I am wondering about the salt mine tour and dinner. I am extremely claustrophobic and do not think I will be able to do this - are there any options above ground for me that evening?
I am wondering about the salt mine tour and dinner. I am extremely claustrophobic and do not think I will be able to do this - are there any options above ground for me that evening?
I haven't been on this tour, but if the salt mine is anything like the one we visited near Salzburg Austria on Tauck's Ultimate Alps & Dolomites, I don't think you will have a problem. The only close-in area was the train ride to the main portion of the mine. It doesn't appear there is anything similar in the mine you visit- you will have stairs or an elevator. Everything is mostly well-lighted large, almost cavernous rooms and galleries*. It is quite cool if that helps. Large tables for sitting/eating, buffet serving tables, and a small Bavarian band were set up in a very large, well-lighted area for our dinner. The mine tour/dinner was one of the highlights of our tour- don't miss it!!
Look at the descriptions (note, they refer to it as a "mine chasm") and photos of the Wieliczka mine tour at this link before you decide. Of course all this depends on what you mean by "extremely claustrophobic." I don't recall anyone on our tour skipping the tour because of claustrophobia or other reasons. There was an alternative, but I don't remember what it was. I suspect there might be an alternative on your trip, but you might want to give Tauck a call to verify that. Remember, also, this will be your Farewell Dinner, it would be a shame to miss it!
* Except for initial tunneling, most of these mines had large rooms- Unlike the coal mine I visited in Pennsylvania, there was not much tunneling with pick, shovel, jackhammer- they extracted the salt by pumping (warm) water in to dissolve the solid salt deposits which leaves very large rooms, then pumped out the brine which was dried and processed into salt.
From the FAQ:
Is it dark in the mine?
For the greater comfort of visitors, the chambers and the galleries along the Tourist Route are well lit
I am wondering about the salt mine tour and dinner. I am extremely claustrophobic and do not think I will be able to do this - are there any options above ground for me that evening?
My wife and I visited the Salt Mines near Krakow about 6 years ago with another tour company. It is truly amazing and was the highlight of our trip to Eastern Europe. DO NOT miss it. The only part that was close quarters was on the elevator but it wasn't much different then elevators in any city just a little smaller. The elevators are old and that is in a way fun. I remember them being red. The Salt Mines are simply amazing. The Last Supper, an altar, chandeliers are all made out of salt. I'm Polish and it made my visit well worth it. They actually hold weddings in the mine. I hope to return some day.
I totally agree with Virginia Travelers. The Wieliczka Salt Mine was included when we took the Warsaw/Budaepst/Vienna/Prague trip years ago and it was incredible. I would love to have had dinner there. There were several people on our tour who had the same concern about claustrophobia and had no problem. You might want to talk to your tour director and he or she will be able to give you more detailed information and address your specific concerns. I really hope you are able to go. It will be an unforgettable experience!
Everyone’s fear levels vary, but if it is at all possible for you to manage your claustrophobia, the salt mine tour and dinner are well worth it. I just completed this tour and the salt mine tour and dinner were the tour’s highlight for me. As an extra tip, the tour directors stressed on several times that the temperature was a constant 60 degrees F. Based on this people wore extra clothes. People were shedding clothes several times during the tour and dinner. I was comfortable in a short sleeve shirt.
Comments
I haven't been on this tour, but if the salt mine is anything like the one we visited near Salzburg Austria on Tauck's Ultimate Alps & Dolomites, I don't think you will have a problem. The only close-in area was the train ride to the main portion of the mine. It doesn't appear there is anything similar in the mine you visit- you will have stairs or an elevator. Everything is mostly well-lighted large, almost cavernous rooms and galleries*. It is quite cool if that helps. Large tables for sitting/eating, buffet serving tables, and a small Bavarian band were set up in a very large, well-lighted area for our dinner. The mine tour/dinner was one of the highlights of our tour- don't miss it!!
Look at the descriptions (note, they refer to it as a "mine chasm") and photos of the Wieliczka mine tour at this link before you decide. Of course all this depends on what you mean by "extremely claustrophobic." I don't recall anyone on our tour skipping the tour because of claustrophobia or other reasons. There was an alternative, but I don't remember what it was. I suspect there might be an alternative on your trip, but you might want to give Tauck a call to verify that. Remember, also, this will be your Farewell Dinner, it would be a shame to miss it!
* Except for initial tunneling, most of these mines had large rooms- Unlike the coal mine I visited in Pennsylvania, there was not much tunneling with pick, shovel, jackhammer- they extracted the salt by pumping (warm) water in to dissolve the solid salt deposits which leaves very large rooms, then pumped out the brine which was dried and processed into salt.
From the FAQ:
Is it dark in the mine?
For the greater comfort of visitors, the chambers and the galleries along the Tourist Route are well lit
Photos taken from the mine website:
My wife and I visited the Salt Mines near Krakow about 6 years ago with another tour company. It is truly amazing and was the highlight of our trip to Eastern Europe. DO NOT miss it. The only part that was close quarters was on the elevator but it wasn't much different then elevators in any city just a little smaller. The elevators are old and that is in a way fun. I remember them being red. The Salt Mines are simply amazing. The Last Supper, an altar, chandeliers are all made out of salt. I'm Polish and it made my visit well worth it. They actually hold weddings in the mine. I hope to return some day.