A plan for Gdańsk

Gdańsk is the capital of Pomerania. In 2021, it was home to 471,000 people. Gdańsk with nearby Sopot and Gdynia are often referred to as Trójmiasto ("tricity").

Its position on the Baltic has made Gdańsk one of the most important port cities in Northern Europe, and the scene of a disturbing past. Gdańsk used to be the biggest and richest city in the Polish Kingdom. The first claim to fame for Danzig (as it was then known) was its membership in the Hanseatic League as an important Baltic port on the crossroads of North East and Central Europe.

World War II was ignited by a dispute over the control of the city. By the end of the war the city lay almost completely in ruins. The German population was expelled and replaced by Poles as the city came under Polish rule and changed its name to Gdańsk. However, the impact of its former German ties are still evident. Most of the old buildings were damaged or destroyed in World War II, but they have been painstakingly restored or rebuilt, although in a style that is not exactly the same as before the war.

In modern history, Gdańsk is known as the birthplace of Solidarity (Polish: Solidarność), the labour and democracy movement that helped to bring down the Communist government in Poland at the end of the Cold War. The movement was led by the charismatic leader, Lech Wałęsa, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1983 and in 1990 became Poland's first post-Communist president.

Tourist information

Visit Gdańsk website

1 Tourist Information Centre, Długi Targ 28/29 (next to Green Gate (Zielona Brama)), ☏ +48 58 301 43 55, gcit@visitgdansk.com. May - August: daily 09:00-19:00; September - April: daily 09:00-17:00. (updated Jun 2020)

Tourist Information Point, Rajska 10 (in the Madison shopping mall.), itmadison@visitgdansk.com. Mon-Sat 09:00-17:00, Sun 10:00-17:00 (only Sundays when shopping is allowed). (updated Jun 2020)

Tourist Information Point, Słowackiego 200 st. (at Lech Wałęsa Airport), ☏ +48 58 348 13 68, itlotnisko@visitgdansk.com. 24/7. (updated Jun 2020)

2 PTTK Tourist Information, 45 Długa st (opposite the Town Hall (Ratusz Głównego Miasta)), ☏ +48 58 301 91 51, +48 58 301 37 52, biuro@pttk-gdansk.pl. (updated Jun 2020)

Main city

The main city (Główne Miasto) is the historic part of Gdańsk and contains most of the sights. The Long Street (ulica Długa) and Long Market (Długi Targ) are two of the most beautiful streets in the city. They are enclosed first by the Upland Gate, then by the Golden Gate to the west and the Green Gate to the east close to the riverside. This entire stretch is also referred to as the Royal Way. Along those two streets there are many interesting sights.

1 Main Town Hall (Ratusz Głównego Miasta), ul. Długa 46/47, ☏ +48 58 76 79 100. Tue-Sun. The old city hall (built 1378-1492) has a museum inside showing off a nicely decorated room where the town council once met and some historic exhibits about the history of Gdańsk. There are also impressive photos of the destruction after World War II. It is possible to purchase tickets to the tower, which offers a great view of the surroundings and St. Mary's Church. 12 zł adults, 6 zł concessions, tower 5 zł, Tu free. (updated Apr 2018)

2 Artus Court (Dwór Artusa), Długi Targ 43-44, ☏ +48 58 76 79 180. Tue-Sun. Impressive merchants' hall, a symbol of the city's power in the 16th and 17th centuries, served as an exchange and as the seat of St. George and the brotherhoods of rich patricians. Now part of the Gdańsk History Museum. 26 zł adults, 19 zł concessions, Tu free. (updated Nov 2025)

3 Neptune Fountain, Długi Targ. Statue of Neptune, patron of the city, installed in 1549. During World War II, the statue was hidden. In 1954 it was put back to its original location on the Long Market.

4 Golden House (Złota Kamienica), ul. Długi Targ 41/42.

5 Uphagen House (Dom Uphagena), ul. Długa 12, ☏ +48 58 301 23 71. Tue 10:00-13:00, Wed Fri Sat 10:00-16:00, Thu 10:00-18:00, Sun 11:00-16:00, Mon closed. Named after the merchant, Johann Uphagen, who bought this house in 1775. It was destroyed during the war in 1945, but completely rebuilt within ten years. In the 1990s, it was opened to the public. There are temporary exhibitions on the second floor. It is part of the Gdańsk History Museum. 10 zł adults, 5 zł concessions, Tu free. (updated Dec 2015)

