Warsaw to Krakow and Wieliczka Salt Mine: Private day trip

Poland's most beautiful medieval city anchors the day — Wawel Castle, the great Rynek and the Jewish quarter of Kazimierz.

What to see

• The Rynek Główny — the largest medieval market square in Europe, anchored by the Renaissance Cloth Hall, the twin-towered St Mary's Basilica and the hourly trumpet call (hejnał) that has marked time from the higher tower since the 13th century
• Wawel Castle and Cathedral on the limestone hill above the Vistula
• Kazimierz — the former Jewish quarter of synagogues, cemeteries and klezmer culture preserving the memory of a community almost entirely destroyed in the Second World War

What to eat

• Żurek in a bread bowl and pierogi ruskie at a milk bar (bar mleczny) near the Rynek

Take note

• Wawel State Rooms and Royal Apartments require advance booking

Wieliczka's UNESCO salt mine descends 101 metres to an underground chapel of salt-carved extraordinary beauty, operating continuously since the 13th century.

What to see

• A UNESCO-listed salt mine operating continuously since the 13th century
• The Chapel of St Kinga at 101 metres depth is the mine's defining space
• The underground lake, the Chamber of Jan Kanty and the sequence of carved salt statues depicting the legend of Princess Kinga fill the tour route between the chapel and the surface

Take note

• Entry is by guided tour only — book timed tickets well in advance as the mine receives over a million visitors annually and peak-season slots fill weeks ahead