Bochnia Salt Mine
The oldest salt mine in Poland, less famous than Wieliczka, with an underground train, a wooden slide and the chance to sleep underground.
The story
Rock salt was found in Bochnia in the mid-13th century, a few years before Wieliczka, and the mine was worked until 1990. The miners dug tunnels as deep as 468 metres and carved a large chapel in the salt dedicated to St Kinga, the Hungarian princess who, according to legend, brought salt to Poland by throwing her ring into a Hungarian mine. Since 2013 Bochnia has been part of the UNESCO site of the Royal Salt Mines, together with Wieliczka and the Saltworks Castle.
Why go
A more intimate and adventurous visit than Wieliczka, with smaller crowds and the option of spending the night in the Ważyn chamber, 250 metres down.
In the itineraries
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Weather forecast
The forecast for the next 7 days at this spot: sky, temperatures, rain and wind.
Forecast by Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), from the models of national weather services. Your browser downloads it directly from Open-Meteo, and only when you ask. In the mountains and at sea the weather changes quickly: check the official forecast as well before you set off.
Getting there
- By train. The nearest station is Bochnia station, 1.1 km away (about 20 minutes on foot). Alternatively: Cikowice station, 3.6 km away.
- By air. The nearest airport is Kraków Airport (KRK), about 47 km away.
- Parking. There are many signposted car parks within a kilometre; the nearest is 200 m away.
Stations, ports, airports and car parks from OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL); distances as the crow flies. Timetables and connections change: check them before you travel.
Climate month by month
The most pleasant months for weather are from May to September, with average highs between 18 and 29 °C. From December to February night-time temperatures drop below freezing on average. The wettest month is July (about 94 mm), the driest March.
| Month | Temperature | High / low | Rain mm |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | from -5 to 2 °C | 2° -5° | 48 |
| Feb | from -3 to 5 °C | 5° -3° | 47 |
| Mar | from 0 to 9 °C | 9° 0° | 38 |
| Apr | from 4 to 14 °C | 14° 4° | 59 |
| May | from 9 to 19 °C | 19° 9° | 91 |
| Jun | from 14 to 24 °C | 24° 14° | 69 |
| Jul | from 15 to 26 °C | 26° 15° | 94 |
| Aug | from 16 to 27 °C | 27° 16° | 78 |
| Sep | from 11 to 22 °C | 22° 11° | 86 |
| Oct | from 6 to 15 °C | 15° 6° | 63 |
| Nov | from 1 to 8 °C | 8° 1° | 46 |
| Dec | from -2 to 3 °C | 3° -2° | 46 |
Averages for 2015–2024, estimated for an altitude of 242 m. Air: NASA POWER (MERRA-2 reanalysis), corrected for the altitude of the place; rain: average monthly total. These are indicative values: the weather on any given day can be very different, so always check the forecast before you go.
Nearby
- Nowy Wiśnicz CastleHistory and art · 7 km as the crow flies
- ★ Lipnica MurowanaTown · 14 km as the crow flies
- Wieliczka Salt MineHistory and art · 26 km as the crow flies
- ★ Nowa HutaHistory and art · 30 km as the crow flies
- Schindler's FactoryHistory and art · 34 km as the crow flies
- KazimierzHistory and art · 36 km as the crow flies
← See it on the map with all 33 placesGuide to Lesser Poland