7 Reasons To Visit Gdansk, Poland
It’s a city that may not come to mind when planning a trip to Europe, but there are plenty of reasons to visit Gdansk, Poland.
As I discovered on a stop during a Baltic Sea cruise with Windstar Cruises, this port city is truly one of Europe’s hidden gems. And it’s not at all what I expected.
I thought of Gdansk as a place with a tumultuous past that was nearly destroyed during the second World War. In my mind, it was also the gritty ship building town that gave rise to the Solidarity movement, bringing Communism to an end in Poland.
But today, it’s a colourful and cheerful place that’s becomingly increasingly popular among tourists.
Here are just some of the many reasons to visit Gdansk.
It will surprise you
Is this how you thought Gdansk would look? It was a surprise to me.
This is known as the Royal Way. Made up of two streets, the Long Street (Dluga) and the Long Market (Dlugi Targ), it’s the main street of the old town. Lined with colourful, narrow tenement houses, cafés and shops, it a great place to start exploring Gdansk. Yes, it’s the touristy part of town, but well worth a royal stroll of your own
As mentioned, this (photo below) is what I was expecting in Gdansk. It’s still a thriving port city, and I saw evidence of that as we sailed into the port aboard the Windstar yacht. Quite a contrast.
Elegant architecture
Parts of the city reminded me of Amsterdam and there’s a reason for that.
Although some buildings from the middle ages remain, much of the city’s centre was rebuilt after the war. The idea at the time was to get rid of the reminders of German presence, dating back to the 14th century. Today, you’ll see an interesting mix of Dutch, Italian and French influences in the architecture of Gdansk.
If you’re traveling to Gdansk on your own, you can see all the highlights on a guided small group or a private walking tour.
The Great Armoury (below), an example of Dutch Renaissance architecture, was originally built in the early 1600s. It was a working arsenal until the 1800s, an unusually beautiful building to store weapons and gunpowder. Like other buildings, it was substantially rebuilt after World War II, but only recently restored to its original glory.
You can see the inside of the building during exhibitions held by its current occupant, a local arts academy.
Charming streets
The Royal Way isn’t the only cute street in Gdansk. They’re everywhere, but this one, Mariacka Street, is considered one of the most beautiful. It’s a little lane that leads from St. Mary’s Church to the Long Embankment. It’s a wonderful example of pre-war Gdansk, lined with stone terraces of richly decorated tenement houses once belonging to wealthy merchants and artisans.
Today, you’ll find shops selling amber jewellery and art, and cafés. The street became very busy in the afternoon when I was visiting as people came out to enjoy Saint Dominic’s Fair. Once of the city’s longest traditions, the fair has been taking place every year since 1260 for a period of three weeks from the last Saturday of July. It features a huge market and a series of cultural events.
Massive churches:
Big red brick churches are common in Gdansk and the biggest of them all is St. Mary’s Basilica. In fact, at 105 metres long, it’s the largest brick church in the world. Dating as far back as 1343, you’ll see many exquisite pieces of Medieval art and an astronomical clock inside. The vaults soar 29 metres high. You can also climb the 400 steps of the main tower to enjoy a panoramic view of the city.
Quirky gargoyles & monuments
Here are another couple of things I didn’t expect to see in Gdansk: gargoyles and Greek god statues.
If you look closely, you’ll see the gargoyles on the terraces in front of the fancier houses, especially along Mariacka street. The stone figurines of lions, dragons and sea monsters were originally placed there as ornamental end gutters. They’re not really needed anymore because the city has storm drains, but remained as curious decoration.
The Neptune Fountain has stood near City Hall since the early 1600s. Legend has it that, at one time, the fountain flowed with the trademark Gdansk liqueur, Goldwasser, at least until Neptune found himself endangered by crowds of drunken locals.
Fascinating history
Gdansk has an amazing collection of museums for those that want to learn more about the fascinating history of the region.
The National Maritime Museum, comprised of several buildings along the Motlawa River, features displays about the city’s ship building history. It includes the Soldek, the first freighter built here, and the port Crane, which dates back to the middle ages (see top photo).
The European Solidarity Centre a new museum in the Gdansk shipyard, tells the story of the Solidarity movement that ultimately led to the fall of Communism. The Museum of the Second World War, gives detailed and sometimes emotional insight into the war, which began in this city (called Danzig at the time) in 1939.
Pastries!
