Located just outside Kraków, the Wieliczka Salt Mine is a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of Poland’s most treasured landmarks. It has been in operation since the 13th century, making it one of the oldest salt mines in the world.

The Wieliczka Salt Mine is not just a mine; it’s a testament to medieval engineering and artistry. Over the centuries, miners have carved out intricate chapels, sculptures, and even chandeliers from the rock salt. The most famous of these is the Chapel of St. Kinga, a breathtaking underground church adorned with salt crystal chandeliers and relief sculptures depicting biblical scenes.

Visitors to the Wieliczka Salt Mine embark on a guided tour that descends 135 meters (about 440 feet) underground. The tour covers approximately 3.5 kilometers (2 miles) of winding tunnels and chambers, showcasing the mine’s history and the miners’ artistry. Highlights include the stunning underground lake, the grand ballroom, and numerous chapels and sculptures.

Aside from its historical and cultural significance, the Wieliczka Salt Mine is also known for its health benefits. The microclimate within the mine, rich in minerals and free from pollutants, is said to be beneficial for respiratory ailments. The mine even hosts an underground sanatorium where visitors can spend extended periods breathing the therapeutic air.

Wieliczka offers two tours, the Tourist Route and the Miners’ Route. I was fortunate enough experience both tours, allowing me to compare between the two.

Tourist Route Tour

Wieliczka’s Tourist Route is located in Daniłowicz Shaft and it’s the most popular of the two. The Tourist Route contains around 800 stairs, where 380 are at the start of the tour. (Don’t worry, you won’t have to climb back up, there are elevators at the end of the tour.)

The overall tour for the Tourist Route wasn’t too bad. To me, it felt kind of boring, especially since I did the Miners’ Route first. The tour felt way more artificial, where everything was paved, well lit, and I mostly just saw salt sculptures and beautiful rooms. It felt more like an art museum to me with a few mining equipment scattered here and there to make the place feel more authentic.

Though, I have to admit, the Tourist Route had some fascinating sculptures and rooms, like the underground lake and St. Kinga’s Chapel, which was probably the main reasons why I booked this tour route as well.

Miners’ Route Tour

Wieliczka’s Miners’ Route on the other hand had a more authentic feel to it. In this tour, you actually go to the Regis Shaft and actually wear mining equipment, like a hard hat and an actual protective suit. Unfortunately, the minimum age to attend this tour is 10 years old.

In my opinion, the tour itself is a little bit more physically demanding as there are certain parts of the tour where the floor may be uneven, several places have low headroom clearance, and you might need to climb a ladder to witness certain sections of the tour.

One thing I liked about the tour is that it felt way more intimate then the Tourist Route. Our group was limited to 10 people and it allowed us to create a personal bond between the tour guide and ask a bunch of questions. Plus, our tour guide was really funny.

Though, the best part of the tour was that our tour guide actually allowed us to “mine” salt and we got to take home actual salt from the tour. Which is pretty funny, since the Tourist Route Tour’s gift shop sold the mine’s salt, whereas we got ours for free!

Another souvenir that we got was a certificate, which might be better than the actual salt from the mine. 😉

Wieliczka’s Tourist Route vs Miners’ Route Tour

If I had to pick between the Tourist Route and the Miners’ Route, I would pick the Miners’ route as it gave me a first hand experience in becoming a Polish salt miner, which made my trip much more memorable.

Though, please bear in mind that the Tourist Route is mostly paved (though you will have to climb down a long flight of stairs at the beginning) and may be more suitable for people with accessibility issues. On top of that, if you enjoy viewing sculptures made of salt, you might find the Tourist Route more enjoyable.

But, if you do get the chance and got time to spare, I would do both.

Nestled in the picturesque village of Hallstatt in the Austrian Alps, the Hallstatt Salt Mine is another UNESCO World Heritage site with a history dating back over 7,000 years, making it one of the oldest known salt mines in the world.

Hallstatt is often referred to as the “cradle of civilization” for its early and significant contributions to the development of European culture. The salt mine played a crucial role in the prosperity of the region. Archaeological findings, including ancient tools and artifacts, provide a glimpse into the life of the early salt miners.

The Hallstatt Salt Mine offers a unique blend of history, adventure, and breathtaking scenery. Visitors take a funicular ride up the mountain to the mine entrance, followed by a thrilling slide down into the depths of the mine. The guided tour explores ancient mining techniques and the evolution of salt extraction over millennia.

One of the highlights of visiting the Hallstatt Salt Mine is the panoramic view of the Hallstatt village and Lake Hallstatt from the observation platform. This stunning vista alone is worth the trip, providing a perfect photo opportunity and a moment to appreciate the natural beauty of the region.

The Hallstatt Salt Mine also features interactive exhibits and multimedia presentations that bring the history of salt mining to life. From holographic displays to hands-on activities, these exhibits engage visitors of all ages and make the experience both educational and entertaining.

Related Article: Things To Know Before Visiting Hallstatt Salt Mine Tour

The actual tour was actually pretty good. It was actually really informative, felt pretty authentic, and is fun for the entire family.

At the beginning, you take a funicular up to the mountain, where both the Skywalk and salt mine tour is located. The Skywalk is actually near the funicular station and you can actually go there first or before you head back down. In order to get to the salt mine tour, you do have to hike up a little bit to get to the actual salt mine tour building. And along the hike, there are several artifacts and buildings you can visit to learn more about Hallstatt’s history.

Before the tour starts, you do have to put on a uniform which is provided to you for free and then, you’ll have to walk outside to the actual entrance of the mine shaft.

Upon entering, you’ll have to walk quite a bit to actually enter the mine itself. The tour itself felt more like an elementary school feel trip, where you get to learn about the mine, it’s history, and get to slide down a really long slide (which was actually pretty fun), where I was able to slide down almost 26km/h or about 16mph. The tour guide did a fantastic job explaining everything to us and was very informative, especially since she was speaking both German and English for both the German and English tour.

The tour also includes two miners slides, walking through the mine shafts, view mining equipment, the different kinds of salt, viewing a documentary of the mine’s history and how salt got into the mine, and a cart ride that takes you out of the mine.

After the tour, you’re given a souvenir of a 10g container of Austrian salt, which is pretty neat.

From there, you can actually get a panoramic view of Hallstatt and the lake through the Skywalk or possible eat and drink in the cafe next to the Skywalk.

While both the Wieliczka and Hallstatt Salt Mines offer unique and unforgettable experiences, they each have their distinct charm.

• Hallstatt’s mine is older and offers insights into prehistoric mining techniques, while Wieliczka showcases medieval craftsmanship and artistry.
• Wieliczka’s guided tours focus on the artistic and therapeutic aspects of the mine, whereas Hallstatt combines history with adventure and spectacular natural views.
• Wieliczka is easily accessible from Kraków, making it a convenient day trip, while Hallstatt’s remote Alpine setting provides a more scenic and tranquil experience.

If you are looking to go on a tour that is fun for the whole family, has beautiful views, gives you the most bang for your buck, and is right next to Hallstatt, I suggest going to Salzwelten Hallstatt.

On the other hand, those that would like to witness more sculptures or are into art, I suggest visiting the Tourist Route in Wieliczka. While, if you would like to have a more authentic tour, where you actually get to experience becoming a salt miner, I suggest the Miners’ Route in Wieliczka.

Anyone looking to do both mining tours (Tourist Route & Miners’ Route) in Wieliczka, can easily spend half a day there, same with Salzwelten Hallstatt. Then, you can either spend the other half of the day in Kraków or Hallstatt, respectively.