Gdansk – an absolutely tiny little city in Northern Poland packed full of history, gorgeous architecture and culture. We spent a lovely 48 hours wandering these gorgeous streets, drinking litres of mulled wine and exploring its stunning sights! There wasn’t a huge amount to see and do as you could literally walk the length of the city in 20 minutes, but never-the-less we were completely charmed by this city.
The centre of the action is Dluga or ‘Long Lane’ which spans the entire old town of Gdansk. Here you’ll find Neptunes Fountain, Green Gate, Golden Gate and the Amber Museum – where I am told you can find a lovely birdseye view of the city. We were unable to sample this view for ourselves as it was closed over winter but we instead opted for the long walk up to the top of St Marys Church. This is your warning – there are ALOT of steps. It is worth it though as the view from the top is gorgeous and you can see for miles! The only downside was that we had to hoist ourselves up onto the railings to peer over the roof and catch a glimpse of the old town. If the platform were few feet higher, the view would be incredible. Even so, its still worth a visit if you ask me!
Another thing we particularly enjoyed on the main street of Dluga was sitting in the outdoor area of the restaurants, cosied up with a blanket by a heater with a litre of mulled wine watching the world go by. Our restaurant of choice was Elephant (right by Neptune) and we had a lovely evening there, I’d recommend!
Another restaurant that I would highly recommend if you’re looking to sample the local cuisine is Pierogarnia Mandu Centrum. This place is known for serving the best Pierogi in town and it was filled to the brim with locals – thats when you know! The place itself was super cool and quirky and there was plenty to choose from on the menu. We each had a soup (which was SO delicious) followed by a sampling of pierogi (of which I’m not the biggest fan but you know, when in Rome/Poland!). This place is a must!
We actually stumbled across Mandu after googling best restaurant in Gdansk and finding it was close to the European Solidarity Centre – where we’d just visited. This museum is very nicely done and guides you through the highs and lows of the solidarity movement. This is a huge part of European history and I for one was completely oblivious!! Entry comes with a free audio guide and I will hold my hands up and admit that I followed the kids option. I muddled through room 1 in adult mode and lasted half of room 2 before I made the switch to kids and I have no shame. For someone with no prior knowledge of the movement, the audio description was just too in-depth to follow. The kids description gave me the basics and I read the extras that I was interested in. Its the way forward I swear!
We stayed in a lovely little hostel right on the river called The Grand Hostel and it was perfect!! We had a twin room with very comfy beds, a stunning view and very nice shared bathrooms. The entire place was clean, quiet and friendly and the location was spot on. It’s definitely not the most social of hostels but we weren’t there for a party holiday so I have absolutely no complaints! Highly Recommend!
Other than that, we did a lot of wandering!! We stumbled across many a beautiful church to explore, tons of cosy (cheap as chips) coffee shops and it felt like there was a museum in every other building!! There is definitely enough to fill a few days at a nice leisurely pace!! There is also a small seaside town of Sopot a train ride away which I’ve heard is worth a day trip in summer for those with more time!
We loved our little trip and certainly fell in love with Gdansk!! 48 hours was the perfect length of time for us to explore this little city! Poland is just wonderful, I’ve loved all my visits to this beautiful country and I am sure there will be many more to come!
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Thanks so much for reading!!
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Much love,
Charlotte
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Pierogi! I’ll eat your share, and then some, but it’s the exception, not the rule. A restaurant with that “ethnic food” from my youth is hard to find. I know this from crossing the city of Vienna with my brother (2015) to reach such a place, only to discover it closed on the weekend. I see a semblance of my grandmother’s kitchen operation through the glass.
Your photos marvelously capture the scene, especially the red rooftops disappearing into the mist. It is likely I never visit Gdansk, so thanks for sharing!
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