20 Unforgettable Tourist Places to Visit and Things to Do in Gdańsk, Poland

May 29, 2022 Mustafa Natalwala 4711 Views

Gdansk is a city in Poland situated on the Baltic coast in the northern part of the country. It is the capital of the Pomeranian Voivodeship. Some of the best things to do in Gdansk, Poland include exploring coastline, beaches, war museum, war sites, river promenade, historical buildings, fine architecture, boat cruises, amber shopping and beaches.

The city has had a very complex history of several rulers from native Polish, German, Prussian have ruled the city in ancient times. You will see influences of various rules in the architecture of the best places to visit in Gdansk. The city is dominated by mannerist, baroque, Gothic and rococo styles of architecture. Some of the most architecturally fascinating Gdansk attractions include Church of St. Mary, Golden Gate, Green Gate, Golden House, Old Mill, Oliwa Cathedral, Main Town Hall and Neptune Fountain.

Even the houses, shops and streets in older parts of the city are quite picturesque. You can enjoy strolling the old city streets for Gdansk sightseeing and also enjoy local street food, dining and shopping. You should definitely try out some local dishes like Pierogi, Rosol, Placki Ziemniaczane, Mizeria, and Golabki.

One of the most popular souvenir people take home from Gdansk travel is Amber gemstone. You can get it in raw gemstone, cut gemstone, Amber jewellery, items made of Amber and items studded with Amber. The city history of Gdansk is intertwined with Amber mining, trade and crafting. The Amber museum is one of the most popular Gdansk tourist attractions in the city with a fascinating variety of all things Amber.

The city’s history is also deeply intertwined with coast and port. There are numerous things to see in Gdansk along the coastline of the sea and the river. You can explore the pier, old trade port, old crane, trade centers, markets and most importantly beaches. Some of the most fun activities in Gdansk beaches include water sports and boat cruises. There is even a pirate ship which will take you on an interesting tour of the city.

Another major part of Gdansk’s history is the invasion of Poland in the Second World War. There are many Gdansk tourist attractions which shed light on different aspects of the war and its impact on the people and the culture.

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Table of Contents

Top 20 Tourist Places to Visit in Gdansk, Poland

1. Basilica of St. Mary (Bazylika Mariacka)

This marvelous Gothic Basilica is among the three largest brick-built churches in the world. It was built in the 14th century and is still one of the most dominant structures you will come across during Gdansk sightseeing. You will need about an hour to explore this church.

2. St. Mary Street

Also known as Ulica Mariacka, this street stretches from St. Mary Church to St. Mary’s gate, which is also among top Gdansk attractions. The cobbled street with merchant houses on either side is a wonderful sight. It is also quite popular for Amber jewelry shops. You will need 20 to 30 minutes for this street when you visit Gdansk.

3. Museum of the Second World War (Muzeum II Wojny Światowej)

This museum is built on a quarter which was flattened because of the attack on the city during World War II. The museum shows the devastation caused by the invading forces in Poland. Many of the exhibits have been donated by families of the victims. It is one of the best places to visit in Gdansk to experience impacts of the war. You will need about 2 hours to tour this museum.

I suggest you should book a private guided tour of Second World War History.

4. Neptune’s Fountain (Fontanna Neptuna)

The monument atop the fountain was designed by Abraham van den Blocke. This fountain is one of the most beautiful things to see in Gdansk. You will need 10 to 15 minutes to admire it.

5. National Museum in Gdańsk (Muzeum Narodowe w Gdańsku)

This museum tells the story of the city from its origins at a major port to its revival after the second world war. It is one of the most engaging Gdansk tourist attractions as it helps you better appreciate the city’s people, culture and places. You will need about an hour to tour this museum.

6. Royal Way (Trakt Królewski)

Also known as the Royal Way, this street is considered the heart of the city. The paved street has patrician tenements on either side. You will encounter many Gdansk must see spots while walking this street. It will require about 15 to 20 minutes to stroll.

7. Golden House

The building was designed by Abraham van den Blocke in the 17th century. It is renowned for its mannerist architecture and often included among the most beautiful places to see in Gdansk. The intricate carvings and statues which decorate the facade can keep your fancy engaged for quite some time. You would need 20 to 30 minutes to admire this building during Gdansk travel.

8. Main Town Hall

This building was designed in the 16th century with Dutch mannerist features. The clock tower and its observation deck are also among Gdansk top attractions. It has quite a dominating facade and the interior is equally magnificent featuring coffered ceilings, marble floors, frescoes, sculptures and tapestries. You will need 30 to 45 minutes for this place.

9. Gdansk Crane

This crane was built in the 14th century and has become an icon of the city. The crane also served as a waterside gate to the city till 1800s. The crane’s museum is one of the best things to do in Gdansk, Poland. You will get to see how it was operated during its heyday and how it contributed to city’s history. You will need an hour to explore it.

10. Dlugie Pobrzeze

Also known as the Long Embankment, this quay runs along the Dead Vistula River. Until the 19th century, this was the prime location for port trade in the city. You will see old defense gates guarding entry to the streets. It is one of the most historically significant Gdansk attractions. You will about an hour to roam along this street.

