Somewhere halfway through university, a friend and I developed a fascination for Germany. On we went on a summer course to learn German and stay with host families. Our interest expanded further east and a third friend joined us. So we started exploring Poland. This took us to the Baltic coast and we spent 48 hrs in Gdansk.
We weren’t quite sure what to expect of this old trading town. It has been up and coming as a tourist destination for a few years, sparking our interest. Allegedly, 80% of the city was founded by the descendant of a Flemish family, one Abraham Van Den Block. The thought of the legacy of one of our compatriots generated even more excitement.
This timing was a conscious choice: the summer holidays were over, days were getting shorter and we all felt we needed to build a short break into the final stretch to Christmas. The fact that the tourist season in Poland ends roughly at the end of September was a bonus. Quieter (but still busy) streets, attractive prices and a choice of accommodation. We knew from experience temperatures drop quickly in Eastern Europe and as such our suitcase was filled with thick clothes and gloves.
DAY 1: A FIRST GLIMPSE OF THE CITY
Upon arrival at Gdansk Airport, it seemed that this had been the right thing to do. If we left Brussels in our t-shirts and 25 degrees, two hours later we set foot on wet Polish soil, welcomed by wind and rain. The train to the city centre was absolutely packed and we got separated quickly. Somehow, in Gdansk Glowny all three of us jumped off the train at the right time. The rain had stopped and we were ready to start appreciating the beauty and history of this new city. My friend had found us the lovely Celestin Residence in the city centre. It was around 20 minutes walking from the station and a great base for discovering the city. We got the attic room, which was perfect for the three of us.
By the time we were all settled, it was getting late in the afternoon and daylight was fading. We decided to go out for a stroll before dinner. First impressions of the city were good. Lively, but not overcrowded streets, a pleasant boulevard along the Motlawa river and the fading daylight made for excellent photos. Two hours later we settled down in Long Street 52. Despite this being the main street of the centre, the bar / restaurant we picked was quiet, not particularly touristy and the glasses of Prosecco were well filled. The menu included a mixture of foods and on the basis that opportunities for Polish pierogi would be ample, we ordered pizza.
DAY 2 MORNING: GDANSK HISTORY
When we travel, we have the habit of never booking breakfast in the hotel. We like a leisurely breakfast and it’s the perfect occasion to explore nice eateries. So the next morning started with leisurely breakfast at Pellowski Café on the Dlugi Targ (Long Market). This is the main tourist street, but around 0900 it was still fairly quiet. The breakfast was excellent. I had a bowl of yoghurt with muesli and fruits, followed by some of the lovely pastries from the house. The Poles like their sugar, and indeed, this would turn out to be a dangerous holiday for the extra kilos.
City walking tour
We finished breakfast just in time to join the free walking tour around the main town. The “Walkative” tours organised in many Polish cities are excellent. On a previous trip we did one in Krakow. The idea is that you can just show up and join the tour – no booking needed, no joining fee. A tip is expected at the end of the tour and our guide was definitely worth that. It is a great way to find your bearings when arriving in a new city and to identify sights to return to and explore in more detail.
After World War II, most of the buildings in the main town have been restored to their original state. I didn’t appreciate prior to the tour how violently Gdansk has been hit by the war. The “before” and “after” photos I saw were shocking. The tour lasted 2.5 hours with a small break in the middle. The weather had completely changed compared to the day before and the three of us sat down on a sunny terrace along the river to enjoy a late morning coffee. The tour resumed and we made our way to the old town. Despite the name, this part of Gdansk is mostly filled with more modern buildings. It is the part that has not been restored after the war.
Post Office Museum
The tour ended at the Post Office Museum and the guide told us the story of how the post office was attacked by the Nazi’s at the very beginning of World War II. Post office staff fiercely defended themselves and held strong for 15 hours before finally surrendering and being executed in the courtyard. The building itself is rebuilt since the original was damages by flame throwers and then blown up.
Inside the new building is a small museum that tells the story of the post office workers, based on testimonials of the few staff that managed to escape. The museum houses some good artefacts and is well worth a stroll. Don’t bother about the audio-guide. It lasts for about two hours and tells the history of each and every object in the museum at length. I gave up after about 30 minutes, walked along the displays myself and then headed for the sunny courtyard. There was a dark side to this too: in plaster, the hand prints of the executed Post Office staff had been recreated along the courtyard well in remembrance of that atrocious September day in 1939.
DAY 2 AFTERNOON: CITY VIEW POINTS
It was close to 1500 by the time all three of us had finished going around the museum and we were hungry. We decided to try out one of the famous Polish “bar mleczny” or milk bars. These outlets are comparable to small-scale university canteens and offer cheap, but good quality food and are a relic from the 19th century. We opted for Milk Bar Neptun on the Long Market and were not disappointed. I opted for a plate of vegetarian pierogi (dumplings) followed by a plate of nalesniki (pancakes) with mus (apple compote). Altogether, this cost me no more than 10 pounds.
Gradowa Hill
After satisfying our stomachs, we set off for a walk to Gradowa hill. It was a pleasant surprise. We walked about 30 minutes from the old town, past the main railway station, and up a short but surprisingly steep hill (we took a shortcut, there is a much gentler path as well). Quite a few people were hanging out on the benches facing the city centre, but we seemed to be the only foreigners. The views of the old town on the right and the shipyard on the left were very good and lend themselves to lots of photos.
Gdansk Old Town by night
We walked back to the city centre and explored the streets of the main town in more detail. It was also time to start looking out for a place for dinner. We decided to avoid the crowds of Long Market and headed for Swafarnia, a quiet street alongside the marina that we had spotted the night before. There are several restaurants that all looked appealing, but we landed on Delmonico Cut Steakhouse. I love a good steak and this one was excellent, served in an individual little pan, a perfect crust and deliciously soft on the inside. Prices, however, were a little steep for a backstreet in a Polish town.
DAY 3: ONWARD FROM GDANSK
Our last day started with another breakfast at Pellowski. We squeezed in a visit to St Mary’s Basilica, where we stopped only briefly during the walking tour, and then headed to the station. For us, the visit to Gdansk was part of a larger tour of Poland and we were travelling onward to Malbork, but I would also recommend it as a standalone city break. I could easily have spent another day going around the museums or making a day trip to the Baltic coast. As part of our trip, we also visited Warsaw.
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