Cacica brings together the Salina Cacica salt mine, religious sites, marked hiking trails and traces of the town’s history. Underground, several stops are part of a visitor route; above ground, trails lead to different destinations. The Basilica Minor and Grota Lourdes are separate landmarks in the history of pilgrimage. You can explore these highlights separately or combine them when planning your visit.

Salt Mine and Chapel

The visitor route at the Salina Cacica salt mine includes a small museum in the hoisting shaft building, an ecumenical chapel, the Dwarfs’ Gallery, a salt lake, a dance hall and a machinery museum. The programme therefore includes not only museum and technical exhibits, but also a chapel and other varied stops. The Catholic Chapel of Sf Varvara is located 21 metres underground and was built in 1806.

Pilgrimage History and Local History

The sanctuary in Cacica was built between 1903 and 1904 and consecrated on 16 October 1904. In 2000, Pope John Paul II elevated the sanctuary to the status of a Basilica Minor. Catholic services are held in Romanian, Polish, German and Hungarian at the Basilica Minor; the language may vary depending on the service. The Grota Lourdes in Cacica is a replica of the Grotto of Lourdes, built in 1936.

The pilgrimage tradition for the Feast of the Assumption also dates back more than 100 years; the first pilgrimage took place in 1905. These dates highlight different aspects: the sanctuary’s construction and consecration mark its early history, while the grotto is a later addition to the town’s religious history. Another glimpse into the past is offered by the Geto-Dacian coin hoard discovered in Cacica in 2014. It comprises 485 silver coins and coin fragments. The coins are silver imitations of Macedonian tetradrachms from the 3rd to 2nd century BC.

Hiking Routes and Landscape

There are two marked routes to choose from for a hike, each with a different destination. The “Mănăstirea Humorului” route starts in Cacica, is marked with a yellow triangle and runs for about 6.5 kilometres to “La Monument”. The uphill journey is listed as taking approximately two hours, and the downhill journey about one hour and 30 minutes. The “Cetatea de piatră” route is marked with a blue triangle and runs for about seven kilometres to the ridge of Obcina Cacica. The routes are similar in length, but their destinations differ. Markings and trail conditions can change; check both before setting out.

The “Cetatea de piatră” viewpoint is a sandstone-like erosion remnant with views over Cacica and the Suceava Plateau. The rare orchid Cypripedium calceolus also grows in Cacica, in the “Livada Salinei” area, where it is locally known as “Papucul Doamnei”. The viewpoint and orchid site add geological and botanical aspects to the hiking routes, without implying that a sighting is guaranteed or that a particular route is set.

Getting Your Bearings

The Ecobiblioteca is listed as a tourist information point. Check in advance whether it is currently operating if you plan to rely on this resource.

Discover More Destinations

Pârteștii de Sus, Solca, Văleni-Stânișoara, Pojorâta, Moldova-Sulița, Fundu Moldovei, Crucea, Şcheia

For the wider travel overview: Suceava.