If you follow my blog, you’ll know that I will always judge a city by its pastries and desserts. On that front, Gdansk scores highly. There’s a strong café culture here as locals enjoy lingering over a coffee and a pastry, just like I do (tea, in my case.). Classic Polish desserts include apple pie, cheesecake, poppyseed loaf and cream or fruit filled donuts called Paczki.
Of course, you’ll also see French influences at local patisseries. One of the most popular is UMAM Patisserie on Mariana Hemara Street. (Note that its web site is in Polish, but the photos alone are worth a thousand calories).
Better yet, grab some pastries and make your way down to the waterfront and watch history go by in the surprising city of Gdansk.
More Information:
Cruise Details: Windstar Cruises
Where to Stay: Check prices and availability on accommodations in Gdansk here.
Tourism Information: Visit Gdansk
Suggested Reading: Rick Steves Snapshot Kraków, Warsaw & Gdansk
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All these brilliant images DID surprise me Cindy. Definitely heading to Gdansk one day because it looks gorgeous. Excellent post.
Thank you Ryan! I’m glad it provided some inspiration.
I went to Gdansk back in 2009 and I was surprised how much stuff there was to do and I went in the middle of winter. I did like walking along the river where the crane was but for me it was the local community and eating the fine food there. Gdansk is defo worth visiting. The photos sure did bring back some great memories.
Thanks Danik! I guess I wasn’t the only one that was surprised by this amazing city.
Gdansky does remind me of Amsterdam. It’s a shame how much damage must have occured during the war. Being a port on European cruises will go a long way towards the revival of this beautiful city.
Thank you! Indeed, tourism is growing in this area.
What a beautiful trip! My mother’s family is from Poland and I want to go someday!
Thank you Julie! After seeing Gdansk, I’d like to tour around Poland also.
The architecture is so elegant! Love the pastel colours. The Great Armoury looks so pretty! The pastries are quite a surprise as well. I would have thought they would have more traditional desserts but these sure look yum!
Thanks Shruti! They do have traditional pastries as well, and lots of them.
I have been looking for tickets to Poland all the time from the UK. There are lots of cheap ones to Gdansk, but I have never managed to get the time off. I will have to do some more looking as it is so beautiful! I will need to explore Poland!
Thanks Amber! I hope you get a chance to go.
Super nice photos of Gdansk. We’ve just started exploring Poland and Gdansk is on our list. I think, like you, we will enjoy spending a bit of time watching the world drift by over a cup of coffee and a delicious pastry…or two…or three. 😉
Thanks Michael. It sounds like you have the perfect plan.
Looking at vibrant colorful pictures of Gdansk is a surprise to me too. It is so beautiful! The architecture indeed is elegant and would love to get to this gem in Poland just for that 🙂 And those pastries! Yummy. Enjoyed this virtual tour of Gdansk for all that it offers – amazing streets, statues, museums and so much more! Happy to have stumbled upon this guide.
Thanks so much Navita! I hope you get a chance to visit this surprising city.
I might visit Poland this year so this was a perfect read for me. This city looks like a really cool place to visit and I love all the colorful buildings and cafes. Those pastries look amazing!
Thanks Kenan! I hope you get a chance to visit this amazing city.
Gdansk ( is it pronounced as Dansk?) seems like a really beautiful city. I love the architecture especially those colorful buildings that reminds one of Amsterdam and The Great Armoury. Also, those gargoyles look interesting. I would love to gorge on delicious pastries and other desserts. Hope to visit someday!
Thanks Karie. It’s pronounced, Guh-dansk (at least in English anyway). It was a fascinating and tasty city to visit!
Gdansk is now on my list! You’ve painted a beautiful picture of this city and I love what you wrote about always judging a city by its pastries 🙂 sounds like my husband and me. The town is gorgeous. I would love to walk down those streets and see the painted buildings. Thanks for introducing me to Gdansk.
Thanks so much Amanda! It sounds like pastries are a priority for both of us. 🙂
I will be traveling to Poland this next year, so I’m definitely going to save this article. The architecture, art, and especially those mouthwatering pastries look AMAZING.
Thanks Janiel! You’re going to love it.
A close friend of mine is from Poland, and I’ve always wanted to visit there. Gdansk seems like such a cute city to visit. I would love to see all that colorful architecture in person.
Thanks Astrid! It’s a really cute city. I hope you get a chance to visit your friend.
Great post! I love Gdansk. It is one of my favourite cities in Poland. I love the history of the city and the beautiful architecture. It is truly a special place that everybody should consider visiting!
Thanks Erica! I agree. I wish I could have stayed longer!