada

I have visted the saltmine several times, and as far as I am concerned it is a 'must see' experience. When telling other people it is hard to make it sound exciting - but everyone I have taken there has been 'wowed' [if there is such a word] by it. I am looking forward to going again next time I visit Poland.

Reply Aug 7th, 2006
Brian Lakin
United Kingdom

Absolutely breath taking - shame Pope John-Paul was unable to make the journey in his lifetime to view the statue made of him. Well worth a visit.

Reply May 15th, 2006
Claire Lane
United Kingdom

the things i saw were breath taking.i was lucky enough to see the most beautiful architecture i had ever seen and the most amazing thing was that it was by the ordinary working man.

i went in 2005 and was absolutely blown away by the warmth of the staff and there love for the place.

Reply Apr 20th, 2006
Guest
United Kingdom

If you don't like queuing and want to be sure of an English speaking guide, blow the expense and book on-line. Whatever your choice, you will not be disappointed by the Salt Mines.

Reply Oct 20th, 2005
Kylie Holtom
United Kingdom

well.... despite the fact our tour guide of the salt mines spoke english i found myself having to strain and focus really hard to understand what he was saying. The tour seemed to take forever however it was an experience i will never forget. the staff however that worked in the salt mine seemed ever so rude to me! i enjoyed the ball room that was a spectacular sight and well worth all the boring parts of the tour just to see that. i would recomend you go see this place if you get the chance but it could be an extremely boring place for a child. my favourite part of the whole salt mine experience was the cage at the end i thought it was absolutely ace and wanted to go on it again. i recomend you wear sensible shoes as there is about 400 steps at the very beginning.

Reply Jul 11th, 2005
lurr
United Kingdom

I was lucky enough to have an English tour at the salt mines and found it to be a breathtaking place. The most astoishing thing down there is the magnificent ball room, where weddings are held nowadays. And the fact that my phone had reception right at the bottom. My only complaints are about the seemingly never ending factor of the tour, and the rattly metal cage that they drag you back up in.

Reply Feb 20th, 2005
anthony
United Kingdom

Interesting, and quite a spectacle for about twenty minutes, but unless you manage to luck onto an English speaking guide the stopping at every view for a 5 minute discourse gets a bit tiresome. The main hall pictured is a sight to behold, but the whole tour took 2 hours and even then we were left hanging about like spare dicks at a wedding at the cafe/souvenir area for twenty minutes whilst we were expected to shop. Took the train to it which was pleasant, albeit a bit difficult to understand the timetable and buy the tickets. Still preferable to getting one of the many grief-hole/minibuses from the train station.

Reply Mar 28th, 2004
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