A Trip to the Wieliczka Salt Mine

No trip to Krakow is complete without a trip to the Wieliczka Salt Mine. Appearing on the first UNESCO World Heritage list in 1978, the mine is world famous and provides an incredible day out whilst you are within the Polish second city. It has taken over 700 years to get to where it is now, with over 245km of tunnels and passageways venturing up to over 300m beneath the Earth’s surface. To make things even more spectacular, the mine boasts chapels, sculptures and art, all carved out of rock salt. It very much feels like a trip to the real-life set of The Lord of the Rings.

Arriving at the Mine

We started our day by taking a short bus trip from the Old Town into the outskirts of Krakow. It did not take too long and, like anything in Poland in comparison to the UK, it was very cheap. Our day was again very hot and temperatures were well in the thirties. This meant that we were already feeling sweaty and sticky. We arrived early so that we could get the earliest tickets. Luckily for us, we were on the first tour of the mines at 09:30am.

We entered the building that contained the mine entrance, which consisted of hundreds of wooden stairs. After meeting our friendly guide, we started our descent into darkness. The staircase was lit up by only a few yellow lights, which gave that rustic feel as we climbed down. As the stairs were arranged in a bidirectional fashion, you could sneak a peek down the mine which was certainly not for the faint-hearted. The drop seemed to go on forever and fade into nothingness. As we continued the climb down I could feel the heat of the outside world slowly fading away. I was however quickly refreshed by the cool air of the mine.

The First Half of the Mine

After a good quarter of an hour of climbing, we reached the first checkpoint of the mine. Our guide invited us to touch the walls and then lick our fingers, which we did. The taste was, of course, salty and it just proved to us that all of this magnificent labyrinth had been carved from nothing but rock salt. We carried on exploring the twists and turns within the maze and came across a few hollowed out areas which all had rich history.

Perhaps the one that stood out most was the Janowice Chamber, which held the legend of a princess who threw her engagement ring into the mine. She later became St Kinga, the Saint of Miners and there is a fantastic sculpture of this very moment within the chamber. Again, it is made entirely of rock salt and, without proper care and attention, would shortly fade away due to the material’s properties.

We were then shown sculptures of miners who were holding long wooden poles with a flame on the end. Curious at first to hear what these were all about, apparently this was carried out by the miners back when the mine was active. The work underground lead to a high concentration of the flammable gas methane being produced and so people had to force it to combust before a significantly high level caused an explosion. It was at this point when I became very thankful that I was not a miner!

St. Kinga’s Chapel

Around the halfway point we came across the most famous part of the mine; St. Kinga’s Chapel. It was far larger than I could ever could have expected, with such intricate detail displayed that it is hard to put into words. The floor was carved into the most stunning tiles which shined in the bright lights of the chandeliers above. The walls had carving of particularly important events in Catholicism, such as the Last Supper. Whilst it was first excavated by miners, nowadays some of the country’s most famous artists are invited here to carve a masterpiece for themselves. Apparently, people can actually get married here too, however I would imagine that the more claustrophobic of guests would not appreciate such an invitation.

Final Parts of the Mine

Leaving the Chapel behind us and venturing deeper into the mine, we then stumbled upon a large lake. Looking magical in the light surrounding it, the lake is part of the Weimar Chamber which traditionally is known as the most romantic spot in the mine. We were also told a chilling story of miners who sadly lost their lives in this salty lake once the boat capsized.

Deeper still in the darkness was the Stanisław Staszic Chamber, which stands proudly at 36m high. This part of the mine is even in the Guinness World Records!

After exploring countless more caverns, chambers and even chapels, we eventually came to the end of the journey. For a cheap price, it really was a worthy day out and it still is one of the highlights of my travels abroad. My only criticism is the mine shaft ride on the way up – it is rickety for an authentic experience, but does feel as if you could fall into the abyss at any moment!!

Final Thoughts – Wieliczka Salt Mine

We loved our time in the Wieliczka Salt Mine and I thoroughly recommend it to anybody in Krakow. Because my mum is Polish, we were able to do it independently. However, should you want to do a Wieliczka Salt Mine tour, there are also plenty of options. Whatever way you do it, be prepared for an amazing experience like nothing else.

My Travel Tips and Recommendations

Flights

My usual go-to for booking flights is Skyscanner, the flight search engine. What I love about Skycanner is that you have various options depending on your situation. If you know where you want to go it’s easy – all you need is to search for your destination and dates, and you are provided with all flight options to choose from. If you haven’t decided on your next trip yet, you can use the Everywhere tool for inspiration and to find the cheapest places to fly to.

Accommodation

Whenever I plan my travels Booking.com is my best friend. The website is super easy to use and provides a whole range of accommodation from fancy resorts to budget hotels. Jack and I also regularly use Airbnb – in particular, for staycations in the UK.

Things I can’t travel without

As a travel blogger and keen photographer I never travel without my trusty technology. Always packed are my

Canon EOS M3
GoPro Hero5 Black
I’m also saving for a DJI Mavic Pro

Travel Insurance

It is so important to be prepared for all possibilities when travelling and you simply shouldn’t travel without insurance. When looking for cover I would personally recommend World Nomads or the Post Office – both are affordable and certainly won’t break the bank.

Arriving at the Mine

The First Half of the Mine

St. Kinga’s Chapel