![\"An](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/GettyImages-1146858485.jpg\")
\n\t\tGda\u0144sk is packed with things to do (Picture: Getty Images)<\/p>\n
\t\t
\n\t\tGda\u0144sk is packed with things to do (Picture: Getty Images)<\/p>\n
A warm orange sun cushioned by clouds fizzles down before me. As it vanishes, it leaves behind a smudge of hot pink, illuminating the sky.<\/p>\n
Everything feels calm. Peaceful. The sea gently rocks beneath our yacht. Of course, the pictures I take don\u2019t do it one bit of justice.<\/p>\n
I\u2019m on a mini-cruise, gliding through the Port of Gdansk, that\u2019s been timed to catch the sun going down.<\/p>\n
Sailing down the still waters of the River Mot\u0142awa and Martwa Wis\u0142a, we pass hulking cranes and stationary ships. Our guide, Mike, points out historic sites \u2013 the 700-year-old Wis\u0142ouj\u015bcie Fortress, and the Westerplatte Monument, marking where the first battle of the Second World War<\/a> took place in 1939. Eventually, we reach the bay, for that uncapturable view.<\/p>\n It\u2019s a relaxed introduction to Gda\u0144sk<\/strong>, a European<\/a> port city that sits pretty on Poland<\/a>\u2019s Baltic coast. Over a long weekend in late June, the city reveals itself as the ideal spot for a break \u2013 one that, for me at least, gets the balance of everything just right.<\/p>\n \t\t \t\t\t\tSign up to The Getaway newsletter\t\t\t<\/p>\n Fuel your wanderlust with our curated newsletter of travel deals, guides and inspiration.\u00a0Sign up here<\/a>.<\/p>\n There\u2019s a lot going for it: an easily-walkable city centre, ample amenities (it\u2019s a struggle to pack in everything I want to do), and lively energy thanks to a smorgasbord of al fresco dining options. There\u2019s also a rich tapestry of history to unweave, dating back to the 10th century.\u00a0<\/p>\n So it\u2019s surprising, then, that Gda\u0144sk doesn\u2019t crack Poland\u2019s top-five most-visited cities \u2013 the 2023 list<\/a> was topped by Krakow<\/a>, and featured the capital Warsaw<\/a>, plus Wroclaw, dubbed the \u2018Venice of Eastern Europe\u2019<\/a>.<\/p>\n Still, it\u2019s hardly empty, not quite an elusive \u2018hidden gem\u2019<\/a> \u2013 plenty of tourists join me in combing the D\u0142ugi Targ (Long Market), and I spy many souvenir shops. <\/p>\n But as I explore, even during peak summer season, I don\u2019t feel overwhelmed. I\u2019m not a dot lost in a crowd.<\/p>\n Getting to grips with Gda\u0144sk\u2019s \u2018Main City\u2019<\/p>\n A lot of the action takes place in the city centre: Main City \u2013 where you\u2019ll find D\u0142ugi Targ and connecting D\u0142uga Street \u2013 and the Old Town, a short walk north.<\/p>\n \t\t In the former, the crown jewels are Neptune\u2019s Fountain, the grand Main Town Hall building (home to the excellent Museum of Gda\u0144sk<\/a>), and the Renaissance gate Brama Z\u0142ota, which attracts the lens of every camera in the vicinity.\u00a0<\/p>\n At the end of Mariacka Street, you can\u2019t miss St Mary\u2019s \u2013\u00a0a striking Gothic church completed in 1502, said to be the largest brick church in the world. Stepping inside, I arch my neck to view its intriguing Astronomical Clock, a 15th century showstopper made by Hans D\u00fcringer that tracks not only the time but dates, solar and lunar positions.<\/p>\n The 78 metre-tall tower offers one of Gda\u0144sk\u2019s best views \u2013 if you can tackle its leg-buckling 409 stairs, 150 of which, to my dismay, are a claustrophobic spiral. Slightly out of breath, and jealous of a pigeon that simply flies to the top just as I complete the climb, my reward is spectacular \u2013 a sweeping panorama of pastel facades and orange rooftops.<\/p>\n \t\t Tucked away near the imposing Green Gate is the Historic Free Zone Museum: a compact but fascinating venue that tells the story of life in the Free City of Danzig \u2013 what Gda\u0144sk was called during its spell as a city-state under the League of Nations, from 1920 to 1939. I spend 45 minutes here, peering at old newspapers and relics in glass cases. From here, a 10-minute walk along the Motlawa takes you to the National Maritime Museum<\/a>.<\/p>\n In the Old Town, Radunia Canal flows past many of the area\u2019s musts, such as the oldest church in Gdansk, St Catherine\u2019s, which dates back to 1227 and houses many early timepieces, as well as the world\u2019s first pulsar clock.