More about: 5 Best Day Trips to the Wieliczka Salt Mines from Krakow
For seven centuries salt was extracted in these mines located 12 km from Krakow. Today you will find a gallery of subway tunnels with a therapeutic climate and an exhibition of impressive salt figures. This is one of the most popular excursions from Krakow and there are several ways to do it.
1. Excursion to Auschwitz and salt mines from Krakow
With this combined tour to Auschwitz and the Wieliczka Salt Mines you will discover not only a fundamental chapter of recent history, but also a unique subway world. After visiting the Auschwitz memorial, the route will take you to the famous Salt Mines where chapels, galleries and sculptures carved in salt rock for centuries are hidden.
The tour of the mines will take you into a subway universe full of geological and historical secrets. A day that combines memory and natural wonders in an unforgettable experience.
Details of interest
- Price: - from $123
- Duration: 11 hours approximately.
- Means of transport: air-conditioned bus departing from a central point in Krakow.
2. Excursion to Wieliczka Salt Mines from Krakow
The guided tour of the Wieliczka Salt Mines is the perfect choice for those who want to discover this spectacular World Heritage Site in depth. The descent to a depth of over 130 meters will reveal the majesty of the subway chambers and lakes carved out of salt by generations of miners.
You will walk through tunnels and rooms where the history of mining blends with art and spirituality, in a setting that looks like something out of a fairy tale.
Details of interest
- Price: - from $86
- Duration: 5 hours approximately.
- Means of transport: air-conditioned minibus from the center of Krakow.
3. Excursion to Wieliczka salt mines with hotel pick-up in Krakow
If you have little time, the half-day excursion to the Wieliczka Salt Mines will allow you to get to know the most emblematic aspects of this impressive enclave. Walking through its salt-carved galleries and down hundreds of steps, you will live an intense experience in just a few hours.
The tour includes highlights such as the Chapel of St. Kinga, sculptures, subway lakes and exhibits of historical tools used to extract salt.
Details of interest
- Price: - from $75.
- Duration: 4 and a half hours approximately.
- Means of transport: bus transfer from Krakow, with pick-up at hotel or meeting point.
4. Excursion to Auschwitz and salt mines with hotel pick up in Krakow
The Wieliczka Salt Mine and Auschwitz-Birkenau Salt Mine Tour offers a tour that unites nature and memory. After visiting Auschwitz, the day continues by exploring the spectacular salt chambers of Wieliczka, one of the oldest salt mines in the world still in operation.
Along the way you will learn how these impressive galleries were forged, amid sculptures, subway lakes and chapels that reflect centuries of craftsmanship underground.
Details of interest
- Price: - from $149.
- Duration: 11 hours including transfers and visits.
- Means of transport: modern bus departing from a central point in Krakow.
5. Private excursion to Wieliczka Salt Mines
If you want to visit the Wieliczka salt mines exclusively, you can also book a private tour with direct transfer from your hotel in Krakow. This option allows you to enjoy a vehicle just for your group and a professional driver who will take care of the entire journey, with the flexibility to adapt the schedule to your needs.
The price of this tour includes entrance to the mines and a guided tour inside the complex, where you will discover the impressive subway chambers, a chapel carved entirely of salt and numerous sculptures and historical tools. The tour lasts about two and a half hours, plus approximately one hour round trip transfer from the city.
Details of interest
- Price: - higher than group tours due to the exclusive services included.
- Duration: approximately 3.5 to 4 hours, considering transfers and guided tour.
- Means of transportation: private vehicle with pick-up at hotel or agreed point in Krakow.
What you will see on a tour to Wieliczka Salt Mines
The excursion to the salt mines of Wieliczka, located half an hour's drive from Krakow, is one of the most popular among travelers visiting the Polish city. The mines have been a World Heritage Site since the 1970s and are famous for the beauty of their salt rooms and for the network of tunnels that spans some 300 km.
The salt working process
During this visit you will learn about the salt extraction process that has been used in the mines, now a museum, since the Middle Ages and also how the weather conditions at a depth of 325 meters have created a unique subway microclimate that is ideal for people suffering, for example, from asthma.
