[Travel] Gdansk recommendations

[theboybilly]

Me and the missus are off to Gdansk in February for a few days so are there any bars or restaurants etc that the good folk of NSC might recommend? I do like a beer so a good choice would be splendid. We'll probably go to the WW2 museum and (maybe) Westerplatte (if there's much to see there, we're not too sure) We'll be staying near the river not too far from the historic crane building, but mainly we just want to soak up the atmosphere. We are not into clubs or anything too
lively - we're getting on a bit now

 

[warmleyseagull]

Westerplatte is more of a pilgrimage for Poles than a worthwhile visit for tourists but the boat trip there and back is very well worthwhile if you are into sublime images of industrial decay amid large ships in repair. You can get off the boat to see the memorials but that is is all there is; hardly worth it.

Can't recommend any bars in particular; all served good beer in our experience.

WW2 museum is sensational. From memory, it is free at times but well worth the fee if not. It is big; expect to take 4-5 hours if you do all of it; we found it too draining emotionally. Our son (who lives in Torun, a couple of hours away) has revisited to complete.

The other big 'must see' is the Solidarity Museum, which we enjoyed more as it gave a view of the rise of Lech Walesa and the slow but sure chipping away of the Communist Party's influence from an inside perspective.

Take a train to Malbork Castle, the largest castle in the world. It is a long day to get round (in fact you can't do it in a day) but what you can do is well worth the visit. Very recently, a train station has opened that is only 10 minutes from the castle There is a direct train from/to Gdansk. I cant recall its name as we stumbled on it on the way back having got an Uber to the castle in the morning (not knowing the station existed). Don't be fooled by guidebooks etc that say take a train to Malbork station and walk 50 minutes. That is out of date.