Introduction
Located on Poland’s Baltic Sea Coast, Gdansk is one of the most visited cities in this large European country, after the capital Warsaw and Krakow, one of the country’s oldest destinations and a wonderful Christmas market city.
What draws travellers to Gdansk is the city’s incredibly well-preserved Old Town, home to some of the finest architecture in Europe. One such example is the historic St. Mary’s Church, whilst the waterfront is like stepping into a fairytale, with grand towers and even historic galleons. More modern attractions include the state of the art Museum of the Second World War.
I recently spent a long weekend in Gdansk, a total of three nights. This is plenty of time to take in the main attractions of this compact city – I even had time to attend a wedding in nearby Elblag! In this article, I’ll show you the best places to visit in this coastal city, alongside some of the best free things to do in Gdansk for those not wanting to spend a fortune on their trip.
#1 Explore the Old Town
The best free thing to do in Gdansk is to dive head first into the Old Town. It’s quite compact, so you can walk around the whole thing in an hour or two.
You want to start at Dlugi Targ, also known as the Royal Way. This is the main street in Gdansk Old Town, stretching from the Green Gate to the end of the Long Lane. Dlugi Targ is entirely pedestrianized and the entire street is only around 500 metres long, so you can walk it quite easily in one go.
What I did, which I highly recommend, is to arrive early in the morning, before the crowds. You can grab a coffee from one of the cafes along the street for a couple of dollars and enjoy it in the early morning glow. I got to Dlugi Targ for around 7:30 on a September morning and it was beautiful and quiet – just a few hours later the crowds were really busy, so I’m so glad I made the effort to visit early. Highlights of Dlugi Targ include the Green Gate, which was once the formal residence of Polish monarchs. There’s also Neptune’s Fountain and Gdansk Town Hall, which had to be rebuilt after a 16th century fire gutted the original.
The other highlight of the Old Town is the waterfront. Starting from the Green Gate, instead of walking straight down Dlugi Targ, take a right and head north along the river. You can walk all the way to the Museum of the Second World War along the waterfront, a distance of just over a kilometre. Along the way, you’ll pass modern touches like the Gdansk sign and incredible architecture including Zuraw, or “The Crane”. This medieval building was once used to load cargo onto ships hundreds of years ago, and is also the only surviving twin-tower gate in all of Gdansk.
#2 Visit the Museum of the Second World War
If you know your history, then you’ll know that Poland was absolutely devastated by the Second World War. Hitler invaded the country from the west in 1939, followed by a Soviet invasion from the east just 16 days later. Around 6 million Polish citizens died during the war, and it was a major focal point of the Holocaust.
The Museum of the Second World War only opened in 2017 in a state of the art complex along the Gdansk waterfront. It is one of the best museums in Poland to visit and permanent exhibitions are broken down into “The Road to War”, “The Terror of War” and “The Long Shadow of War”, covering events before, during, and after the conflict. Tickets cost 29 Polish Zloty (approximately USD $7) for adults.
#3 Climb the Tower of St Mary’s Church
St Mary’s Church is the dominant landmark in Gdansk, rising high above the city. It’s not the most beautiful, made from bricks rather than some of the famous Gothic masterpieces of southern Europe. But for the best views over the city, you can climb the tower of the church for just a few zloty. There are a total of 408 steps to climb and it can get a bit dizzying at times – but if I managed it, so can you! Honestly, the view from the top is incredible on a clear day and more than worth the effort.
#4 Cruise the Motlawa River aboard a galleon
If you wander along the waterfront, you’re likely to stumble across a ship that looks like it came straight out of Pirates of the Caribbean. This is either the Czarna Perla (The Black Pearl) or Galeon Lew (Lion Galleon), two sister ships that sail several times daily between the waterfront and Westerplatte. It’s a 50-minute return trip and comes with commentary in languages including English, sharing detailed history about Gdansk and its landmarks. There’s a bar onboard and often live music, making a trip aboard a galleon one of the best things to do in Gdansk.
#5 Tuck into the best Pierogi
Pierogi are traditional Polish dumplings and an absolute must during your time in Gdansk. They come in all sorts of flavours, from goose with cranberry sauce to cheese, or pork. Washed down with a Polish beer, a pierogi dinner makes for the perfect evening out in Gdansk. Pierogarnia Mandu is one of the best places to try them in the city, but you won’t be far from a pierogi pit stop anywhere in Gdansk!
Conclusion
The Old Town should be the focus of any trip to Gdansk, as it’s by far the main highlight and free to explore. For those with an interest in history, the Museum of the Second World War is well worth a visit, whilst for families with children, there’s nothing quite like sailing aboard a real pirate ship! Rounded off with some delicious Polish dumplings, a long weekend in Gdansk is sure to be a memorable trip for all!
Ben Bromley works full time in the travel tour industry and is also a freelance travel writer. His favourite destinations so far are Vietnam, Italy and Jordan, with Sri Lanka coming up next!