Gdansk was once a bustling Baltic port filled with merchants and fueled by trade. Because of its wealth, Gdansk historically often had more autonomy than most cities in Poland. It was also once known as the Free City of Danzig between the two world wars (Danzig being the German name). Even today, the people of Gdansk share a special kinship that is unique to this area.
Gdansk is part of an area called the Tri-City, which includes the three cities of Gdansk, Sopot, and Gdynia. Sopot is a spa-town on the beach with an air of high class. Gdynia is an industrial nitty-gritty city with only one major site: the Emigration Museum. This itinerary does not visit Gdynia.
This 2-day itinerary in Gdansk is perfect for first-time visitors. Download a list format of this itinerary below.
We visited Gdansk in late April 2023 as part of a 13 day visit to Poland. Like many of our itineraries, this trip relied on full days with early mornings and late nights, however, we encourage travellers to go at their own pace, trying to maximize the sights without sensory overload. Two days in Gdansk is enough to see the major sights but at a quick and structured pace. We have included estimated timings in this itinerary to help you plan.
DAY 1: OLD TOWN, WESTERPLATTE, AND MUSEUM OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR
We spent our morning with a 4 hour private guided tour of Gdansk’s old town and Westerplatte with Gdansk Easy Tours. It was well worth our time and we learned so much about the history of this beautiful city.
9am: Gdansk Old town
Gdansk’s old town was rebuilt after being destroyed in WWII. The restorations preserve Gdansk’s unique charm. As an important commercial port, Gdansk attracted many Dutch, Scottish, German, and Scandinavian merchants. The old town’s architecture is eerily similar to cities in the Netherlands as merchants typically preferred to hire architects from their home countries. Needless to say, the Dutch architects were very popular in Gdansk.
Take a walk to visit the Upland Gate, Golden Gate, and Royal Route. The Long Street and Long Market make up the main drag of Gdansk.
St. Mary’s Street
St. Mary’s Street is possibly Gdansk’s most picturesque street. Visiting early in the morning increases your chances of having the street to yourself. Nearby is the St. Mary’s Basilica, made famous for its interior clock. As you wander the old town, note the differences in the brick colour. After the destruction of World War II (WWII), the government reused any surviving building materials in the reconstruction. You can still see the older charred bricks in contrast to the newer lighter coloured ones. In Gdansk, unfortunately, much of the building materials were exported to rebuild Warsaw which was completely destroyed. The Polish communist government sought to rebuild the nation’s capital above everything else.
Take a stroll along the picturesque Motlava riverbank. Plan to spend about 2.5-3 hours touring the old town.
12pm: Westerplatte
Next, visit Westerplatte where WWII began. On September 1, 1939, Nazi Germany invaded Poland by dropping bombs on the major cities and attacking Westerplatte. The Polish Army at Westerplatte fought for 7 days before it was conquered by the Nazis – a remarkable feat of bravery and patriotism. Today, Westerplatte is a park with a monument and soon-to-be museum.
Westerplatte is located outside of the city off the tourists’ route and is only worth a visit to those with an interest in WWII. It is possible to get there by transit, although driving is a much better option. For a self-guided visit, call an affordable Uber and follow the path with the information boards but as it is not a very well-known tourist site, we felt that without a guide, we would not have fully understood the significance of this place to Poland. There are many options for guided tours that depart from Gdansk, including both private and group.
1pm: Lunch at a milk bar
There are many options around town. We ate at Bar Turystyczny. See Eating in Gdansk below for a description of a Polish milk bar.
1:30pm: Gdansk’s Amber Museum
Pop into the Amber Museum by the old mill. Learn how amber is formed and why the Baltic coast is so rich with it. See examples of how amber made art, jewelry, and furniture in wealthy households. Plan to spend approximately 30 minutes touring this museum. The old mill outside of the museum and the flowing river is a beautiful spot for pictures.
3pm: Museum of the Second World War
This museum chronicles the events leading up to, during, and after WWII from all perspectives with great detail.