1 Polish Baltic Philharmonic, Ołowianka 1. Major orchestra for symphonic concerts and chamber music. (updated Nov 2024)

2 Gdańsk Shakespeare Theatre (Gdański Teatr Szekspirowski), ul. Wojciecha Bogusławskiego 1. Guided tours (in English and Polish) are available. (updated Jan 2016)

3 Wyspa Institute of Art (Instytut Sztuki Wyspa, ISW), ul. Doki 1/145 B, ☏ +48 58 718 44 46. Tue-Sun 12:00-20:00, Mon closed. Art Institute on the shipyard grounds. Exhibitions, concerts, performances. A bookshop, Zła Buka, has a selection of books on art and design. (updated Dec 2015)

Football: 4 Lechia Gdańsk, Polsat Plus Arena (Tram 7, 10). The "white & greens" were relegated in 2026 and now play soccer in 1 Liga, the second tier. The stadium (capacity 41,600) also hosts big concerts and other events. (updated Jun 2026)

Tours

5 Canoe-tour through the canals, ul. Żabi Kruk 15.

6 Walk the Mariacka street, Mariacka. Take an evening walk down one of Europe's most picturesque streets.

Beaches

The water is usually cold. Almost all of Gdańsk's coast consists of sandy beaches accessible for recreation. There are multiple areas with lifeguards, food stands and bars.

7 Jelitkowo beach (Jelitkowo stop - trams 2, 4, 6, 8). The most crowded beach in Gdańsk not far from Oliwa district and close to Sopot. Abundant leisure facilities and many places to get your fish or ice cream. (updated Nov 2024)

8 Brzeźno beach (Brzeźno Dom Zdrojowy or Wczasy stop - trams 3,5). Another quite crowded beach located bit closer to centre, behind large city park. Contains abundant leisure facilities and a pier (mentioned in See section above). (updated Nov 2024)

9 Stogi beach (Stogi Plaża stop - tram 9). Calm and very wide beach to the east of city centre in a forest. A bit harder to access than two above mentioned beaches. Water is very quiet on western side due to breakwater. Good viewpoint of container sea port. Naturist beach is a bit further on the eastern side (entrance 22). (updated Nov 2024)

Budget

City centre

1 Pyra Bar, Garbary 6/7. The food not only has a nice name, but also tastes great. A large selection, solid portions. A quiet place, a garden on the corner of the street, away from the hustle and bustle of the city, but still close. (updated May 2022)

2 No To Cyk, Chlebnicka 2. Highly recommended for people who want to feel the atmosphere of 1990s and underground. Food is simple but amazing. Very cool retro vibe. (updated May 2022)

3 Pasta House, Lawendowa 9. Cozy place, delicious Italian pasta, original packaging for dishes, friendly service and very short waiting time for food (updated May 2022)

4 Dominikański, Plac Dominikański 1. Best place with "home" cuisine. Delicious food, large portions. The tomato soup is poetry. (updated May 2022)

5 Bar Turystyczny, Szeroka 8/10. Very good home cooked food. Tasty and wonderful meals with a sense of humor. (updated Aug 2022)

6 Alanya Kebap, Kołodziejska 2. Turkish specials on Polish soil. Great kebab in a bun. Good meat (beef), good salads, lots of sauce, delicious cucumbers. (updated May 2022)

North-west Gdańsk

7 Manekin, ul. Aleja Grunwaldzka 270, ☏ +48 58 554 32 59. This place mainly serves pancakes with different type of sources and fillings (and not just sweet ones.) Their potato flour pancakes are recommended. Or try the crepe with chicken, camembert and cranberries. (updated Oct 2022)

Mid-range

You can buy fish on one of the bars on Motława River bank (25 zł/meal)

8 Pierogarnia Mandu Gdańsk Śródmieście, Elżbietańska 4/8 (up from Neptune Fountain), ☏ +48 58 3016071. It serves pierogi (dumplings). Big portions; do not order more than one per person. Because it's cheap and good, it's crowded during busy season and lunch time. (updated Jan 2023)

9 Swojski Smak, ul. Heweliusza 25/27. Good value, nice food, in a nicely decorated venue. (updated Jan 2023)

10 Gdański Bowke, Długie Pobrzeże 11 (next to the riverside). Lots of delicious traditional Polish food. Even though it's in a tourist spot, the quality of the food is truly fine. The tatar tastes amazing with different shades of flavour. (updated Jan 2023)

Danziger Goldwasser, root and herbal liqueur which has been produced since 16th century is considered the city's drink (it is now made in Germany though). It's vodka-based, creamy and has small flakes of 22- or 23-karat gold in it. Cheaper alternatives include Gdańska Złotówka or Złota Woda.

