We Went to Get Salted - A Visit to the Wieliczka Salt Mine

It must be said, the queues at the salt mine ticket desks are substantial. And the main thing is to join the right one, as they are split in two - one queue for Poles and Polish-speaking visitors, the other for foreigners. The joy was genuine when we were redirected to the second queue, which turned out to be a third shorter than the first.

Entry ticket per visitor - 94 PLN (for a foreigner; for a Pole - 64 PLN), plus a fee for video and photography - 10 PLN. The latter is essentially not controlled by anyone, but if one has a professional camera, a sticker on the chest is also required. After purchasing tickets there is a further subdivision into queues by language - English, German, French, Italian, Russian, and Spanish. That is to say, there are guides speaking in seven languages, in whose company the entry into the caves and the tour of the mine passages and cave chambers takes place. Each person is issued with an earpiece device tuned to the required frequency and language, and the tour can begin.

At the start an impressive descent down the shaft's fairly comfortable wooden stairs - more than 30 floors below. There was no tiredness, but don't believe the warnings that the caves are very cool and one must dress warmly (what is +14–15°C to a Latvian - a normal summer, well, this year was an exception). On arriving below, we understood that the extra jackets simply had to be taken off and carried in hand, as it was stuffy. Though a draught was perceptible. The feeling underground subjectively recalled Moscow metro stations.

We walked through and clambered about the cave chambers, listening to the guide's account of the cave's discovery, the salt extraction, and Queen Kinga, to whom - instead of a ring - a piece of salt from the Wieliczka mines was given as a gift; that was very trendy at the time. Then we reached the celebrated chapel, where sculptures of the Pope and saints were carved from salt. The Last Supper fresco was carved directly into the wall, and the entire altar was made of dark salt rock. The hall was lit by large ornate chandeliers. The lighting for photography was tragic - the photos turned out rather poor. One would need to come with a tripod if wishing to capture anything worthwhile.

However, even more impressive than this chapel was the hall that followed further along the tourist route, with very high ceilings and staircases made from white wooden logs, lit by heavy chandeliers (see the article's title image). The guide mentioned that many people choose this venue for various celebrations, including weddings. Wood was and is used to reinforce cave walls because salt corrodes metal, whereas wood - quite the opposite - it preserves. The white colour, meanwhile, best reflects even relatively dim lighting.

The final destination of the tourist route (there are various routes to book) was the many souvenir stalls and a small restaurant. There the guide left us, adding that one may remain in the caves until seven in the evening. It turned out that this place was by no means the exit from the caves but almost the midpoint - further on one had to work out for oneself where and with whom to leave. We joined a Polish group.

Upon emerging above ground we discovered that we were in Wieliczka several blocks away from the place where the entrance and the tourist crowds had been. We had to use Google Maps to find our way back to the car park where the car was left.

As for souvenirs - they can be purchased right at the start by the cave entrance, branded with "Wieliczka Kopalnia Soli" and at a premium of at least 50% (even more expensive underground). Alternatively, one can go beyond the fence to the stalls on the adjacent street and buy the same things but without the brand label. There one can purchase table salt, bath salts and body scrubs with salt, salt soaps, salt lamps, candleholders, and the like.

Well, we have been well and truly salted - no ailment will take hold of us now. Overall impression: worth seeing and experiencing once in a lifetime, certainly.