<\/p>\n The Museum of the Second World War<\/a> might be about a major part of history, but it lives in a strikingly contemporary building. It opened in 2017, with a permanent exhibition spanning 5,000 square metres and detailing the scale and impact of the war. As you might expect, it\u2019s really not a \u2018pop your head in for five minutes\u2019 type of place. Save three hours for it, at least.<\/p>\n \t\t Nearby, I\u2019m keen to see the Polish Post Office Museum<\/a>, to learn more about one of the first acts of the war. On September 1st, 1939, Germany began its invasion of Poland, and along with the attack on Westerplatte, conducted a siege against the then-Free City of Danzig\u2019s post office. 58 people \u2013 many postal workers \u2013 managed to hold off the Nazis for 15 hours.\u00a0<\/p>\n Alas, it isn\u2019t open during my trip; closed for renovation until late 2026. Instead, I admire the silver Monument to the Defenders of the Polish Post Office outside the entrance. Nike, the Greek goddess of victory, soars above a defender laying on the ground \u2013 mail strewn around \u2013 as he hands her a rifle.<\/p>\n A fitting tribute to determination, and worth visiting for alone.<\/p>\n A modern museum about the recent past<\/p>\n A yellow crane looms large inside the European Solidarity Centre<\/a>\u2019s main exhibition.<\/p>\n It was once used by Anna Walentynowicz, an activist fired from Gda\u0144sk\u2019s former Lenin Shipyard for being part of an illegal trade union in August 1980 \u2013 which sparked a wave of strikes and the creation of Solidarno\u015bc, an independently-run trade union, the first of its kind in the Eastern Bloc.<\/p>\n Electrician (and future Polish president) Lech Wa\u0142\u0119sa was at the helm, and soon it evolved into a social movement leading to the 1989 Round Table Talks, and ultimately the fall of communism in Poland.\u00a0<\/p>\n \t\t \t\t\t\tMetro’s favourite alternative city breaks\t\t\t<\/p>\n You can even sit inside its cabin. This is one of many immersive elements of the museum, which journeys through the transformative decade, from Halls A to G. As displays detail the timeline of events, interactive screens add extra context via photos, short films, front pages and satire cartoons, even recordings of songs that were banned at the time, listenable through a handheld speaker.\u00a0<\/p>\n Each hall is engagingly designed; one room captures the essence of where the Round Table Talks were held, down to the huge 1980s TV cameras in the corners. Another, a giant wall of white and red cards with notes from past visitors, poignantly spells out \u2018Solidarno\u015bc\u2019.<\/p>\n Two to three hours could easily be spent here \u2013 there are also some temporary exhibitions, a library, coffee shop, and an oasis-like entrance floor, a tranquil space filled with greenery, to consider.<\/p>\n A trip to Malbork Castle, the world\u2019s largest made of bricks<\/p>\n In a nook on the side of Malbork Castle<\/a> is a towering statue of the Madonna, holding baby Jesus. A holy figure, she shimmers in the distance, adorned in gold and red mosaic tiles.\u00a0<\/p>\n She is also, our guide Alicia explains, a reconstruction. Crafted in 1340, she was destroyed in an air raid in 1945, and restored in recent years.\u00a0<\/p>\n \t\t A lone severed hand from the original is on display alongside the castle\u2019s many exhibits, which include everything from religious statues and amber artefacts to medieval armour and weaponry. As we\u2019re shown around Malbork\u2019s 52-acre complex \u2013 it\u2019s the world\u2019s largest brick castle<\/a> \u2013 and explore its many rooms (chapels, a dining hall, prison cells) over three levels, I note many other handless, and headless, statues along the way.<\/p>\n It wasn\u2019t just the Madonna that needed restoring, but much of the castle. Dating back to 1280, it was built by the Teutonic Order, but in the 19th century underwent significant restoration \u2013 the extent of the conservation work is part of the reason it\u2019s inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site<\/a>. The castle is beautiful, and Alicia points out where lighter, newer bricks contrast with older ones.<\/p>\n As the tour draws to a close, we walk past a black and white photograph of the crumbled castle from 1945, and a man from Warsaw remarks to me that he recalls seeing the castle in that state as a child in the 1950s.