Churches to Visit in Poland
Poland is still one of the most churchgoing countries in Europe, and many of its churches are busy on Sundays. This chapter begins underground, with the most extraordinary of them: St Kinga’s Chapel in the Wieliczka Salt Mine near Kraków, carved entirely in rock salt by miners a hundred metres below the surface.
Wieliczka is an easy half-day from Kraków by train. The chapel can only be seen on the mine’s guided tour, so book a time in advance, especially in summer.
Where to start
St Kinga’s Chapel, Wieliczka
A church carved in salt 101 metres underground, with salt chandeliers and a Last Supper in relief. Guided tours only.
Practical notes
| Opening hours | Most churches open from early morning; Sunday Masses are frequent and well attended, so sightsee between services |
|---|---|
| Admission | Churches are usually free to enter; the Wieliczka Salt Mine is visited on a paid guided tour |
| Dress code | Covered shoulders and knees, and quiet during Mass |
| Getting around | Wieliczka is 25 minutes from Kraków by the SKA1 train |
Coming next
Kraków itself is next: Wawel Cathedral, where the kings of Poland were crowned and buried, and St Mary’s Basilica on the main square, with its trumpet call from the tower every hour.