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Best Salt Mines to visit in Europe in 2025. Indispensable and irreplaceable, salt has been called „white gold” since ancient times. Explore unique locations showcasing the history of salt mining, salt museums, sculptures, fascinating tours, and even therapeutic spots to improve your health.
Top Locations: Austria, Romania, Germany, Poland, Slovakia, Switzerland, Spain, France.
Salt Mine Berchtesgaden, Germany
Experience a tour of this historic salt mine, operational since 1517, nestled in the Bavarian Alps. A highlight is the underground salt lake, adding a magical touch to the guided one-hour tour. Visitors are provided with special clothing to wear inside the mine, where the temperature is a consistent 12 °C. Details about Salt Mine Berchtesgaden.
4-hour tour from Salzburg with transportation, English and German-speaking guide, and entry to the Berchtesgaden mine.
Price: €70. More details here.
- Opening Hours (2025):
- April–November 3: 9:00 AM–5:00 PM
- November 4–March: 11:00 AM–3:00 PM
- Ticket Prices:
- Adults: €24.50
- Children (4-16 years): €12.50
- Family (2 adults + 1 child): €54.00
- Distances:
- Munich: 150 km; Salzburg: 27 km; Bad Reichenhall: 18 km.
Book accommodation near the salt mine in Berchtesgaden.
Salt Mine Turda, Romania
A spectacular underground world, crafted 120 meters below the surface. Turda Salt Mine offers a unique experience with activities like bowling, mini-golf, a Ferris wheel ride, billiards, table tennis, and boating on a 6-meter-deep underground lake. You can also explore breathtaking features like the Rich Men’s Staircase, salt stalactites, salt efflorescence, and even enjoy balneotherapy. Facilities include sports courts and playgrounds for kids. Details about Salt Mine Turda.
Full-day trip to Turda Salt Mine departing from Cluj-Napoca, including visits to other interesting attractions in the area.
Price start from €83. More details here.
- Opening Hours: Daily, 9:00 AM–5:00 PM
- Ticket Prices:
- Adults: €10 (Monday–Friday), €12 (weekends)
- Additional tickets required for activities.
- Distance: 30 km from Cluj-Napoca.
Book accommodation near the salt mine in Turda.
You can rent a car and explore a region ! Book your car through Booking.com and choose the vehicle you prefer.
Salt Mine Slanic Prahova, Romania
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Opened to the public in the 1970s, visitors reach this mine’s galleries, located 208 meters deep, via shuttle buses. The site features historical salt sculptures, a therapeutic microclimate perfect for relaxation, and a variety of activities for children, including trampolines, go-karts, table tennis, billiards, air hockey, and mini-golf. Details about Slanic Prahova Salt Mine.
7-hours trip to Slanic Salt Mine departing from Bucharest. Price start from €40. More details here.
- Opening Hours:
- Wednesday–Sunday: 9:00 AM–4:30 PM
- Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays
- Ticket Prices: Adults: €9 (separate tickets for activities)
- Distance: 90 km from Brașov, 100 km from Bucharest.
Book accommodation near the salt mine in Slanic.
Salzwelten Hallein, Austria
A historical salt mine and UNESCO World Heritage Site. This location reveals how Neolithic people first used salt as a preservative. Celtic artifacts discovered here are now displayed in a dedicated museum. The mine’s first staircase, built for visitors in 1607, is a highlight of its history. Salt extraction ceased in 1989, and in 1994, the site opened as a museum, attracting over 5 million visitors since then. Details about Salzwelten Hallein.
- Ticket Price (Adult): €32. Book your ticket here.
- Distance: 20 km from Salzburg.
Book accommodation near the salt mine here.
You can book accommodation through Booking.com and explore Austria at your own pace!
Hallstatt Salt Mine, Austria
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Located on the shores of Lake Hallstatt, this stunning site offers a panoramic platform overlooking the lake, accessible via a scenic forest hike or a funicular ride. Recognized as the world’s oldest salt mine, it features a 3,400-year-old wooden staircase, the oldest of its kind. Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, salt mining ceased here in 1965, but brine extraction resumed in 2008, creating various salt-based products. Details about Hallsatt Salt Mine.
Guided tour from Vienna to Hallsatt, price from €120, details here.
- Ticket Prices: Adults €40 (includes funicular), Youth (4-15 years) €20, free audio guides available.
- Opening Hours (2025):
- February-March: 9:30 AM–2:30 PM
- April-August: 9:30 AM–4:00 PM
- Distance: 20 km from Salzburg.
Book accommodation near the salt mine, in Hallstatt.