11. Westerplatte (Zachodnia Płyta)

This monument marks the sight of the “Battle of Westerplatte”. It was the first conflict between German and Polish troops and is considered the beginning of World War II. The history of this place had an impact on the entire world. Hence, it is among the most important places to see in Gdansk. You will need 30 to 45 minutes for this war site

I suggest you should book guided tour of Westerplatte in advance.

12. Beaches

Being a coastal city, beaches are a major part of the Gdansk’s appeal. You will encounter a variety of them while exploring the coastline. Some of the best Gdansk beaches are Plaza Jelitkowo, Brzezno and Stogi and Orlowo. You also get to enjoy a variety of fun activities to do in Gdansk including water sports, leisure, dining, nature trails, boat rides and so on. You can easily spend a couple of hours enjoying at each beach.

13. Golden Gate (Złota Brama)

This gate was also designed by Abraham van den Blocke and was built during the 1600s. The gate is said to represent cardinal values such as Peace, Freedom, Wealth, Fame, Harmony, Justice, Piety and Prudence. It is one of the most beautiful things to see in Gdansk. You will need about half an hour to admire it.

14. Oliwa Cathedral (Katedra Oliwska)

This marvelous cathedral dates back to the 14th century. It is among the best places to visit in Gdansk, Poland for admirers of architecture. The church features a blend of Renaissance, Mannerist and Baroque styles. You will need half an hour to explore this church during Gdansk travel.

15. European Solidarity Center (Europejskie Centrum Solidarności)

This solidarity movement began as a trade movement and evolved into civil resistance against the iron curtain. The exhibits in this place let you peek behind the iron curtain. It is one of the best Gdansk tourist attractions to learn about history of the communist regime in the region. You will need a little more than an hour to tour this center.

I suggest you should book a communism tour with visit of European Solidarity Center in Gdansk.

16. Amber Museum

This museum explores the relationship of the city with Amber gemstone. It is an integral part of the city’s history as Amber was abundant in the Baltic region and trade of Amber contributed to Gdansk prosperity. You will all kinds of things made from or decorated with Amber in this museum. It will take you 30 to 45 minutes to explore this museum.

17. Boat Cruise

The boat rides and cruise tours are a great to enjoy sights of the city, sunset/sunrise views and explore the coast. You can enjoy tour of the river and the city or embark towards the open ocean. There are great choices of boats available as well from sailing boats to yachts and even a pirate ship. The experience tops the list of cool things to do in Gdansk. You will need about 2 hours for this experience.

I suggest you should book a Shipyard and Old Town Sunset Evening Cruise. Also you can go for Motlawa River Yacht Cruise.

18. Abbot’s Palace (Pałac Opatów w Oliwie)

This palace was built in the 15th century and exhibits rococo style of architecture. The beautiful palace houses several modern art works and several as both a gallery and a museum. You will need about 30 minutes to explore this palace.

19. The Great Mill (Wielki Młyn)

Known as Wielki Mlyn in Polish, this old mill is now a museum giving you peek into the industrial life of the bygone era. It is also a quaint building built over a canal. It looks cute from every angle. It is definately among Gdansk must see places just to capture its quaint design in a picture. You will need 30 to 45 minutes for this place.

20. Sopot Pier (Molo w Sopocie)

Sopot Pier has a great beach on either side and a beautiful wooden walkway leading towards the ocean. It is one of the best Gdansk beaches and also the best tourist spot to see the sun rise from beyond the ocean. You can spend a couple of hours or more at this pier.

If you are looking for more activities to do in Gdansk, check out the sections below. We have prepared an exhaustive list of all things you can do and all the places you could visit while exploring Gdansk.

Things to do in Gdansk

Monuments, Museums & Historical Places to Visit in Gdansk

Basilica of St. Mary
Museum of the Second World War
Neptune’s Fountain
European Solidarity Center
Museum of Gdansk
Amber Museum
National Museum
National Maritime Museum
Green Gate
Artus Court
Golden Gate
Oliwska Cathedral
Uphagen’s House
The Great Armoury
Grue Medievale de Gdansk
Soldek Ship Museum
Laznia Center for Contemporary Art
Wisloujscie Fortress
Gdansk Archeological Museum
The Great Mill
St. Catherine Church
Westerplatte Museum
Sopot Museum
Museum of the Polish Post
Monument to the Fallen Shipyard Workers of 1970
High Gate
North Harbour Lighthouse
Wielki Mlyn Museum
Wartownia Military Museum
Nomus Nowe Museum
Church of St. John
Polish Baltic Frederic Chopin Philharmonic Hall
Tower Clock Museum
Blue Lamb Archeological Museum
Westerplatte Monument
Gdansk Gallery of Photography
BHP Hall
Department of Modern Art
St. Mikolaja Basilica
Spichlerz Opacki Ethnography Museum
Statue of John III Sobieski
Old Toy Gallery
Monumental Water Forge of Oliwa
Piwnica Romanska Archeological Museum
St. Mary’s Gate
Oliwa Forest

Nature & Wildlife Tourist Spots in Gdansk

Tri City Landscape Park
Mewia Lacha Peninsula
Ptasi Raj Bird Reserve
Dolina Radosci Forest
Stara Orunia Reserve

