Until its closure in 1996 Wieliczka was one of the oldest operating salt mines in the world. Salt has been mined here since the thirteenth century, initially producing salt for the table and later salt for the chemical industry and salt for winter roads. It has now become one of the most visited tourist attractions in Poland, attracting over a million visitors a year, it is a Polish Historic Monument and, since 1978, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The mine is huge going down to a depth of 327m with nine different levels. The total distance covered by passageways and chambers is 287Km. Visitors to the mine follow a route that takes them down to 135m, accessing the first three levels only. It covers less than 2% of that which has been excavated.
The town of Wieliczka lies about 16Km/10 miles south east of Kraków. The journey time depends on traffic but should be around 30 minutes by car/bus. The 304 bus leaves from Kurniki Street which is just north of the Old Town every 20 minutes. Tour companies also have pick up points in the city and also go direct to the mine. Some even do hotel pickups. It is also possible to travel to Wieliczka by train. Trains run half hourly from Kraków Glowny to Wieliczka Rynek Kopalnia and costs about 4 Zloty each way, the journey time is 20-25 minutes. This option does however involve a ten minute walk from the railway station to the mine.
The mine is open to visitors every day except New Years Day, Good Friday, Christmas Day and Boxing Day. Times do vary with the season so it is worth checking before you go. Entry to the mine is 89 Zloty and includes a guide. Tours in English depart every 30 minutes between 8.30 and 18.00 between April and October. Outside this period there are obviously less tourists so tour times may vary. There are refreshment and toilet facilities adjacent to the entry to the mine if you have to wait for an appropriate tour
The tour begins with a descent of 350 steps down to the first level. Once in the mine the temperature is a constant 15 degrees Celsius so take a jumper or light jacket if you think you may need it. The underground trail covers 3.5Km and in total you will descend 800 steps. The tour takes about two hours with a couple of short breaks. There are toilets at two locations on the tour as well as restaurant/cafe facilities and the opportunity to do some souvenir shopping. Return back to the surface at the end of the tour is by high speed lift.
The tour itself is quite remarkable as you encounter salt sculptures, dioramas detailing the history of the mine, chapels and huge chambers. Perhaps surprisingly the salt is grey due to the presence of small levels
The Chapel of St. Kinga ia perhaps the most impressive with crystal chandeliers and the most intricate relief carvings on the walls. The detail here is such that it took thirty years to complete. The chamber is vast and can hold up to 400 people seated for concerts or private functions.
The Erazm Baracz Chamber contains a salt lake with. density greater than the Dead Sea. Floating here would be very easy indeed. The highest chamber is the Stanislaw Stasiz Chamber, the ceiling is so high it has been used for indoor bungee jumping and hot air ballooning.
I joined a small group tour from Kraków and the total trip was four and a half hours so it makes an ideal half day activity. To make maximum use of my day I took the tour leaving Kraków at eight thirty in the morning, returning just in time for lunch and leaving the rest of the day to spend in the city. I really recommend a trip to the salt mine as its such a unique experience.
The city of Kraków in southern Poland is an absolute gem and is well worth visiting for a short break or long weekend. I have just returned from a five day trip and could easily have spent more time there as there is so much to see and do. Kraków is Poland’s second largest city and attracts some 12 million visitors a year. Here are just some of the things yo can do in the city.
Walk the Old Town. I always like to take a guided tour when first arriving in a new city as it helps with orientation and shows you some of the places that you might want to explore/investigate further. The old town of Kraków is compact and so a walking tour is the best option. I chose Walkative which offer a number of different tours in the city, many of which are free, and are available in a number of languages.
Wawel Castle. Sat atop Wawel Hill it was home to the Polish monarchy for centuries. You can walk up the hill and enter the grounds for free but if you want to visit the royal and state apartments, cathedral and other important buildings you will have to purchase tickets all of which are purchased separately. If you are on a budget or simply short on time a visit to the grounds will give you an idea of the importance of the monument.
Wawel Cathedral
Cloth Hall. The Cloth Hall sits proudly in the middle of Rynek Glowny which is itself the largest medieval town square in Europe. The main building dates back to the late sixteenth century but the arcades were added on much later. The hall was once the centre of the clothing trade but today is full of souvenir shops.
Rynek Underground. This underground museum is below the main square and was opened in 2010. Telling the history of the city it is an interactive and engaging experience. Some of the artefacts found during excavation of the site are fascinating and were for me the highlight. Entry to the museum is by ticket which needs to be purchased from the shop on the opposite side of the Cloth Hall to the actual entry point to the museum. Tickets are 21 Zloty and for specific times. I went in the afternoon and my ticket was for entry half an hour later but this could be longer at weekends when it is much busier. Admission is free on Tuesdays but tickets do go very quickly.
