15th November 2016

We woke to another crisp, cold morning with bright sunshine. After polishing off breakfast, I contacted reception to confirm our transfer to the airport for late tomorrow night.

The minibus arrived punctually at 9 am to take us to the Wieliczka Salt Mine. A few other passengers were already on board, and by the time we left the city, we had picked up four more, all British. The journey took only about half an hour. After a quick distribution of tour tags, we were introduced to our guide, a friendly and knowledgeable woman who would lead us for the duration of the visit.

We quickly realised she had a wonderful sense of humour and, more importantly, spoke clearly with no discernible accent, making her easy to understand, unlike some of our fellow tourists, including a couple from Manchester and another pair from Scotland.

Our descent into the mine began with 380 tightly winding wooden steps, taking us to the first level. In total, we navigated 800 steps as we worked our way down to the third level, though the mine itself extends across nine levels. Fortunately, we took a lift back to the surface, an experience in itself. I’m fairly certain the cage we used could easily have been the same model employed to rescue the Chilean miners around a decade ago.

As we descended into the mine, we left behind a frosty landscape of snow-covered rooftops and fir trees. Gradually, the temperature began to rise, and before long, gloves, hats, and jackets were discarded by all.

The mine is no longer a source of salt, just tourists. We spent three and a half hours exploring its depths, yet covered only 1% of the tunnels, shafts, and chambers during our 3 km journey. In total, the mine spans an astonishing 300 km.

One of the most striking features was the presence of three underground churches. The largest is vast and houses some of the most exquisite religious salt sculptures imaginable, with ‘The Last Supper’ standing out as a particular highlight.

Along the way, we encountered two underground lakes. At one, we were treated to a mesmerising light show set to the music of Chopin, a truly beautiful experience.

Naturally, the mine also boasts several large chambers repurposed as shopping areas, complete with gift shops and restaurants designed to relieve visitors of their hard-earned cash. After all, the word ‘salary’ does derive from ‘salt.’

The sheer amount of timber used to support the mine’s infrastructure is truly staggering and would undoubtedly make it a must-visit for any carpenter, especially one who enjoys a pinch of salt on their chips!

Upon returning to Kraków and the Rezydent, we warmed ourselves with hot drinks before heading to Wawel Royal Castle. Our hotel is centrally located in the Old Town, so none of the main attractions are more than a 15-minute stroll away.

We attempted to hire a guide, but a rather large American couple had just secured the only English-speaking one. He kindly offered to let us join their tour, but we declined; they clearly had difficulty walking, and the slower pace might have been frustrating. Besides, the guide’s heavy accent could have proved challenging for our less-than-perfect hearing.

Instead, we opted for entrance tickets with headphones and recorded commentary. Over the next two hours, we explored every corner of the castle and cathedral, captivated by their rich and fascinating history. If you plan to visit, I highly recommend the headphones – it’s a wonderful way to fully immerse yourself in the stories of this remarkable place.

Unfortunately, there were no such audio options available for the castle itself, just a handful of information boards. After a brief and rather chilly wander around, we followed the signs leading to the cave said to house the dragon slain by King Wenceslas (of course, he did).

We found the cave, and there was the dragon, standing just outside his lair, periodically spouting flames. We took photos!

As darkness fell and the temperature dropped further, we made our way back towards the hotel, detouring briefly to the Cloth Hall market so Sue could buy a bauble for the Christmas tree. We later sat in the warmth of our room, catching up on BBC News 24 and watching shoppers and tourists drift along the cobbled streets below, wrapped in furs and fleeces.

A quick check on Facebook revealed that the Rothwells had landed safely in KL and checked into their hotel. Annoyingly, one of their suitcases had been broken into, but fortunately, they believed nothing had been taken.

For dinner, we both chose the same dish for once, potato pancakes with pork goulash. I considered ordering three pancakes, but the waitress advised against it, and she was right. It was more than enough, especially with the customary banana-sized gherkins, bread, and dips that precede most meals.

To aid digestion, we took a long walk through and around the Old Town. We started with the impressive medieval fortifications at Florian’s Gate, returning via the narrow, tree-lined parkway that encircles the town. Although rain had been forecast, the evening felt warmer than the afternoon. We caught glimpses of the moon between the buildings, a hopeful sign that the weatherman had once again got it wrong.

Back in our room, I settled down to watch the England v Spain soccer friendly on my tablet.