<\/p>\n \t\t \t\t Malbork is just 50-minutes from Gda\u0144sk by car, so it makes for a good day trip. And it isn\u2019t the only one you can do. Gda\u0144sk forms a Tri-City with neighbouring port Gdynia and seaside hotspot Sopot, which, everywhere I go, people keep telling me is a must-visit. If only I had more time\u2026<\/p>\n Pierogies, pastries, and quite a lot of vodka<\/p>\n Heading down into the low-lit bar Piwnica Rajc\u00f3w<\/a>, I know I\u2019m about to get tipsy. I\u2019m a well-established lightweight on a vodka-tasting experience, where I\u2019ll need to down six strong shots.<\/p>\n Mariana, our host for the evening, asks us to reveal our favourite alcoholic drinks. Ironically, I answer \u201cvodka\u201d \u2013 which is true, but typically with a mixer. That also suggests I know something about it, which isn\u2019t the case. Thankfully, she does, and we whir through Poland\u2019s proud history of producing the spirit, dating back to the 15th century.<\/p>\n We clink and cheers na zdrowie! and work through the brands, among them: \u017bubr\u00f3wka Bison Grass, which has a blade of the grass in every bottle; Soplica, a sickly sweet vodka I actually love;\u00a0J. A. Baczewski, a classic potato-based spirit; and Goldwasser, a herbal liqueur with tiny gold flakes, famously produced in Gda\u0144sk from 1598 until 2009, that goes down smoothly.<\/p>\n \t\t To continue our education, Mariana recommends trying Machandel, a juniper-based vodka with roots in the city, at nearby Gda\u0144ski Bowke<\/a>. Embarrassingly, though, I\u2019m done \u2013 and need to eat.<\/p>\n At Pierogarnia Mandu<\/a>, a window allows you to see the traditional Polish dish pierogi \u2013 a giant filled dumpling \u2013 being made inside the restaurant. A 20-minute queue stretches from the door to get in, but it\u2019s worth the wait for the generous choice of types (from boiled to deep fried) and fillings (both savoury and sweet). The zurek (sour rye soup, with Polish sausage, bacon and potatoes) is delicious, too.<\/p>\n Elsewhere, vegan spot Manna 68<\/a> becomes a highlight of my trip thanks to its welcoming vibe, creative menu, and Silesian dumpling starter. Montownia<\/a>, a thriving indoor food hall, overflows with options \u2013 Greek, Vietnamese, Georgian and Ukrainian eats are on offer, as are street food-style loaded fries, and smash burgers.<\/p>\n Last but not least: sweets. The guided tours and museum-hopping are great, and have given me a whirlwind impression of the city. But a chilled interlude sitting in one of its many bakeries, watching the world go by with a jam-filled p\u0105czki (doughnut) in hand?<\/p>\n That really makes everything just right.\u00a0<\/p>\n Arrow Arrow![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/SEI_257711510-d82e.jpg\")
\n\t\tGda\u0144sk is on Poland\u2019s Baltic coast, and forms a Tri-City with neighbouring Gdynia and Sopot (Picture: Metro)<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/gdansk01-31a5.jpg\")
\n\t\tThe Main Town Hall (Picture: Elizabeth Atkin)<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/gdanks02-9547.jpg\")
\n\t\tThe Museum of the Second World War\u2019s building, and inside the Historic Free Zone Museum (Picture: Elizabeth Atkin)<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/polish-post-office-defenders-monument-e99a-rotated.jpg\")
\n\t\tA monument sits outside the Polish Post Office Museum (Picture: Elizabeth Atkin)<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Crane-inside-European-Solidarity-Centre-\u2013-OK-to-use-741d.jpg\")
\n\t\tInside the European Solidarity Centre (Picture: Elizabeth Atkin)<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Malbork-castle-Madonna-statue-0a60-rotated.jpg\")
\n\t\tThe reconstructed Madonna statue at Malbork Castle (Picture: Elizabeth Atkin)<\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/GettyImages-1357856631.jpg\")
\n\t\tMalbork Castle is the world\u2019s largest made of bricks (Picture: Getty Images)<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Malbork-Castle-courtyard-2-d1ef-rotated.jpg\")
\n\t\tIt\u2019s an ideal half-day trip from Gda\u0144sk (Picture: Elizabeth Atkin)<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/gdanks03-27c0.jpg\")
\n\t\tPierogies at Pierogarnia Mandu, and a bottle of \u017bubr\u00f3wka Bison Grass (Picture: Elizabeth Atkin)<\/p>\n
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