The tour
During the visit you will descend into the mines by stairs and go up in an elevator similar to the one used by the miners. Inside you will find an illuminated lake, chambers decorated exclusively with salt, figures of famous people made of salt and even a chapel that will leave you speechless. Also, thanks to the explanations of the guide who will accompany you during your visit, you will discover the lifestyles and working conditions of the workers who worked in these mines for centuries.
Ana's Traveller Tip
The tour of the mines includes a total of 800 steps, so it is not recommended for visitors with mobility problems.
Is it advisable to take the combined tour to Auschwitz and the Wieliczka Salt Mines?
Of course. If you have little time in Krakow, the combined excursion to Auschwitz and the Wieliczka Salt Mines is a highly recommended option. In one day you can visit two of the most significant places in Poland, optimizing your trip and avoiding unnecessary trips.
These are some of the reasons why it is worth booking this combined tour:
- You make better use of your time: you visit two must-see places in one day without having to organize separate transportation or entrance fees.
- Convenience and logistics solved: transportation is coordinated, as well as schedules and access to both sites.
- Cultural and emotional contrast: you will experience the historical impact of Auschwitz in the morning and the artistic and natural wonder of the salt mines in the afternoon.
- Specialized guide: professional accompaniment at all times, facilitating the understanding of the history of each place.
- Greater peace of mind: you won't have to worry about transfers between cities or waiting times, everything is planned for you.
Doing this combined tour will allow you to discover in depth two unique sites that reflect both the tragic history and cultural heritage of Poland.
Practical tips for your excursion to Wieliczka
How to get to Wieliczka
The most common way to get to the Wieliczka salt mines from Krakow is by organized tours. However, you can also get to Wieliczka on your own using either a rental car with GPS (it will take you about half an hour). You can also go by cab (you should not pay more than 15 euros each way), by train from Krakow Central Station (there are at least two trains every hour to Wieliczka) or by bus 304 getting off at the Wieliczka Kosciól stop.
Timetables
Opening hours may vary depending on the time of year, but normally the opening hours are from 7:30 am to 7:30 pm in summer and from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm in winter. The most important thing is to pay attention to the schedule of the guided tours in your language, since throughout the day there are several tours in different languages. This is why it is strongly recommended to book tickets for the Wieliczka Mines well in advance.
Languages
In addition to Polish, you can take a guided tour of the mines in English, German, French, Italian, Russian, Spanish and French. All tours have headphones to listen to the guide and are organized in groups of about 35 people.
What to bring
Regardless of the temperature outside, it is quite cold in the mines due to the humidity. Don't forget to bring something warm to wear during the tour. Comfortable, non-slippery shoes are also recommended.
Is it possible to take pictures?
To take pictures of the inside of the mines, you will have to pay a supplement at the entrance of about two and a half euros. Otherwise you may be noticed during the tour.
The tour
Is it hard? The complete descent to the mines consists of about 800 steps. Most of the way up is in an elevator like the one used by the miners, which may not be suitable for claustrophobics. In general terms, the tour is not very difficult, but it is not recommended for people with reduced mobility.
Is it possible to eat and drink inside the mines?
Although one of the rooms in the mines can be rented for events and weddings, eating and drinking inside the mines is not allowed and there is no place to do so.
If you are interested in an excursion to the Wieliczka salt mines, you will also be interested in
The excursion to the Wieliczka salt mines is one of the two most popular tours that can be made in the surroundings of Krakow. The other, even more popular, is of a very different nature: it is the tour of the Auschwitz concentration camps.
Although at first this visit may seem morbid or unpleasant, I assure you that it is a real history lesson given with the utmost respect for the memory of the victims. You can find many different options for this tour from Krakow; I recommend you to do some research before deciding to get the most out of this experience. Here is a link to my article on 4 Best Day Trips to Auschwitz from Krakow so you can organize your visit.
If you prefer to learn about other options Krakow has to offer, I have also written an article on 10 Best Tours and Day Trips from Krakow so you can choose the one that best suits your trip.