Wieliczka isn't the only salt mine in the area - - in fact, dating back to 1248, Bochnia actually predates Wieliczka and is among the oldest in the world. Though Wieliczka is generally considered to be the more spectacular of the two sites, one could argue that Bochnia is a better tourist experience and a recent influx of investment has made it more worthwhile than ever.

The pride of Bochnia is the new ‘Underground Multimedia Exposition,’ during which local tour guides are assisted in telling the mine’s story by ‘holoscreen’ characters of Polish kings, Genoese merchants and ghostly monks. Through state of the art technology, guests experience the challenges miners faced underground and the development of mining techniques from the Middle Ages to the present day. The highlight for some, however, may be the short train ride at 200m underground. The 2.5-hour tour through various exhibition tunnels, geological chambers and chapels with magnificent sculptures concludes with 30 minutes in the Ważyn Chamber, whose therapeutic microclimate is used as a health and recreation centre, and which hosts a number of attractions including a 140m slide, sports field, children’s playground, discotheque, souvenir shop and the world’s deepest underground restaurant. With so much to do, guests can extend their stay by spending the night in one of the underground hotel rooms; overnight stays also include the opportunity to take a 120m-long boat ride through the mine’s original flooded tunnel.

Located 40km east of Kraków (and 25km from Wieliczka), get there from Kraków by catching a 5-6zł mini-bus (marked ‘Bochnia’ inside the windshield) parked in the lot in front of Galeria Krakowska at the corner of ul. Pawia and ul. Worcella (D-2); journey time, 50mins. You can also catch a train from the main train station (E-1, Pl. Jana Nowaka-Jeziorańskiego 3), but you’ll have to walk 10 minutes uphill from the Bochnia station to the Rynek (main square) from where you see the shaft lifts. 1-3 trains run per hour with a 45-60 min journey time and prices 10-12zł.

Admission 27/22zł. Obligatory guided tours depart at 09:30, 12:00 and 15:30 only; Sat, Sun hourly between 10:15 & 16:15.

For languages other than Polish, the tour uses foreign language audio-guides (10zł, available in English, French, German, Italian) which give you all the exhibit information through a headset as you follow your guide through the mine. Unfortunately the audio-guides are currently being updated to synch with the new exhibit, meaning the best option for English speakers is to phone ahead for an English-speaking guide (125zł). However, the audio-guides could be ready as soon as March, so check ahead.