Gdansk

Population: 600,000

Distance from Katowice: 510 km

• The best way from Katowice-Gdansk is by train or plane. By train will take around 5hours, costing around 150pln (https://www.intercity.pl/en/) . By plane will take 45min-1h and will cost around 100pln (check Skyscanner for the prices).

How to get there: 

• By air: Gdansk has a big airport with flights from major European cities.
• By train: Big train station so trains from different locations are also arriving.
• By Bus/ car: Highways in Poland are good, so either driving or by bus there are fair lot of connections.

What’s so special about the city: Coastal city with lot of historical contexts. Having an active nightlife and many very good restaurants.

How long should the visit be:  2-3 days is well spent.

Dlugi Targ, also known as the Long Market or Royal Way, is the main thoroughfare through Gdansk. The entire street is only 500 meters long, so you can walk it in just 10 minutes, but for the best experience, there are some things to stop and see along the way.

The Golden Gate sits at the western end of the street. As you look down Dlugi Targ, you can see cafes and shops lining the street and the iconic Town Hall tower. During the day, this can be a crowded place. But at night or during the early morning hours, it is quiet and peaceful.

Dlugi Targ ends at the Green Gate. Once you pass through here, you step out onto the Green Bridge (Zielony Most) and the waterfront of Gdansk.

Neptune Fountain. The Neptune fountain is a very popular photo spot in Gdansk. It always had a group of camera-wielding tourists around it (and we were no different!).

Artus Court. Just behind the Neptune fountain is Artus Court, which was once a meeting place for merchants and dignitaries. It is now a museum.

The Main Town Hall is located on Dlugi Targ, next to the Neptune fountain. Just look for the green, Gothic clock tower and you are in the right place.

For the best view over Gdansk, climb to the top of the tower. From here, you can look down at the entire stretch of Dlugi Targ, across the Motlawa River, and on a clear day, out to the Baltic Sea.

Also in the Town Hall is the Gdansk History Museum, worthwhile for history lovers.

Mariacka Street is one of the coolest streets in Gdansk. This street retains some of Gdansk’s old architecture, with oversized porches spilling out onto the street. Look for the gargoyle heads, called “pukers,” that spray out water during rainstorms.

This is just as nice (and maybe even better) than Dlugi Targ for a nice stroll. For the best views (and just a little more walking), I recommend walking down both sides of the Motlawa River.

From the Green Gate, cross the Green Bridge and walk north along the river. On this side of the river, lots of construction is going on. Huge, concrete skeletons of futures buildings are being erected. Ignore those and look across the river to the beautiful waterfront.

One building that stands out is the crane (Zuraw). This crane has used hundreds of years ago to load cargo into ships. The hulking mass is a symbol of Gdansk’s days as an important trading city. If you are interested, you can take a tour of the crane.

In this nearly brand new, well-laid out museum, learn about the historical events of the Polish opposition to communist rule.

First, you will see the Monument of the Fallen Shipyard Workers of 1970, which commemorates the 42 people who were killed in 1970. Cost: PLN 20 (includes an audio guide)

Website: http://www.ecs.gda.pl/

Next, take a look at the gate with the sign Stocznia Gdanska. This is the entrance to the shipyards and a symbol of the solidarity movement (Solidarnosc).

Almost brand new (it just recently opened in 2017), this museum covers the events that led up to WWII and the impact the war had on Poland.

This is one of the best museums in Poland and it is a must-visit, even if you are not a museum lover. World War II deeply affected Poland and this museum does an excellent job educating visitors about this very important piece of Polish history.

On average a visit lasts about three hours. For the best experience, get here right at opening time, before the museum fills with visitors. You can book your tickets online in advance to save you from having to wait in the ticket line. During our visit in July, we arrived at 9:30 am, when the ticket line opens, and had no problems getting tickets.

Cost: 23 PLN
Audio Guide: 5 PLN
Link to purchase tickets online: bilety.muzeum1939.pl

The Tri-City refers to the three cities of Gdansk, Sopot, and Gdynia, which line the Baltic Coast. Sopot is a ritzy beach resort town and Gdynia offers quieter beaches and a few museums to visit. If you are visiting in the summer and want to check out the beach, a visit to Sopot may be worth it. We got around by Uber, which was cheap and convenient.

Malbork Castle is Poland’s most famous castle. It’s also the largest castle in the world, classified by surface area. Located just a short distance from Gdansk and easily accessible by train, Malbork Castle is one of the best day trips to take from Gdansk. Malbork Castle, also called the Castle of the Teutonic Order in Malbork, dates back to the 13th century. This castle was built by the Teutonic Knights, German Roman-Catholic crusaders. The Teutonic Knights dominated the area around Malbork and Gdansk (called Danzig at the time) until 1457, when King Jagiellon and Polish forces captured the castle.

A two-hour cruise from Gdansk to Hel during which you can admire the beauty of the Gdansk Bay. Let yourself be carried away by the sea climate and sail to the symbolic beginning of Poland with a traditional white fleet. The main attractions on Hel Peninsula are: lighthouse, sealarium, fishing museum, peninsula fortification, village street (ulicja Wiejska)