Are you planning a trip to Poland? And only visiting Warsaw and Krakow ! Allow me to introduce you to gorgeous Gdańsk!
The question then is to Gdańsk or to not Gdańsk…
Read why you really must plan this trip or Jump straight to the 13-stop itinerary
Why would anyone skip such a pocket sized captivating gem of a city is beyond me! Whether be you an architecture enthusiast, a spiritual seeker, a history buff, a music fan or someone just looking for a memorable destination that is both fulfilling and very very instagrammable – Gdańsk has something for you.
Also I must add, just one day in Gdańsk is not enough. You need at least 2 days to enjoy the city and its environs!
Read on to plan a perfect getaway to Gdańsk.
Where to stay
Located in the historic street lined with old townhouses is the Radisson Blu Hotel, Gdańsk . The building dates back to the 16th century when it was named “Hotel de Leipzeig” and cosequently “ Hotel du Nord”. The façade is very reminiscient of a typical Dutch Merchant’s house. They even have a display with artifacts from 14th to 18th century , excavated from under the hotel.
Fro the main entrance we were a gorgeous alley away from the Motlana river front.
We stayed here for the history of it BUT mainly for its splendid location. The moment we stepped out from the “side entrance” we were on the Ulica Dluga – the iconic Long street. where all tours and sightseeing pilgrimages start!
In a nutshell, our rooms were spacious, service was ok, but location, location location was the winner!
Around the city
More often than not, we love getting acquainted with a a new city by taking a guided tour especially if it’s our first time and there is a lot of “too many things to see”. We usually do this on our first active day of exploring. In Gadasnk we walked a lot and took a Golf cart tour with Oliwia.
Here is all that we did –by walking around mainly, but also in the golf cart. This trip is perfect albeit a bit hectic if you have kids in tow but absolutely doable with enough snack breaks in between.
Gdańsk in 13 stops
Day 1: Explore the Historic Old Town
1. Walk along Ulica Dluga (Long Street) and admire colorful merchant houses. There are so many important and adorned houses on this street that it requires it’s own special blog
2. Gawk at the Golden House, one of the most beautiful buildings in Gdańsk, decorated with gilded bas-reliefs and intricate sculptures depicting battles, rulers and coats of arms. At the top you will see statues of Cleopatra, Oedipus, Achilles, Antigone (by artist Johann Voght).
3. Visit Neptune’s Fountain, a symbol of the city with its own legend! According to the tale, Neptune was angered by the many coins thrown into his fountain, that in his fury he struck the water with his trident, breaking the coins into tiny gold flakes. The gold flakes that are to this day floating in the Goldwasser drink – the famous Gdańsk herbal liqueur.
4. Stop by Artus Court, a former meeting place of wealthy merchants
Somewhere here you find a little nook in the corner shop that sells ginormous isocèles shaped swirly ice-creams. Super way to cool down (we went in August).
Souvenir shops here sell unique things – I loved the falling sand in glass frames depicting landscapes and beaches!
In one of the lanes here was a weekly market selling handmade, local products. We brought home this stunning artisan-made stone houses cum candle holders.
All this in a span of 200 metres!!
Ok let’s keep walking on:
5. Go under the Golden Gate and across the road to the old prison tower – which let’s you get a view of the square from the top.
6. Climb St. Mary’s Church Tower One of the largest brick churches in the world! Climb over 400 steps for a breathtaking view over Gdańsk.
7. Shop for Amber on Mariacka Street – the city is known as the \”World Capital of Amber.\”
Amber necklace: Buy some local amber to take home. Amber supposedly has analgesic propertiees and has been used since the ancient times to calm teething children. True or not, I absolutely wanted a souvenir for my kid.. and cherry on the cake if it helped calm my cookie!!
8. St. Mary’s Gate – This gate at the end of the Mariacka street leads you straight to the Motlawa river front
9. The Gdańsk Crane, a medieval port crane, is apparently the largest and the oldest building of its kind. The characteristic monument is worth visiting just for its unique and mammothic architecture. The Crane is home to the city’s National Maritime museum.
10. End the day with a walk along the Motława Riverfront
Stop by for a coffee on the river front or try some spectacular variety of Vodka!
Flavours include Czysta (clear), Cytrynowka (lemon), Wisniowka (cherries), Pieprzowka (pepper), Zubrowka (with grass from the Bialowieza Forest) and of course the famous Goldwasser vodka with gold flakes!
The next three stops are a bit farther away and we went around in the golf cart with Oliwia, repeating (by design) nearly all of the above 10 stops and then a few more :
Day 2: Gdańsk in a golf cart
This part can definitely be done on the same day as above. But since our trip-mates included youngsters, midlifers and oldsters we were obliged to split the tour over two days! Quelle chance!
11. Sainte Bridgets Church
Oliwia let us stay here a little longer than most groups do, to truly soak in the the beauty of the Amber alter. The church was rebuilt after the war and what is magnificent is its altar made with 1.5 tonnes of Amber glistening and glowing majestically. The church is still a work in progress and in 2016 workers stumbled upon a crypt with about 500 skulls – most probably of the nuns who lived here
12. Visit the European Solidarity Center: Learn about the history of Solidarity, the movement that helped end communism in Poland. A must-visit for history buffs!
13. Shipwreck center Gdansk
We drove through the shipyard and the robotic creatures stepping out of the water reminded me of scenes from The Terminator – eerily futuristic.
Once you’re back in the city center dig deep into a Pierogi (Polish dumplings) or six. For us it turned into a snack, a meal and everything in between!
Day 3: Around Gdańsk
A historical escapade to Westerplatte
The peninsula on the Baltic coast is often neglected but is of massive historical significance . It is where WWII began in 1939, when German troops invaded Poland.
Relax at Stogi Beach
When visiting in summer, head to Stogi Beach or nearby Brzeźno Beach for a errm a beachy experience.
Take a Day Trip to Sopot
Just 20 minutes away, this seaside resort town has Poland’s longest wooden pier. We took a stroll on the Stogi beach. Though, I must warn you the water was eerily black and we didn’t dare dip even our toe-nails in!!
Final Thoughts
Gdańsk is an underrated European destination that deserves more attention. I really hope you make a little time for it and enjoy it as much as we did.