Altaussee Salt Mine, Austria
This mine’s history dates back to medieval times and includes a fascinating chapter as a secret hiding spot for treasures. The 90-minute guided tour spans 2.5 km and includes highlights like Barbara’s Chapel and other unique underground attractions. The galleries are kept at a cool 8 °C, so dress warmly! Details about Altaussee Salt Mine.
- Guided Tour Schedule (2025):
- January 8–April 18: Every Wednesday at 5:00 PM
- April 19–June 27: Tours at 9:00 AM, 11:00 AM, 1:00 PM, and 3:00 PM
- June 28–November 2: Daily tours between 9:00 AM–4:00 PM
- Ticket Prices: Adults €22, Youth (4-15 years) €11. Book your entrance ticket here.
- Distance: 33 km from Hallstatt, 90 km from Salzburg.
Book accommodation near the salt mine, in Altaussee.
Wieliczka Salt Mine, Poland
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Discover the secrets of this UNESCO-listed salt mine in Poland, renowned for its underground lakes, chambers, and the captivating St. Kinga’s Chapel. Visitors can also stay at the Salt Mine Resort, which offers accommodations and therapeutic treatments.
The guided tour spans 2–3 hours, covering 3.5 km of underground galleries at a depth of 135 meters. Highlights include descending 380 steps to reach the first level, with an elevator available for the return trip. The mine maintains a comfortable temperature of 17–18 °C. Details about Wieliczka Salt Mine.
- Ticket Prices: Starting at €23 (adults). Skip the line tickets and guided tours here.
- Opening Hours: 9:00 AM–5:00 PM
- Distance: 30 km from Krakow.
Book accommodation near the salt mine, in Wieliczka.
Bochnia Salt Mine, Poland
Dating back to 1248, Bochnia Salt Mine is the oldest in Europe and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2013. Visitors can explore underground galleries, a chapel, salt sculptures, and enjoy a unique underground ferry crossing. The site also offers therapeutic areas and even the opportunity to spend the night in one of the mine’s accommodations. Details about Bochnia Salt Mine.
- Ticket Prices: Guided tours in English start at €22 per person, with audio guides available. Book your entry ticket here.
- Distance: 40 km from Krakow.
Book accommodation near the salt mine, in Bochnia town.
Salina Helvetica, Bex Salt Mines, Switzerland
Explore 50 km of underground galleries in these historic salt mines, which also feature the largest wooden dome in Europe’s salt history. Visitors ride a Miner’s Train through the tunnels and witness salt being extracted using both traditional and modern methods. Details about Bex Salt Mines.
- Ticket Prices:
- Adults: 26 CHF
- Youth (6–15 years): 13 CHF
- Distance: 50 km from Lausanne, 115 km from Bern.
Book accommodation near the salt mine Bex city.
Cardona Parc Cultural de la Muntanya de Sal, Spain
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This salt mine, formed from an ancient salt diapir created by the evaporation of the Central Catalonia Sea 36 million years ago, boasts a 6,500-year tradition of salt extraction. Visitors can see ancient mining tools and equipment, including some from the 1920s, displayed in the old mine museum. Details about Cardona Salt Mine.
- Ticket Prices: Adults: €12.50. Tickets with guided tour here.
- Distance: 90 km from Barcelona.
Book accommodation near the salt mine in Cardona city.
Salt Mines Salins-les-Bains, France
La Grande Saline, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, dates back 1,200 years and is one of France’s oldest salt mines. A 12th-century vaulted gallery, stretching 165 meters, showcases the tools and techniques of the past. Fortified in the 17th century, it has welcomed tourists since 1966. Details about Salins Les Bains.
- Temperature: 12 °C
- Opening Hours (2025):
- April–October: 9:30 AM–6:00 PM
- July–August: 9:30 AM–7:00 PM
- November–March: 10:00 AM–12:00 PM, 2:00 PM–5:30 PM
- Ticket Prices:
- Adults: €9
- Family (2 adults + 2 children): €24
- Distance: 90 km from Dijon, 40 km from Besancon.
Book accommodation near the salt mine in Salins les Bains.
Solivar Salt Mine, Slovakia
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With a history dating back to medieval times, Solivar has transitioned from a working salt mine to a museum. Visitors learn about the techniques and the significant role salt played in the region’s economy and culture. Details about Solivar Salt Mine.
- Opening Hours (2025):
- Tuesday–Saturday:
- April–October: 9:00 AM–5:00 PM
- November–March: 8:00 AM–4:00 PM
- Tuesday–Saturday:
- Ticket Prices:
- Adults: €9
- Family (up to 3 children): €19
- Distance: 30 km from Kosice.
Book accommodation near the salt mine in Presov or Kosice.
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