The museum is massive. Museum lovers and history buffs could easily spend over 4 hours here. We took 3 hours and left wanting more.
We were greatly impressed by how varied the information was. Having been to many WWII museums across Europe, this one ranks the highest on our list thus far as being one that provides information not only on the Polish perspective but also on other countries seldom mentioned such as Greece and the Philippines. This museum really had it all. This museum is possibly one of Gdansk’s greatest sights and is not to be missed.
6-10pm: Evening entertainment in Gdansk
Choose a restaurant (or convenience store for a quick bite to eat) and get back out there! Gdansk is beautiful at night. Take the opportunity to stroll in the old town or along the river promenade. There are bars and cafes everywhere in sight.
Gdansk has a good theatre scene and even has its own Shakespeare Theater, built in the style of Shakespeare’s Globe in London. During the summer, performances are often in English. Gdansk also has a very good philharmonic orchestra. Check out what’s playing during your visit and you can be sure to experience a wonderful evening.
We went to see “1989”, a Hamilton-style rap musical about Poland’s fight for independence from the Soviet Union. Yes, it was in Polish, and we had a hard time understanding certain parts, but we understood the general idea and loved watching the energy of the crowd. Having done our own research on Poland’s Solidarity movement, the show set us up well for our next day of touring. If it returns to any city you are visiting in Poland during your visit, it is a must see!
DAY 2: SOPOT, OLIWA, SHIPYARD AND SOLIDARITY CENTRE
7am: depart for Sopot
Sopot is about a 30-min train ride outside of Gdansk. From one of the stations serving the S1 train like Gdansk Glowny (main station), it’s direct and there are many connections. Aim to arrive by 8am to allow enough time to see Sopot before heading to Oliwa.
Sopot is a beach resort town. The Sopot pier is the longest wooden pier in Europe. Take a stroll, pop into some churches, walk along the pier, and if it’s nice, you might want to relax on the beach. In Your Pocket provides a nice free walking tour of Sopot that was easy to follow. Find it here.
Sopot is also home to many high-end art galleries and boutiques if you’re in the shopping mood. Unless you want to spend a day at the beach, a couple of hours in Sopot is enough time to get a sense of this lovely town.
10am: depart for Oliwa
Oliwa is a very small town between Gdansk and Sopot. Arrive by train, heading the opposite way you took to Sopot, and get off at the Oliwa stop.
Oliwa is home to a Cistercian Abbey, the large and picturesque Park Oliwski, a few palaces and museums. We did not visit any of these sites with the exception of the park, as our main reason to visit was the cathedral. We did however follow the short free walking tour from In Your Pocket. Find it here.
Oliwa is home to the archdiocese of the Tri-City. The cathedral’s 3 organs are some of the most impressive you’ll ever see, comprising of 7876 pipes in total! They can even simulate unique sounds like running water or wind.
Organ concert
Our sole purpose in Oliwa was to attend the 30 minute organ concert. These concerts, which are held daily, are not to be missed. The organist plays a collection of recognizable classical tunes and also some traditional hymns from the balcony at the rear of the church. Sitting in the cathedral facing the altar, the sounds of the organ are all around you, like a medieval version of surround sound. For 30 minutes, you can just block out the world and listen in peace.
They are normally at 11am, so wander the town and park (consider the free In Your Pocket walking tour) before entering the cathedral in time for the concert. The concerts are free but donations are recommended.
12pm: Lunch in Oliwa
Consider eating lunch in Oliwa. There are a few charming bakeries and restaurants around the cathedral. We opted for a picnic lunch from a supermarket before making our way to the Solidarity Centre.
1pm: European Solidarity Centre and Shipyard
Hop back on the train and head to the Solidarity Shipyard. Exit the S1 line at Gdansk Stocznia, only a 15 min walk from the museum.
In 1980, an employee’s unjustified layoff at the Gdansk shipyard sparked a labour strike called Solidarity where the workers barricaded themselves behind the locked gates of the shipyard. This movement, led by Lech Walesa, spread quickly across the country. After facing many struggles, including the implementation of martial law by the Polish communist government, the movement eventually led to the freedom of Poland in 1989, followed very quickly by the collapse of the Iron Curtain across Europe and the Soviet Union.
