Bestseller
Turda Salt Mine 4h guided tour from Cluj
From 65,00 €
Buy the ticket
The Turda Salt Mine, or Salina Turda in Romanian, is a salt mine located in north-western Romania, in the town of Turda, not far from Cluj-Napoca. It is one of the country’s most important tourist attractions, so much so that in 2017 it was visited by over 600,000 people.
Open to tourists since 1992, between 2008 and 2010 it underwent complete renovation, thanks to an investment of nearly 6 million euros, which transformed it into one of Romania’s tourism gems.
The Turda Salt Mine is an attraction in its entirety. Until 2010, the year of renovation, access was through the Iosif Gallery which opened directly onto the street, whilst today the entrance has been relocated to the modern visitor centre.
Once you descend, you can explore the four main galleries named Iosif, Rudolf, Terezia and Ghizela, using both the original routes and a tunnel constructed between 2012 and 2014 exclusively for tourists. During your visit, among stalactites, stalagmites and natural wonders, you can also admire a series of medieval machines used for salt extraction, and a splendid altar carved into a salt wall. The “Rich Man’s Staircase”, a striking wooden staircase, is equally impressive.
However, the Turda Salt Mine is also used for therapeutic purposes: inside there are several zones dedicated to wellness treatments, plus an area featuring an amphitheatre with 180 seats, a sports complex with handball, five-a-side football and badminton courts, and even a Ferris wheel 20 metres high.
Within the salt mine complex there is a swimming pool measuring 25 metres long and 12.5 metres wide, with depths varying between 120 and 180 centimetres. The water temperature is maintained between 26 and 28 degrees, compared to an external temperature of 30-32 degrees. The pool is modern and is not an attraction linked to the salt and mine itself; moreover, access is not included in the admission ticket.
The Turda Salt Mine is open every day from 9:00 to 17:00, with last admission at 16:00. Tickets can be purchased on-site or online. Seniors, young people and students are entitled to a 50% discount on ticket prices, whilst children under 3 enter free. You can also request a private guide, and various extras such as a licence for professional photography or audio recording; it is also possible to book exclusive use of the amphitheatre for private parties or events.
To make the most of your visit to Turda Salt Mine, bear these points in mind:
The salt deposits in Transylvania formed approximately 13.5 million years ago, when the area was governed by a tropical climate. The thickness of the salt layer in the area is around 400 metres, but at Turda it reaches the incredible height of 1,200 metres.
This underground wealth was already known since the Middle Ages, when the mine was opened to extract salt. Its origins are very ancient, as the first written evidence of its existence dates back to 1075. The mine was used intensively in subsequent centuries, with the opening of new galleries and branches. In the 17th century the last one, called Anton, was opened: salt extraction continued here until 1932, when the mine was finally closed.
The Turda Salt Mine is located 35 kilometres south of the centre of Cluj-Napoca. It can be reached via the E81 road which leads directly to Turda; from there simply follow the signs to the mine, which is a couple of kilometres from the town centre.
If you are instead coming from Bucharest, the journey is considerably longer: approximately 6.5 hours, covering over 400 kilometres. It is certainly worth the effort, but we recommend staying overnight in Turda or Cluj-Napoca, otherwise a day trip would become quite exhausting.
Hotel 
Budget accommodations 
Apartments 
Family Hotel 
Luxury Hotel