Gdansk city guide – 5 unique experiences in northern Poland

Gdansk city guide – 5 unique experiences in northern Poland is written by Jens Skovgaard Andersen.

Sightseeing, shopping and beach – Gdansk has it all

Just on the other side of The Baltic Sea in the north Poland lies the historic port city of Gdansk. The city has gone through quite a few upheavals in its lifetime, and history largely leaves its mark on the Gdansk you see today.

It was here that the Crusaders stayed in their huge castle in the Middle Ages. It was here that the Iron Curtain fell on the Lenin Shipyard. And it is here, in the hip and cozy streets, that modern Poland really lives.

Gdansk is part of what the Poles call Trójmiasto – 'the three cities' – along with Sopot and Gdynia. The three cities on the Baltic Sea coast have grown together, and it is easy to get around between them. And it's also easy to get from Gdansk around the region of Pomerania, where you'll find many more historical highlights. More on that in a bit.

Good old and new Gdansk

Throughout the ages, Gdansk has been both a small fishing town and the largest and most important port in the kingdom Poland-Lithuania, subject to German Crusaders, been a Hanseatic city, belonged to Prussia, been an independent city-state and been the center of protests during the Cold War. The tumultuous history is evident in the city today and exciting to explore.

The architecture bears the stamp of both historical periods of glory and the all-encompassing destruction during the Second World War. At the same time, Gdansk is both a cozy medieval city with narrow cobbled streets and atmospheric squares and squares and a huge industrial port with busy cranes and dilapidated warehouses.

Take a walk down the pedestrian street Dluga with its many shops, restaurants and impressive old houses. At the end of Dluga is the old harbor front with even more restaurants and a cozy atmosphere. Also remember to take a walk through the medieval street Mariacka right by the large church. Here you will find one of the oldest and most atmospheric amber markets that Gdansk is truly known for.

If you can't get enough of amber, you should also visit the amber museum in the old water mill in the center of Gdansk, close to the railway station. The museum is a slafferland for rave lovers. You can both learn more about where amber comes from and at the same time see works of art, jewelery and all kinds of objects made of the purest amber – 'Gold of the Baltic Sea'.

The old mill itself, where the amber museum is housed, is also beautiful, and there is a small exhibition about the history of the mill that you should see. when you are there.

You can easily spend several days just exploring Gdansk's old streets and soaking up the atmosphere. There must be time for that. But there is also much else to indulge in in the exciting city.

Here is a really good hotel right in the center of Gdansk

War and Peace - Gdansk's excellent World War Museum

Just a few years ago, one of the biggest and most important attractions in Gdansk opened: The New Museum of the Second World War. The museum is very popular with good reason, so remember to order your ticket online in advance.

At the impressive museum in the middle of the city, both children and adults can delve into all the events that led up to the Second World War. Poland played an important role here, and in fact the very first battle of the war was fought precisely at the port of Gdansk. Therefore, it is almost a requirement that you visit the museum when you are in Gdansk.

Through a complete narrative, you are taken through the entire course of the war, and we can definitely recommend that you use the excellent audio guide, which is available in many different languages. It is not in Danish, but the English version is excellent. And it is easy to use.

These are strong cases that you get through, and it's probably a good idea to go out and get some relaxation, fresh air and something good to eat afterwards. Both adults and slightly older children get a lot out of experiencing the museum.

There can be a long queue, so remember to arrive at the time stated on your ticket. If you want to skip something along the way or go a little faster or a little slower than the audio guide is intended for, that's no problem at all. Take it at your own pace - there's a lot to take in.

Solidarity and shipbuilding

After the Second World War, Gdansk was part of the communist Poland, and not everyone was happy with the politics in the country all the time. This becomes especially evident when you visit Gdansk's large shipyards, which have played a decisive role in world history.

At the old shipyard 'Lenin', thousands of shipyard workers worked hard to build ships both for Poland and other countries. It was an important workplace with great economic significance for the country.

The difficult working conditions made the shipyard workers want better conditions and they wanted to organize themselves in an independent trade union. One of the main men in the labor struggle was the later Polish president Lech Walesa, who was at the forefront of the protests. It was a violent time, and strikes and protests met fierce resistance.

The Lenin shipyard is still active today, but under a different name, and you can visit the brand new Soldiers' Center with an excellent museum where you get up close to both the history of workers and the people who played both the main and supporting roles in the fight for workers' rights.

