Bochnia Salt Mine

Bochnia has been mined since 1248, which makes it older than Wieliczka, and the two are inscribed together on the UNESCO list as the royal salt mines of Malopolska. It gets a fraction of Wieliczka's visitors, which is the main practical argument for coming here: the tour is less rushed and the chambers are less crowded. The route goes down a historic shaft in a cage, runs along the August gallery, and includes two things Wieliczka does not have - an underground boat crossing of a flooded stretch, and a long wooden slide into the Wazyn chamber, a hall two hundred and fifty metres long which holds a sports court, a restaurant and beds, because the mine runs overnight stays and treatment for respiratory conditions in the salt air. There is a chapel cut into the rock, mining machinery from several centuries left in place, and a narrow-gauge train on part of the route.

What you actually see

• Mining since 1248 - the oldest working salt mine in Poland.
• The Wazyn chamber - two hundred and fifty metres long, with a slide down into it.
• An underground boat crossing - over a flooded section of gallery.
• Machinery in place - hoists and haulage from several centuries of working.

When to go

All year; the temperature underground is constant. Half a day.

Honest expectations

Entry is by guided tour only and routes book ahead in summer. There are many stairs and the descent is by cage. It is around 14-16 degrees below ground - bring a layer. The slide is optional but the queue for it is not always short.

Nearby

Wieliczka is thirty kilometres west; Krakow beyond it.