At the museum, learn about the history of the movement, world reactions, and the aftermath. The museum is world-class and is a must-see. We spent around 2.5 hours here. The main exhibit with the audio guide is where you’ll want to spend most of your time and make sure to go up to the rooftop garden. If there is a temporary exhibit, save it for last to ensure you have time to visit the main one.
The museum is located right next to the shipyard where the strikes began. Outside of the museum, there are memorials to earlier attempts by shipyard workers to fight the communist regime as well as a massive obelisk type monument for all the workers who were part of the fight against communism. To enter the museum, you walk through the same gates the workers used to lock themselves in. This chapter in history is just one example of the bravery and patriotism of the Poles. Take some time to ponder the struggles of the people who lived during the height of communism.
4pm: Tour your way back to Gdansk
Leaving the Solidarity Centre, you can either walk or take transit back to the old town.
Library Biblioteka Gdańsk Polskiej Akademii Nauk
We walked back and it was a great decision to get in more sightseeing on our last day. We passed a building called ‘Biblioteka Gdanska Polskiej Akademii Nauk’, recognized it was a library, and went inside. Turns out they had a free exhibition of their oldest books, including works by Copernicus and bibles handwritten by monks. The librarian also invited us into one their reading rooms. It is beautifully decorated in oak woodwork and housed a 2 storey bookcase with volumes of old books. We felt like we found a hidden gem and would visit again.
Churches in Gdańsk
We then entered every church we passed, because in Catholic Poland, churches are always open! Church of St. James, the Greek church (this one is stunning), St. Catherine’s Church, St. Nicholas Church, and St. Bridget’s Church, known as the Solidarity Church (this church used to hold services for members of Solidarity). Don’t miss the baroque St. Barbara Church, a bit further away from the old town but worth a stop.
Market Hall
The Market Hall is a great place, albeit touristy, to experience the market scene in Gdansk. It’s a beautiful building in which to shop. Don’t miss the old ruins in the basement!
6pm-10pm: Evening in Gdansk
Spend your last evening as you wish – find a good restaurant, seek out entertainment, or just stroll and grab an ice cream.
Day trip from Gdansk: Malbork Castle
An easy 60 minute train ride from Gdansk is Malbork Castle – the largest red brick castle in Europe. This former fortress of the Teutonic Knights is well worth a visit. They provide an excellent audio guide but be warned – a visit to this castle will last at least 3 hours. We opted to visit this castle on the day we left Gdansk on our way to Toruń.
Eating in Gdansk
We took the opportunity in Gdansk to sample a Polish classic from the communist days: milk bars. Bar Turystyczny is a handy option in the old town.
These cafeterias work simply: grab a tray, head to the counter, and order your meal. Staff of milk bars have a reputation for being infamously gruff and might not speak English, so you can simply point to what you want. These milk bars are still subsidized today so it’s a very cheap option to sample Polish comfort food.
We ate pierogi, a schabowy (schnitzel), and Grace even tried a soup that we were told was “beef” (turns out it was tripe – cow intestine! But it was quite good after all).
Go for dinner along the river where you can find many picturesque restaurants serving Polish or international fare.
We ate at Motlava Restauracja and had a wonderful Polish/Baltic meal that we would absolutely recommend.
Transportation in Gdansk
Gdansk Old Town is very walkable. Oliwa and the rest of the Tri-City (Sopot and Gdynia) are well connected by regional trains. Within Gdansk, there are trams that run regularly, although we did not use them.
THE BIG PICTURE
Gdansk is a joy to visit. Immerse yourself in its unique spirit and cultural crossroad. A visit to the Tri-City could easily fill three days. Malbork Castle also makes a worthwhile half-day trip, unless you are seeing it on the way to Toruń (which is what we did). We hope this itinerary allows you to plan your own diverse trip to Gdansk.
