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For my dad’s 50th birthday, we surprised him with a little weekend trip to Gdansk in Poland. A few days are all it takes to explore this historic city and this is my guide to the best things to do in Gdansk.
The historic city of Gdansk is located on Poland’s northern Baltic coast and is the perfect small town for a quick weekend getaway. I had never visited Poland before, but I always thought that my introduction to the country would be by visiting the more popular Krakow or even Warsaw, so I was surprised that we chose Gdansk as a surprise destination for my father’s 50th birthday. Without wanting to go straight back to an old cliché, the weather in February didn’t quite lend itself to long days of exploring, as it was, and yes, I will say, absolutely Baltic. I think it was usually between 0 and -6 degrees, which meant staying as warm as humanly possible.
Most of the city, at that time the Free City of Danzig, was sadly destroyed during World War II, but has been impeccably rebuilt according to the city’s original appearance. The “bourgeois houses” (like the famous ones found in Amsterdam) were rebuilt and the facades were designed to look like they had always been there. No matter how you look at it, even if the rebuilt city is, say, only fifty or sixty years old, it is beautiful. Believe me when I say that Gdansk really is a perfect destination for a short city break, especially when, historically at least, prices for flights, hotels and food have been relatively cheap. It is a completely walkable city; We realized that we had covered the central area very quickly and that there are excellent train links directly to the airport.
THE BEST THINGS TO DO IN GDANSK, POLAND
SANTA MARIA CHURCH
St. Mary’s Church is one of the largest brick churches in the world and is undoubtedly one of the best things to do in Gdansk. There’s room for about 25,000 people inside the church, which is kind of crazy when you stop and think about it. Walking through the streets of the old town, you will hardly miss the Church of Santa María; It’s like you can see it from every inch of this city. Even if you don’t have a head for heights (and I definitely don’t!), you must climb the 400+ steps to the top of the tower. The view over Gdansk and its surroundings is perfect; even on a cloudy day. This should be one of the first things you do when visiting the city, as it will definitely help you get your bearings and you’ll be able to point out some of the city’s other most famous attractions while you figure out how to get there through the maze of streets below.
DLUGA STREET
This is the city’s main and most popular thoroughfare, stretching from the Green Gate on the banks of the Motlawa River in the east to the Golden Gate in the west. Along this street you will find hundreds of colorful buildings that seemingly stretch to the sky; some are six, seven and even eight stories high. These are the buildings that look like they were easily picked up in Amsterdam and placed directly in Gdansk without a second thought. I love this street.
One of the highlights of Dluga Street, and one of the best things to do in Gdansk, is undoubtedly the Neptune Fountain, which dates back to 1633. Legend has it that Goldwasser, the famous Gdansk liquor containing 23-carat gold flakes, was poured into this fountain, causing many locals to get drunk (but probably very happy).
The Golden Gate, which marks the western street of Dluga Street, is part of the Old City fortifications. Curiously, the door is adorned with eight figures; four on the west side and four on the east side. The four in the west represent peace, freedom, wealth and fame. To the east, the figures represent Agreement, Justice, Pity and Prudence.
Lastly, you will also find many bars and restaurants here but, as you will always find on the more popular streets, some of the restaurants may cater more to tourists and be a little more expensive than others a few streets further back.
MARIACKA STREET
Mariacka Street is a little further north than Dluga Street, but it is a charming cobbled street famous for its small shops selling ‘Baltic Gold’ (amber). Amber is Poland’s native gemstone and Gdansk is said to be the capital of amber as it has been collected here for over 6,000 years. You will find amber in all kinds of forms in Gdansk, but the best place to look for a new piece of jewelry or something related to amber to remember your stay in Gdansk is definitely here on Mariacka Street.
Even if you’re not interested in seeing Gdansk’s famous amber offerings, this is still a charming and picturesque street to stroll as it leads to the base of St. Mary’s Church.
THE BANK OF THE GDANSK RIVER AND THE ZURAW CRANE
The Gdansk embankment area, next to the Motlawa River, is one of my favorite areas. Even though there is ice floating on the river, I can easily imagine strolling here on a warm summer afternoon. Halfway along the riverbank, you’ll notice a large, unusual-looking building overlooking the boardwalk. Maybe you’ve already seen it when planning a trip to Gdansk. This was the largest crane in medieval Europe and was used to load and unload ships. The crane is said to be able to lift objects weighing up to 2,000kg. Now a museum, it is worth taking a look inside or simply admiring it from across the river.
GDANSK MUSEUM // GDANSK PRISON
While I’m usually not a big fan of spending too much time in museums during a city break, especially a weekend getaway, these were two excellent museums to understand the history of Gdansk. We didn’t spend much time in either, but it was great to explore the Gothic-Renaissance building that houses the Gdansk Museum; Just look at that ceiling!
THE EUROPEAN SOLIDARITY CENTER
Unfortunately, this museum opened very shortly after our visit, although we still went to the European Solidarity Center to see the uniquely designed building. The museum is dedicated to Polish history and in particular to the Union Solidarity which, as I understand it, ultimately led to the fall of communism in Poland.
WHERE TO EAT AND DRINK IN GDANSK
While there are many bars and restaurants to choose from in Gdansk, these are some of my favorites from our time in the city.
Goldwasser House
Inspired by the famous Gdansk liqueur, this hotel/restaurant serves delicious food in a beautiful setting overlooking the Motlawa River. My best advice would be to visit for lunch when it’s a little quieter (at least it was when we visited) and ask to be seated on the first floor terrace. The food is traditional Polish cuisine with a modern twist, however we opted for a variety of very traditional Polish dumplings for a quick and tasty lunch.
Restaurant Prologue [Closed but watch this space]
At the time we visited, Prologue was probably the best restaurant in Gdansk. A place where you always had to reserve a table and all the guests regularly agreed that it could have had a Michelin star. The steak was one of the best steaks I have ever had. However, I heard that this place has closed (although there may be a restaurant in its place with the same name), but it seems that the team behind the Prologue restaurant are preparing for a new opening, something a little different, so watch this space and I’m sure the new restaurant will be a favorite of any visitor to Gdansk.
jozek k
This bar on Piwna Street will definitely make you come back more than once. The decoration is very peculiar with recovered industrial elements and antique objects. This is a great place to drink Polish beer and relax after a long day of exploring.
Flisak ’76
We were more than happy to stumble upon this brilliant basement bar once we couldn’t stand the cold weather anymore. For a unique cocktail experience, you can’t miss Flisak ’76, a bar that has been at the top of Gdansk’s cocktail scene for over 40 years. The menu titled ‘Once upon a time…’ sets up the evening with a fairy tale theme in each and every cocktail. I chose a ‘Bacon Sour’ (can’t remember which fairy tale it was based on?) which was essentially a beautiful blended whiskey sour topped with bacon shavings. One of those drinks that really shouldn’t work but absolutely does!
WHERE TO STAY IN GDANSK
We stayed in a very nice apartment that we found on Airbnb, a few steps from St. Mary’s Church. It had all the modern amenities plus very comfortable beds and, for the four of us, was just £125 for 2 nights. That works out to about £15 per person per night; An absolute bargain and I would definitely consider staying in an Airbnb again when visiting Gdansk.
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