//
Town in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, Poland
Photo: Cédric Puisney, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Wieliczka is a town near Kraków in Małopolskie Province in southern Poland. It's best known for its ancient salt mines, which are now a museum.
From the travel guide. Select a place for details, a map and what is nearby.
Kopalnia soli Wieliczka
A UNESCO World Heritage site. Visitors are not allowed to visit the salt mine alone, and must be with a tour guide. Individuals will have to wait until a sizable group is put together (often around 35 persons) before they will be taken on a tour. It is strongly advised to book online, as there may be no availability or a wait of several hours on busy days. Official parking is 35 zł but there are cheaper options nearby. There are two tours, the "Tourist Route" and the "Miner's Route". The Tourist Route is an easy walk of about 2 km and up to 2 hours, to see the underground chapels including the famous St Kinga's Chapel. The temperature is 17-18°C underground. The route involves descending several hundred steps, and taking an elevator back up, but there is an option for people with reduced mobility to attend this tour. There are toilets available at points underground on this tour, and a restaurant. Only small bags (less than 20x20x35 cm) may be taken on the tour, there are some luggage lockers but availability is limited.
The 'Miner's Route', for a more immersive walk, starts in Regis Shaft. The Miners' Route has no common points with the Tourist Route and does not include a visit to the Chapel of St. Kinga. Visitors should wear waterproof footwear, and will be provided with a hard hat. The tour takes around 2-3 hours, with a temperature of 14-16°C. No toilets are available on this route.
A graduation tower used for the evaporation of brine to produce salt. The resulting salt water droplets in the air are said to benefit health. You can also climb to the top for views of the area.
Zamek Żupny - Muzeum Żup Krakowskich Wieliczka
Museum in the castle. Exhibitions is split into two areas, one in the main castle and one on the tower. Exhibitions include salt crystal specimens and artifacts related to the production of salt. There are also Observation Tower that you can visit.
Kościół św. Klemensa w Wieliczce
an unassuming church with humble pink wall on the outside, but quite impressive decor inside.
Kościół św. Sebastiana
A wooden church on the slope of the hill. It is a part of the Wooden Architecture Route in Małopolska.
Motel-style accommodations with a sauna.
It is easily accessible from Kraków by car, bus or train (the trip from Kraków should take around 30 minutes). You can look at routes and buy tickets directly on the official Jakdojade app.
Read in the guideThe town is small enough to be covered by foot for its tourist attractions.
Read in the guideChoose an airport to see hotels, stations, taxi ranks and car rental desks around it.
Balice · International · KRK
Loading places around the airport…
Articles and travel topics about Wieliczka and Poland.
Travel tipsDiscover the cheapest countries to visit in Europe in 2026. Compare daily budgets for Albania, Poland, Hungary, Bulgaria, and Portugal with real costs.
8 min read
Travel tipsFor the danger posed by landmines, see War zone safety. This is a travel topic that deals with all man-made structures under and above ground whose primary purpose is or was the extraction of natural resources as well…
Wikivoyage
Nature & adventureSince antiquity, humans have been using, living in, or hiding in caves, and our fascination with them is just as old.
Wikivoyage
Culture & historyThe Wooden tserkvas of the Carpathian region in Poland and Ukraine is a world heritage site made up of 16 wooden churches in these countries.
Wikivoyage
Every section of the guide. Open one to read it in full.