The coastal city of Gdansk is truly gorgeous and this guide will show you why it should be added to your bucket list! There is a style a sophistication about Gdansk that is hard to put a finger on, but it’s definitely different than other Polish cities. Located in the north of Poland, Gdansk feels like a wonderful mix between Amsterdam and Copenhagen. A colourful old town filled with narrow houses lines the streets, alleyways and canals. Gdansk is vibrant, safe, and full of life. Read on for some tips on where to visit in Gdansk, see why this city is the jewel in Poland’s crown.
The best things to do in Gdansk
Get lost in the Gdansk Old Town
We are making the bold claim that the Gdansk Old Town might be one of the most picturesque in Europe. There’s Scandi-style, Amsterdam-like canals, Polish architecture, and a little bit of ‘seaside town’ about Gdansk. While many of the streets are gorgeous, Mariacka Street is definitely a top pick. It’s well preserved, has shops and cafes lining the narrow street, and is a little less busy than the main streets.
The Dluga Street & Dlugi Targ are definitely worth visiting, even if they do get a little busy. We also encourage you to take the side streets, walk down the alleys, and enjoy getting lost in Gdansk’s old town.
Wandering along the river and the harbour is also another must do when in the old town. Some of the best views are across the canal opposite the main part of the old town, so cross the bridge and take a few photos. We also recommend heading up to the Hala Targowa market in the old town. Barter with the locals, buy some produce, and explore the east part of the old town. Overall, even if you did nothing else but wander the Gdansk old town, you’ll likely have an excellent visit.
Visit the Gdansk shipyard market – 100cznia
This is Gdansks version of Reffen in Copenhagen. An industrial style food market with street art, live music (including DJs on the weekend) and a great vibe. 100CZNIA is located around 30 minutes walk (or 5-10 minutes drive) from Gdansk city centre. Formed in an old shipyard, this food market offers a plethora of multicultural cuisine, bars and the street art is excellent. Come for the vibe and enjoy yourself. It’s definitely a vibe on a nice weather day when you can sit on the deck or in the sun. The food slightly overpriced but overall there is an awesome vibe and the street art is like an art gallery. It’s worth visiting!
Check out the St Mary’s Basilica & Bell tower for view
The basilica is impressive, and bonus.. it’s free entry inside church. To climb the St Mary’s Bell Towner it will cost 10PLN. You will have to climb a lung busting 409 narrow stairs to reach the highest view point in Gdansk. The view is impressive, but we think we prefer the Main Town Hall view (see below). Overall, worth the cost, but make sure you’re prepared for the stairs.
Check out the best view in Gdansk at the main town hall
Located on the main street, you can climb main town hall to have exceptional views. Be prepared to pay 18PLN, but in return you will get what we think is the best view in city. If you want to check out the museum in the town hall, it will be another 18PLN for the museum entry.
Walk along the Noaw Motlowa & Oplyw Motlowa Rivers
The rivers a calm and picturesque, and the lead up to a number of bastion around edges of the town. These old fortifications offer lovely views of the town and surrounding areas. We found Bastion Zubr was the best view.
What else?
There are a multitude of other things to do in Gdansk, including the popular World War Museum, The Royal Chapel, Day Trips to places like Sopot or Kepa Redlowska beach.. and so much more!
The best views of Gdansk
- Gdansk Town Hall – best
- St Mary’s- highest
- Museum Of Gdańsk Science – out of town a bit so view not as good
- Bastion – good views for free at the edge of the town
The best coffee in Gdansk
Another Polish city with excellent coffee and lots of cute cafes. We only visited a few of the many great options.
- Drukarnia Cafe – on the most picturesque street, so many great pastries
- Balans Coffee Speciality & Breakfast – known for their bagels
- Ciekawa Cafe – cute cafe and great coffee
- 1505 kawiarnia – cute little café on a small old town alleyway
Where to stay in Gdansk?
The best locations to stay in Gdansk would either be within the Gdansk Old Town or the region Wyspa Spichrzow (right near the old town). We have listed a few excellent options below for you to consider.
- Liberum Residence Old Town – Beautiful, well rated rooms in the heart of the historic Gdansk old town.
- Apartament urokliwa Długa – Whole apartment right in the main part of the Gdansk old town.
- Domy Na Wodzie – La Mare Motlava Houseboats with Sauna by Downtown Apartments – Stay in gorgeous houseboats on the river right near the old town.
- Blue Mandarin Riverside – Beautiful riverside rooms in a lovely area!
- Fama Residence Gdańsk Old Town – Well located rooms that are worth considering!
Enjoying our free guides & travel advice? Subscribe to our blog!
Jump your email into the list below. We won’t spam you! It’ll just keep you updated whenever we post another travel-related adventure, memory or tid-bid!
EE MORE FREE TRAVEL GUIDES AND TOP TIPS?
Note: this post contains affiliate links. This means that if you purchase or book anything using these links, we get a small percentage of the sale, at not extra expense to you. This helps us to run the site.
