Gdansk City Break Review: Is Gdansk Worth Visiting?
I recently spent five days enjoying a city break in Gdansk, Poland, and it completely exceeded my expectations. I was there with a group of friends and we range from late forties to early sixties. From the colourful Old Town and fascinating history to beautiful beaches and fantastic restaurants, Gdansk is one of the best European city break destinations I've visited.
I knew it was the home of the Solidarity movement, but did not know much more about it and was really pleasantly surprised at how much was on offer.
Most people I know who have been have usually been to Krakow, however I was travelling with some friends and two of them had been to Gdansk around ten years ago, they had warned me there was not much there when they had previously been and the food was very local.
Arriving in Gdansk
When we arrived there, they couldn’t believe how different it was! On What was once an island with rubble on in the middle of the river was now apartments and hotels, there was far more bars, restaurants and shops and the food had improved dramatically. This was the very end of July and the place was absolutely packed with tourists, both Polish and international and everyone was enjoying the hot weather and exploring the cobbled streets of the old town. Getting around is very easy omn foot, the local transport was very reasonable in price and we used a online taxi company as found some of the local taxi drivers didn’t speak English and I don’t speak Polish so things became lost in translation.
Street performers entertained, restaurants provided tasty treats and the bars offered a cooling drink from the heat of the day, however as many tables were outdoors, you could people watch all day long. The riverside offered a lovely place to stroll and take in the views and again were packed with bars and restaurants on both banks. The Gdansk waterfront also offered you the chance to take a boat trip or indeed hire your own boat and explore at your own pace. There is also the chance to shop at designer shops in the large shopping mall within Gdansk city.
The Long Market and Neptune Fountain
The Long Market is a huge open air space in the heart of Gdansk Old Town that has shops, bars and restaurants as well as being one of the most picturesque places in Gdansk. One of the main sights to see is the Neptune Fountain and Town Hall, where local street performers will also keep you entertained. It is also the main area for nightlife and restaurants. On a street just behind the Long Market is St Mary’s Church, one of the largest brick churches in the world and a fantastic example of Gothic architecture. The many spires and main tower offer a great opportunity for photographs.
Museums and History
There are a large number of museums to explore including the Abver Museum, Museum of the Second World War and the European Solidarity Centre. Westerplatte is a peninsular at the entrance to the harbour and is where World War II first began in Europe and it is commemorated by a large towering monument that is dedicated to the bravery of the Polish soldiers in the early days of the war. There are also preserved bunkers and barracks with a small museum there too.
A day out in Sopot
We were recommended to try a town near Gdansk called Sopot. On arrival here we were dropped off outside of the Sheraton Hotel and greeted by a stunning wide beach of gorgeous white soft sand. It reminded me of the beaches of Tunisia. On the day we were there the temperature was around 26ºc. The beach was backed by a lovely promenade and was home to many beach front bars, restaurants and shops. The town was also home to many more establishments as well as a good range of shops and fast food outlets such as McDonalds and KFC. Sopot has a pier that stretches for over 500 metres and it is actually the longest wooden pier in Europe.
Is Gdansk Worth Visiting?
In a word YES!
If you're looking for a European city break with history, beautiful architecture, excellent food and drink, friendly people and easy access to the beach, I would highly recommend Gdansk. Five days gave us plenty of time to explore both the city and nearby Sopot, but I still left wanting to return.
