Passing another one of Poland’s impressive churches on the way, up the hill we went. For over five hundred years, Wawel Hill was the seat of Poland’s monarchy, and we bought ourselves tickets to the Royal Treasury & Armoury. Of note, we managed to see the country’s original coronation sword (”Szczerbiec”) and some weaponry. We’re boys, we like weaponry; so we spent a while admiring the vast array of guns, bayonets, crossbows and cannons.

Also on the hill was the cathedral, built ion 1020 with many additions added during the 1400s. The cathedral museum was a bit like a walk-in wardrobe, with lots and lots of religious robes, not least including those belonging to the Catholic Pride Of Poland, Krakow’s very own John Paul II.

Inside the cathedral, the crypt houses the majority of Poland’s forty-five monarchs and the many other tombs and side-chapels have a vast array of influences, among impressive Renaissance and Gothic artistry.

A trip up the tower was in order (and included in our entry price) and we admired views of Krakow around the cathedral’s frankly enormous bell.

With all that done, it was time for lunch, And a beer. With the knowledge that the bus for the salt mines left at 1500 and our synchronised watches telling us it was already 1415, this would have to be a quick one. Settling for some nice pierogi z miesem on the castle hill, the lovely Polish waitress admired my linguistic skills in ordering the food so much that she was willing to abandon her career to teach me her language. Sadly, we had to love her and leave her, and off we went – full of carbohydrates – back to the centre of town and the Krakow City Tours office where we nabbed the last two bus tickets for the Salt Mine Tour.

Glady welcoming the air-conditioned bus, we set off on the hour-long trip to the drop-off point at Wieliczka, where we had to walk up a pedestrianised hill before coming to the entrance of the salt mines.

Along with the rest of our multi-national group, comprising such far-away citizens of Australia, UK and the United States, we descended many, many, many stairs.

During our >3km walking underground tour included various statues [like Madame Tussauds] of workers in the mines throughout the ages,  There were even horses working (and living) down there in the Middle Ages! 

With NM sceptical that everything we saw (including statues) were made of salt, he licked the wall to check,  It tasted salty and we were satisfied we were not being scammed.  After this fairly dark and mundane guided tour, we saw what was the most impressive highlight of the tour – the underground chapel. 

A huge room, still used today for special concerts wit fantastic chandeliers and an altar were housed 200 metres underground.  With everything made of either salt or wood due to the corrosion sustained by having any metal around, the place had a stunning ashen colour. 

Our tour concluded, we were led past some more of the same exhibitions and told that the mine has not been commercially operational for a good few decades, yet tourists were allowed to visit the mine as far back as the late 19th Century!  Dreading the steep stair-climb to exit, we were taking to a small lift shaft and crammed in to be taken to the top.  Why the shaft is only operational to leave the mines is beyond me.  It was a bit like Russia in reverse – easy to leave, tiring to enter.

Satisfied that our Krakow City Tour experience was satisfactory, we retired to our hostel after a final Polish meal at our favourite Polish log-cabin restaurant.  However, what we didn’t know is that there was a swanky formal restaurant underneath the self-service one we frequented, with live lounge piano music.  Beer in hand, we were turned away from this establishment and sent upstairs with the other commoners.  Still, we enjoyed our meal.  When we got back to the hostel, a quick shower was in order and after leaving my shower gel and shampoo in the bathroom for narry an hour while I wrote this post, I returned and they were gone.  Hostel theft, it’s not big and it’s ot clever.  Anyway, a storm’s a-coming along with an eleven hour train journey to Germany.  Farewell, Poland!