Travel guide | Gdansk - a bohemian city

Karoline

Gdansk, you had me at hello!

At first glance you'd say it looks like Amsterdam, but without the famous Red District and the multitude of canals. But Gdansk is much more than that. It's bohemian, royal, colorful.

This is a city located in Northern Poland and is the largest port city.

It is also nicknamed Amber City thanks to this semi-precious stone that you can find in most souvenir shops in the city.

With a turbulent history, built from scratch after the First World War, Gdansk is a city you will love at first sight. It's bohemian, surprising, charming, with a colorful and lively architecture.

What do you travel with?

If you did not choose your personal car as a means of transport, Gdansk has a well-developed and very accessible public transport network. you here link with all means of transport, and the price starts from less than one euro/route.

where are you staying

Prices for accommodation in Poland are for all budgets, and they start from 21 Euros per night.

We have made a selection for you, the best quality-price ratio, close to the city center.

  • Apart from Neptune is a 4-star hotel with free WiFi and free private parking. The price starts from 50 euros/double room and it is located right in the heart of the old center.
  • So Stay Hotel is a 3-star hotel with free WiFi and free private parking. One night's accommodation starts from 46 Euros without breakfast included. The location is located less than 900 m from the Central Station.
  • Marina Club Residence – is a 3-star hotel with free WiFi and all facilities included, located a few minutes' walk from the center. The price starts from 49 Euro/night with breakfast included.

What are you visiting in Gdansk? Gdansk tourist attractions

The city center is full of streets, colorful, modern buildings, but which have preserved the shape and architecture of the old buildings. Gdansk has that charm of yesteryear, bohemian with kings and knights. 

Go on Dluga Street (Long Street) from Golden Gate up to The Green Gate and you will meet the old town hall with its tower from where you can see the whole city, Arthur's court, with the famous Fountain of Neptune in front of.

Golden Gate

It is characterized by the Renaissance style, and the inscriptions on it represent the values of the city: Peace, Freedom, Prosperity and Fame.

City Hall

Gdansk's Town Hall is one of the city's most valuable monuments, and the Mannerist decor of the Red Hall is one of the most beautiful building interiors in Europe. The building is built in Gothic and Renaissance style – very similar to the buildings in Bruges.

Oliwa Cathedral

It is a massive, impressive building, like most buildings in Poland with a history marked by war. You will be surprised by the two imposing towers at the entrance, which are 46 meters high. Inside you will find one of the oldest and largest organs in Poland with almost 8000 elements.

Museum of Clocks

It is located within the church of Saint Catherine - the oldest church in the city, with a mixture of Gothic and Baroque architecture.

Arthur's court

One of the most representative tourist attractions that impresses with its Gothic style and where you will find an impressive art collection dating from the 18th century. This building is a copy of the myth of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. Also here you will find the largest terracotta stove built, with a height of 10 m.

Neptune's Fountain

It is located in the Długi Targ square, right in front of Arthur's Court and is one of the symbols of the city.

Saint Mary's Church

St. Mary's Church, one of the main attractions of Gdansk, impresses with its grandeur and Gothic style. It is also the largest brick church in the entire world. It has an impressive capacity, which can accommodate over 20,000 people. It is 105 m long and 66 m wide, and inside it is an astronomical clock with a height of over 14 m and over 500 years old.

For a superb view of the city, you have to climb the 400 stairs that will take you to the church tower, but we guarantee that it will be worth every effort.

Golden House

It is one of the most refined and beautiful buildings. The name is due to the facade rich in ornaments. Here are presented 12 carved scenes, interspersed with busts of famous historical figures, including two Polish kings.

The Green Gate

It is located between Piața Mare (Dluga Targ – actually Dluga Ulica) and the Motlawa river and is another objective that you cannot miss. It houses the National Museum of Gdansk, where various cultural events take place.

Museum of the Second World War

It is located on Władysław Bartoszewski Square, close to the historic city center. Here you will find an exhibition with representatives from the Second World War. For two hours of reflection on the past, we invite you to visit this museum.

The Amber Museum

The exhibition is located in the Prison Tower in Gdansk. Here you will discover a detailed history of amber and the presentation of its therapeutic properties.

Westerplatte

To deepen the history of Poland, we recommend that you visit Westerplatte, the city's peninsula, located on the coast of the Baltic Sea. Wasterplatte represents the first point of attack of the German army.

The medieval crane in the port of Gdansk

The crane is located on the banks of the Motlawa River and was built in 1444, being the oldest in all of Europe.

Here we let you take a relaxing walk along the banks of the Motlowa River, and then rest in a floating cafe.

Beach

What can be more beautiful than relaxing at the beach? Stogi beach is the best idea for relaxing and walking in Gdansk. Although The Baltic sea it is quite cold regardless of the season, for the brave it can be a nice challenge.

Gastronomy

The terraces on Strada Dluga are full at all hours, they are open until late at night.

We recommend you to try some traditional dishes: bigoted (a stew based on cabbage and pieces of meat), pierogi (corners filled with several types of ingredients, both sweet and salty), kielbasa (world-renowned Polish sausages), cutlet schabowy (Polish variant of Austrian schnitzel); golabki (Polish version of cabbage rolls), zrazy (type of roulade made of slices of beef tenderloin in which slices of pickled cucumbers, smoked sausages and mushrooms are placed).

Below, you have a list of the best restaurants that we have chosen for you, known for both their ambiance and exceptional traditional food:

Gdańsk is a budget friendly city, the national currency of Poland being the zloty - PLN - very close in value to our currency, so it will be very easy for you to do the conversion and calculate your budget.

Also, a great advantage is that it can be visited in any season of the year.

We hope that our information will help you have a beautiful and colorful vacation in this royal city, full of history and color.

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