This was such a unique experience for us. We had never toured a salt mine, and much less one that…read morehas been transformed into art. It's not far from Kraków. It's totally worth the short drive to get there. I'm not very knowledgeable in mining engineering, so I won't get technical. Just know that you'll be walking down many flights of steps (about 800 steps) to get to all the tourist route Chambers below. There is also a mining route that can be booked as well. The tourist route took about 2.5 to 3 hours to get through all of the chambers. Each one has its own story. You'll learn about the techniques used to mine salt throughout the sites 700 years of history. You'll learn about mining phenomena such as burning the methane to prevent gas explosions. It's all very intriguing. You'll see intricate woodwork used for structural support. The mine is constantly being maintained even today by professional miners. The salinity of the environment is very noticeable. I could taste it in the air. They do ask you to sample it from the wall. No one in our group took him up on the offer, but many people do lick the walls. How fun is that? Our guide was excellent. I wish I could remember his name. My husband volunteered to help him demonstrate a pulley device. He received a piece of the salt mine for his efforts. That was totally unexpected, and a great little souvenir. The artwork (all carved into salt blocks) was impressive. The Chapel of St. Kinga is the highlight. You'll be taken by lift to the top at the end. It's a gated mining lift that fits 6 to 7 people, and not very comfortably. Lol! It was just a minor inconvenience yet very necessary & appreciated. I'm not sure I could climb all those steps back up. Some people mention coupling this tour with Auschwitz-Birkenau on the same day. I don't recommend it. We booked this one separately, and right after visiting the camp the day before. The salt mine brought our spirits back up after spending the previous day reflecting on the events. Give yourself time to rest in between the two tours. It was great not to be rushed. They have wedding events, meeting places, a food hall, and even a health experience where you can spend the night in the Eastern Mountain Stables Chamber. IMO, Wieliczka Salt Mine is a must visit attraction. Don't skip it.

What can I say? An in-depth tour of an ancient salt mine, which is still in operation. The carvings…read moremade by the miners are really breathtaking. An active church underground! The tour is about 2-2 1/2 hours long with walking a long distance underground with many, many stairs, but you are walking downward. A cage to take you back to the surface. A restaurant and gift shop underground. The restaurant is a bit pricey, but not obscenely, we had three servings of delicious pork knuckles, sour rye soup, parsley potatoes, and fried sauerkraut for 211 zl. A bit much but where can you have a delicious dinner 500 feet underground? Definitely a wonderful time exploring a world class attraction. But do yourself a favor, don't take a tour here, save a bit of money by booking your tickets directly with the mine and taking the train here from Krakow. The mine is a 5 minute walk from the train station.