Gdańsk's national drink before World War II was Stobbes Machandel juniper vodka. After the war it was rejected and slightly forgotten due to association with German soldiers occupying the city, but today is gaining popularity again. There is a special ritual to be followed while drinking a shot of Machandel with a dried plum for a snack.

Kaffe Perro Negro, 37/39 ul Sw Ducha. 11:00 - 21:00. A quiet place a couple of blocks from the main street. Has indoor seating and seating on the footpath in good weather. The building is a typical Gdansk terrace, the interior has quirky and interesting furniture. Some food including cakes. The signage on the door advertises "coffee of your dreams" and the coffee certainly is excellent. (updated Jun 2025)

Bars

Brovarnia Gdańska, Szafarnia 9 (on the other side of the river next to the old city). A mini brewery making their own really good beers in the basement of a hotel in restored 18 century granary. Food also served. Beer: 10 zł.

Bar Shpinx, Długi Targ (Main street). Another bar on the main street. Beer: 9 zł.

Loft, ul. Młyńska 15 (near Jacks Tower). Nice late bar/club, no entry charges, free food late on weekends, good music and good young crowd. Beer: 6 zł, tatanka 8 zł.

Sassy, Chmielna 10 (80-748). (updated Oct 2022)

Pijalnia Wodki I Piwa, Dlugi Targ 35/38 (entry just off the main street). Interesting decor from back in the communist period. Nice atmosphere. Vodka shots and the occasional beer chaser are the norm. On a busy evening this place moves an astonishing amount of vodka. You can buy toasties as a bar snack. A revelation. (updated Jun 2025)

By tram and bus

Zarząd Transportu Miejskiego, the City Transportation Office. Easyway journey planner helps to find schedules and routes.

Trams and buses are cheap (3.80 zł/hr) and frequent. Tickets can be bought on board, and also from ticket machines (which are at most popular stops) and kiosks. The most popular website and mobile app for journey planning is jakdojade.pl. Google Maps has reliable public transport data, and is an excellent tool for planning your journeys.

Single journey tickets are valid until leaving the bus or tram. They cost 4.80 zł for a full-price and 2.40 zł for a half-price ticket.

Time tickets are based on travel time, so you must estimate the duration of the journey or have a few tickets extra to validate when your previous ticket expires. Time tickets are either valid for up to 24 hr and allow any amount of journeys and changes within that time. The 75-min time ticket costs 6 zł for a full-price ticket and 3 zł for a half-price ticket. The 24-hr ticket costs 22 zł for a full-price ticket and 11 zł for a half-price ticket and is valid on all trams, buses during the day and on night buses.

All pre-purchased paper tickets need to be validated at the start of the journey. Alternatively you can pay on board with payment cards only (no cash). You don't pay the driver, you go to one of the machines on board. No paper ticket will be printed; rather, your credit card or phone acts as the ticket.

By train

SKM trains make 16 stops along the coast (from the first station,Gdańsk Śródmieście to Gdynia Główna. The main stops are Gdańsk Główny, Gdańsk Wrzeszcz, Gdańsk Oliwa, Sopot, and Gdynia Główna. Trains depart roughly every 15 minutes and operate from 05:00 to 23:00

A ticket from Gdańsk Śródmieście to Gdynia Główna will cost 9 zł and from Gdańsk Śródmieście to Sopot is 6.40 zł.

By car

In general it is unwise to bring your car to Gdańsk if you plan to stay longer than a day or two. Parking is expensive, traffic is huge and road quality is quite bad compared to other cities in Poland. A car will be most useful if you wish to visit Stogi or Sobieszewo Island, though parking remains an issue.

On the whole, Gdańsk is a safe place to visit and explore. Normal precautions for the safe keeping of your personal possessions, as you would in any other city, are suggested to keep you feel safe when wandering around. Gdańsk seems very well organized from a tourist's point of view. There are frequent police patrols and visitors usually get the feeling of Gdańsk being a secure and tourist-friendly city.

When it comes to gay, lesbian, and non-white travelers, Gdansk is an oddball compared to the rest of Poland. The city is much more socially progressive and tolerant compared to the rest of the country, and you can be yourself with little to no violent reactions from locals.

Avoid visiting strip clubs, particularly those recommended by individuals in the city center. They usually offer you a free first drink, but there have been reports of drinks being spiked with intoxicants and customers receiving excessively high bills. In recent times, nagging solicitation has increased, and you may receive multiple invitations just while walking along Długa Street.

In an emergency, telephone "112". This number connects to Police, Ambulance and Fire/Rescue services. You will be asked which of these three services you require before being connected to the relevant operator.