The trade union Solidarity was founded here, and the large strikes at the Lenin shipyard largely helped to start a popular uprising against the rulers and were decisive for the Iron Curtain between East and West ultimately falling.

The Solidarity Center is both an exciting museum and at the same time an active player in preserving and teaching workers' history and rights in today's Poland and Europe. Really worth a visit. Again, we recommend using the audio guide to get the most out of the visit.

When you're at the port anyway, it's a good idea to explore the old warehouses and dilapidated port buildings. Here you will come across, among other things, a popular one streetfoodmarket and one of the hippest places to go in the city. The past blends nicely with the present.

Do you want to live uniquely on holiday in Gdansk? Then here is a very special hotel for you

Knight for a day – the Middle Ages live in Malbork

It is almost like time travel when you take the train for a short hour from Gdansk and suddenly you have traveled several hundred years back in time.

In the town of Malbork is the impressive knight's castle of the same name. It was here that the Crusaders settled and had their headquarters for centuries. Today the castle is open to visitors, and you will soon have many hours to spend exploring the large Gothic castle complex, which is the largest brick castle in the world.

The castle is divided into countless small rooms and large halls, small squares, church and chapel, kitchen, throne room, servants' quarters and thousands of fascinating details. You will also be guided around Malbork by a really well-functioning audio guide, which is available in, among other languages, English.

Just like the rest of Pomerania and the area around Gdansk, Malbork has been in the hands of many different rulers, was the royal castle of several Polish kings and was bombed to pieces during the war. Since 1997, however, the castle has been on UNESCO World Heritage List and is one of the biggest historical attractions in Poland.

So unleash your chivalrous tendencies and travel back in time to Malbork.

Heavy history in the Stutthof concentration camp

Just to the east of Gdansk, close to the Baltic Sea coast, there is a historical sight that really sets the mind and emotions in motion: the former concentration camp Stutthof.

If you are traveling with older children, it is obvious to turn the visit into an extended history lesson. In the same way, the camp is not suitable for younger children - both because it can be difficult to understand the story and because there is a very subdued and devout atmosphere, which can be difficult for children to endure for a long time at a time.

In Stutthof, monstrosities took place on a scale that can be difficult to grasp, and it takes a bit of hard skin to get through it all. But it is exciting.

Some of the prisoners in the Stutthof concentration camp were the Danish communists who were handed over to the occupying power and sent off to forced labor and worse.

If you want to get the most out of your visit, it makes sense to read up on the camp's history beforehand. There is also a harsh but educational film you can watch in the film room near the entrance to the camp.

The road from Gdansk to Stutthof runs along the coast, and there are small holiday towns and large holiday home areas all along the way. Take a stop in the summer country on the way and get an ice cream or a cup of coffee to digest the experiences. You can, for example, take the nice little train that runs along the coast and stops in all the small towns.

Sopot – sun, summer and beach

The three cities that make up Trójmiasto are all known for the delicious beaches along the Baltic Sea. In the summer, tourists make the pilgrimage from near and far to enjoy life with sand between their toes.

Gdansk's own beach Brzezno is within easy walking distance of the city itself. We recommend taking the local train further up the coast to the town of Sopot, which comes alive in the summer.

Sopot is a seaside resort with kilometers of beaches, a popular pier full of activity in the center and lots of restaurants, bars, ice cream kiosks and activities. If you have the family and the kids with you, Sopot is one must.

From the station, it's a short walk through the city center down to the sand and water, and here you can just settle down and let the sun warm you to the core. Even if there are many people on the beach, you can always find a little secluded corner of peace and quiet - you just have to continue out of the small path that runs along the coast all the way.

It is obvious to rent bicycles and get around Sopot and the surrounding area that way, but otherwise most things can be reached on foot. A good tip from here is to have some coins in your pocket for the public toilets, which often cost around 2 zlotys to use.

While Gdansk is rich in city life and history, Sopot is rich in holiday atmosphere and pampering. You can easily stay at one of the lovely spa hotels in Sopot and explore Gdansk with Sopot as a base. It's easy to get around, and it's nice to be able to relax when the day's experiences are over.

Gdansk and northern Poland is full of memorable and educational experiences - so have a great holiday in Gdansk and Sopot.

See more about spa and pampering in Sopot here

You must see it in Gdansk

• The old center with the pedestrian street Dluga
• The Museum of the Second World War
• The Solidarity Center at the old Lenin Shipyard
• Crusader castle Malbork
• Stutthof concentration camp
• Sopot – kilometers of delicious beaches, sun and spa