Wieliczka Warnings and Dangers

Again, no danger but some areas are slippery; You will go down these steps down the underground mines...
Just make sure your hand grips the banister & put your legs/feet properly on those steps.
Also, if you experience a bit of clautrophobia, let the tour guide know, okay.

No danger or risk of any kind down there in the Salt Mine but the guide would be held in Polish language.
Please enquire about the English guide although we have to wait till at least enough people are counted for the English tour guide.
Maybe if we come in a group, it would be easy to arrange the English guide, what if we come alone?...or JUST with another person?..
Like the photo on the left,..I remember the guide was talking so long about the statue ( could be the most exciting statue ?...)...but sadly, I couldn't understand the story....

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The whole mine is the strict nature reserve. Touching and licking salt sculptures is strictly forbidden.
I must say that I saw group of school children licking... salt sculptures once.
Hmm... salt is cheap now, haven't they ever tasted salt?

Some sculptures like the statue of the Holy Virgin with a child - transferred from Lizak Chamber to the Holy Cross Chamber in 19th century - are very valuable.
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The tourist route is save and properly protected against collapses. But out of this route some parts of the mine maybe dangerous. So NEVER leave the tourist route.
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In the past there were many underground collapses - look at the picture.
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Do you believe in ghosts? Hmm.. I don't but... maybe you manage to meet any (good) ghost in Wieliczka Salt Mine.

There is a very old legend about the good ghost of the mine who warned miners against dangers like explosions of methane. He used to say miners coming to work: "do not go" just before underground disasters.

So if hear him saying you do not visit the mine do... what you wish :-).
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Swimming in underground lakes is strictly forbidden hehe although water contains much more salt then Dead Sea in Israel so it's not so easy to drown there.
But there is not Israel climate in the mine, water seems to be too cold to bath hehe.
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There maybe quite cold underground even when outside is hot summer. I mean about 15C=59F or even below. So wear warm clothes (look at children on the picture).

Btw the microclimate made by water and salt is very healthy for people suffering from allergy. That's why there is the sanatorium (still opened) underground.
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There are many stairs in the tourist route inside the mine. They usually have balustrades at least one side but... be careful, look where you put your feet, especially walking the wooden stairs (165 steps) in the huge and high Pieskowa Skala Chamber. The fall maybe very dangerous.

Imagine that the mine workers carried up salt rocks the same stairs in the past.
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