St. Mary’s Basilica. Dating back to the thirteenth century the Basilica is unusual in that it has towers of differing heights. A small charge is payable to enter and an additional charge is made if you want to climb to the top of the high tower from where the views are splendid. It is worth being around the basilica on the hour to hear the trumpeter play a five note tune the last note of which finishes abruptly. The reasons behind this are a thing of legend. The tune is played four times, one from each side of the tower, every hour of the day.
St. Mary’s Basilica
Eat traditional Polish Food. There are many traditional restaurants in the Old Town and the Jewish Quarter. They offer wholesome traditional foods such as Pierogi dumplings, vegetable soups and various cuts of pork. I particularly enjoyed U Babci Maliny located in a courtyard at 17 Stawkowska. You must go through the building into the courtyard and then down to the basement. It is well worth the effort to find it.
Collegium Maius Courtyard. The oldest university building in Poland has the most perfect courtyard and you can enter for free. A popular spot on all tours of the Old Town but if you are lucky enough to be there between tours it is a remarkably calm and peaceful place to sit and reflect for a few minutes. You can also purchase tickets for a guided tour of the museum but for me the courtyard is the star attraction.
Visit Kazimierz and take a tour. Also known as the Jewish Quarter it was once a city in its own right before incorporation into Kraków. It is easily reached from the Old Town with a walk of about 15 minutes. The area is steeped in history and the best way to see it is with a local guide. I choose a tour with Walkative who run three tours a day starting from The Old Synagogue at 24 Szeroka Street. The tour lasts 2 hours and is free but you can make a donation to your guide if you feel the tour has been worth it.
Galicia Jewish Museum. A museum with a difference in that the main exhibition is based around photographs with written commentary that examine Jewish life in southern Poland. It uses space well and has a calmness about it which is most welcome. There is also an excellent bookshop.
Oskar Schindler’s Factory Tour. The story of Oskar Schindler is well known as a result of Steven Spielberg’s film Schindler’s List. The factory manufacturing enamel pots and pans no longer exists so the tour is actually based in the factory’s administration building. It covers much more than the role Oskar Schindler played in the survival of 1100 Jews during the Holocaust and it should be a must on any visit to the city. It is located in Podgórze which is across the Vistula River from the Old Town and Kazimierz. I walked there from the Old Town in about 25 minutes. Get there early as it gets very busy.
Pharmacy Under the Eagle. A small museum located on Heroes of the Ghetto Square which tells the story of the role played by the pharmacy and its owner Tadeusz Pankiewicz in supporting Jews in the Ghetto between 1941 and 1943. The interior of the pharmacy has been recreated as it would have been when workers risked their lives to help those more unfortunate than themselves. There is a small charge, entry is free on Mondays but it does close at 2pm.
Heroes of the Ghetto Square (Plac Bohaterów Getta). This was part of the Jewish ghetto that was created in 1941 and housed 17000 people in exceptionally crowded conditions. The square was the place of executions and the point from which Jews were sent to concentration camps. The 33 empty chairs are a memorial to all those that were held here. When Jews were forced into the ghetto in 1941 they brought furniture and possessions with them. As living condition were overcrowded many pieces of furniture were left on the square hence why chairs were chosen as the memorial. Most chairs face the same direction but one faces in the direction of Auschwitz and one in the direction of Schindlers factory.
Ghetto Wall. Just a short walk from the square is a small section of all that remains of the wall which surrounded the ghetto, it was made in the shape of tombstones. It is located on Lwowska and there is a small plaque which explains its significance.
The final two suggestions are outside the city but can easily be reached by public transport or by taking an organised tour.
Wieliczka Salt Mine. The town of Wieliczka is about a 30 minute drive from the Old Town. Salt was mined here for centuries before operations ceased in 1996. It is now a tourist attraction and UNESCO World Heritage site. Guided tours of the mine take two hours and are conducted in several languages. Expect the unexpected as you see remarkable salt carvings, chapels of worship and huge caverns where weddings and private functions can be held.
Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum. The death camps of Auschwitz – Birkenau are about a 90 minute drive from Kraków. It is also possible to get a train with a very similar journey time. However you choose to get there you must start at Auschwitz I where guided tours of the site begin. For most of the year it is compulsory to join a tour and I would recommend this anyway as the guides are excellent and ensure you get the most out of your visit. Following the tour of Auschwitz I it is only a short walk/drive of a few kilometres to Auschwitz II Birkenau which is much bigger but few buildings there now remain. I joined a tour from Kraków to the camps and it was a seven hour round trip so be prepared to allow a full day for your visit.