Entertainment & Leisure Tourist Spots in Gdansk

Oliwa Zoo
Oliwski Park
Hevelianum
Amber Sky Observation Wheel
Ergo Arena
Loopy’s World Amusement Park
Orunski Park
President Ronald Reagan Park
Port Brzezno Rope Park
Jumpcity Amusement Park

Shopping in Gdansk

Mariacka Street
Galeria Baltycka
Sopot Centrum
Long Market
Madison Shopping Mall
Forum Gdansk

Beaches in Gdansk

Brzezno Beach
Mewia Lacha Beach
Plaza Stogi
Sopot Beach
Jelitkowo Plaza
Gdynia Beach
Psia Plaza
Sobieszewo Beach
Orlowo Beach

Offbeat Places, Tours, & Adventure Activities to Do in Gdansk

River Cruise
Bird Watching
Kayaking
Hiking
Pirate Ship Cruise

Sightseeing in Gdansk

Mariacka
Sopot Pier
Dluga Street
Motlawa River Habour
Gdansk Shipyard
Brzezno Pier
Wyspa Spichrzow
Olivia Star Skyscraper
Gora Gradowa
Golden House
Wzgorze Pacholek Viewing Platform
Piwna Street
Dlugie Probrzeze
Deo Plaza Biuro
Statek Pirat Ship
Olowianka
Katownia
Black Pearl Pirate Ship
Weichseldurchstich Canal
Raduni Canal
Main Town Hall
Green Bridge

Food, Dining, Restaurants, & Street Food in Gdansk

Pub Red Light
Pierogarnia Mandu
KOS
Familia Bistro
Pub Crawl
Klatka B
Brovarnia
Drukarnia
Jozef K
Mono Kitchen
Bar Neptun
Pellowski
Gdanski Bowke
Feed my Soul Bistro
Kibicki
Cafe Absinthe
Nova Pierogova
Niepokorni

Where to Stay in Gdansk?

Here we have listed Top Rated Luxurious, Mid-Range and Budget Hotels in Gdansk. You can check below listed hotels for your perfect stay in Gdansk.

Luxurious Hotels

Mid-Range Hotels

Budget Hotels

Custom Tours Package in Gdansk

How to Reach Gdansk?

By Air

The easiest option for Gdansk travel is with Lech Walesa Airport. You can get direct flights from Heraklion, Tirana, Dusseldorf, Stockholm, Helsinki, Amsterdam, Krakow, Warsaw, Burgas, Rhodes, Frankfurt, Munich, Copenhagen, Oslo, Birmingham, Dublin, Bristol, Edinburgh, London, Malta, Manchester, Newcastle, Pisa, Venice, Vienna, Zurich, Barcelona, Liverpool, Reykjavik and many more.

The train from the airport moves towards the city’s central railway station and you see many of the Gdansk tourist attractions along the way. You will find ticket machines to get tickets for the train ride. You can also get tickets from Cash Desks or from the Train Crew at the station.

You can also get buses and cabs to get to places to visit in Gdansk from the airport.

By Road

You can get direct trains to visit Gdansk from several cities in Poland as well as in Europe including Warsaw, Berlin, Krakow, Prague, Vienna, Amsterdam, Budapest, Frankfurt, Bratislava and many more.

The bus network to reach Gdansk is even more widespread locally as well as internationally. But, if the distance is significant trains and flights are much better options.

If you are planning to travel by road, you should head for routes A1, E75, S6 or S7.

By Water

You can get boat rides and ferries for Gdansk travel from Nynashamn and Karlskrona in Sweden.

Image Reference

Basilica of St. Mary (Bazylika Mariacka) – Makalu / PixaBay
St. Mary Street – UncleBucko / Flickr
Museum of the Second World War (Muzeum II Wojny Światowej) – Piqsels
Neptune’s Fountain (Fontanna Neptuna) – Janusz Kreczmański / PixaBay
National Museum in Gdańsk (Muzeum Narodowe w Gdańsku) – magro_kr / Flickr
Royal Way (Trakt Królewski) – Makalu / PixaBay
Golden House – petrOlly / Flickr
Main Town Hall – Monika Neumann / PixaBay
Gdansk Crane – lino9999 / PixaBay
Dlugie Pobrzeze – Henryk Bielamowicz / Wikimedia Commons
Westerplatte (Zachodnia Płyta) – the_iop / PixaBay
Beaches – freestocks-photos / PixaBay
Golden Gate (Złota Brama) – Janusz Sliwinski / Flickr
Oliwa Cathedral (Katedra Oliwska) – altotemi / Flickr
European Solidarity Center (Europejskie Centrum Solidarności) – Ziemowit Cabanek / Flickr
Amber Museum – Аимаина хикари / Wikimedia Commons
Boat Cruise – Torsten Maue / Flickr
Abbot’s Palace (Pałac Opatów w Oliwie) – altotemi / Flickr
The Great Mill (Wielki Młyn) – magro_kr / Flickr
Sopot Pier (Molo w Sopocie) – Michał K / PixaBay