Fun Things to Do in Gdansk (ideal for kids too)
Fun Things to Do in Gdansk – Gdansk is a desperately attractive city, spotlessly clean, with fantastic food (that kids tear into as well) and many activities that work for all ages. The museum offering is stellar, but plenty of open outdoors spaces to enjoy as well. This is a list of days out that delivered for us.
Catch a Galleon to Westerplatte Peninsula – Things to Do in Gdansk
Combine adventure with history. A daring galleon ship (Galleon Lew) departs from the popular riverside tourist hub right outside Taverna Dominikanska and sets sail downriver to Westerplatte. This isn’t a choppy journey as you never hit open water, but follow the gentle River Motlawa. Snacks, drinks (including alcohol!) and lunches can be bought onboard (at reasonable prices) and the key sights en route are described over the tannoy.
You can buy a single or return ticket. If returning (as we did) I’d recommend 2 hours at Westerplatte. Its historical significance? This is the place where the Nazis invaded Poland in September 1939, kickstarting WW2, not just for the Poles, but for the UK as well. You see the decimated ruins of Guardhouse Number 5, read the stories of the men who fell, visit the War Cemetery, and take in the Watch Towers and military fortifications. We also dropped into Guard House Number 1*, which is now a tiny museum that shares wee details – for example the officers had a casino and a chef on site.
From here walk up to the Defenders of the Coast memorial, take in the views and remember the fallen. You also see the ‘Never More War’ sign. This is a handsome stretch of greenery and coastline, ideal for kids to explore, with unique history too. [Other cheaper boats offer trips from Gdasnk to Westerplatte, but the galleon engaged the children, or you can drive/Uber as it’s a peninsula.]
Old Town Gems with Ice Cream – Things to do in Gdansk
Gdansk feels so modern yet it’s retained the beauty of its old town, combining old and new exceptionally well. Stroll though streets of beautiful colourful houses, via the iconic Crane building, past Artus Court, the Town Hall and Neptune’s Fountain. Then pick up the tallest ice cream I think I’ve ever seen at one of the many ice cream shops on Długa, such as Lody Swiderki. Don’t miss Mariacka Street for jewellery, as it’s packed with amber creations. Book a walking tour here.
Hevelianum – Things to Do in Gdansk
Hevelianum* is a quirky one, an old fort complex on Gradowa Hill that now hosts a hands-on natural world/science exhibition. Imagine if Governor’s Island in New York crossed with Dynamic Earth in Edinburgh. Exhibits tap into space, geology, weather etc., as the kids learn though playing with magic sand, make finger shadows and experience typhoon strength winds. They loved it. [Book your timed entry slot ahead as Hevelianum can get very busy. We arrived at 11am and couldn’t get access till noon so we had an early lunch in the onsite restaurant, which is very decent considering you’re a captive audience and they could just throw sandwiches at you.]
If you don’t wish to pay to enter the centre, Gradowa Hill is a relaxed green space for a walk, where kids can let off steam. Step outside to explore the bunkers and forts, and take in the views from Millennium Cross.
Amber Museum – Things to Do in Gdansk
Mummy insisted on visiting the Amber Museum* as I like amber jewellery, I didn’t expect it to be a hit with the whole family. The first floor covers Amber in Nature. Cool little cartoon films drew the kids in, drumming home how amber was formed 40 million years ago. The boys loved the ‘inclusions’ i.e. seeing beasties or plants stuck in amber, and hearing how they got trapped in tree resin millions of years ago – a trapped lizard was the highlight (see pics of sad lizard above).
The second floor covers Amber in Culture. The boys were occupied playing chess next to an amber chess set with (coincidentally) Scottish connections — it’s the property of the Duke of Atholl and resided in Blair Castle until 2015. The culture section explores how amber has been used in medicine, superstition, wellbeing, fashion and jewellery. My favourite item was an amber guitar. As you can imagine, the gift shop is a treasure trove of amber goodies. [The museum was free to visit on Mondays when we visited.]
The Second World War Museum – Things to Do in Gdansk
You can spend hours in the vast Second World War Museum*, it is huge and thorough. Book a time slot in advance as it’s a very popular destination (we had to wait an hour to get in). We started in the Children’s Museum – three rooms in a family home charting life in WW2. One room is pre-war ease, second is mid-war discomfort, and the third room shows a life in ruins. This concept works well for youngsters.
The remainder of the museum naturally has adult themes – and each display is extraordinarily well thought through. An opening film charts in detail how WW2 started, Poland’s place within Europe, and the pressures and power grabs occurring. Each room has a theme, i.e. a room on Japan, on Russia, on uniforms, concentration camps, terror. My son engaged with a touch screen covering different theatres of war – the Battle of Britain, Battle of the Atlantic, Battle for Africa and the Battle for Norway – which he found fascinating, but he couldn’t handle footage of a maternity hospital being bombed. It’s not an easy day out for kids, but each parent knows their children’s boundaries best. The museum also makes you realise how much the Brits and Poles collaborated throughout the war, but the conflict ended very differently for each nation.
The architecture of this museum is stunning, so take time to admire it from the outside. And read the story of Witold Pilecki, honoured with a statue in front of the building.
The European Centre of Solidarity
A more uplifting story is the history of the Solidarity movement within the European Centre of Solidarity*. I’d recommend the free audio guide (the kids found it a bit of a treasure hunt). The story starts in communist Poland with the dismissal of a crane worker in the Gdansk shipyards. This started a strike that led to a maelstrom of protest across the country. With moments of sheer oppression, the Solidarity movement eventually led to democracy and freedom for Poland in 1989.
Hit the Beach at Sopot
Gdansk has its own beaches but we opted to head 20 minutes out of town to the renowned coastal resort of Sopot. The town centre is so smart, clean and welcoming. We hung out on beautiful sandy beaches, walked Sopot’s famous pier (which costs a few quid to access), had a drink in the city’s oldest bar (the Blue Pudel) and ate in the funky foodhall called Krzywy Domek housed inside the eye-catching Crooked House building. One last tip – look out for the Wojtek the bear statute in front of St George church. It tells the tale of a bear that served in the Polish military (I kid you not) in WW2, achieving the rank of corporal, who ended his days in Edinburgh Zoo. Public transport is available to Sopot, but Ubers are so cheap we opted for cabs.
Eating! Things to Do in Gdansk
We loved the food in Gdansk. Dumplings, doughnuts, beer, schnitzel, beautifully cooked cabbage and … more dumplings. In terms of drinks, fruit beers are a hit here, as is vodka and tinctures!! Price-wise the food was cheaper than in Scotland, except slices of excellent cake (approx £4-6 a slice). Restaurants are very busy, book ahead! Water is not provided for free. Do not miss:-
Gdanski Bowke
Really quaint interiors by the river. A definite hit was the massive rack of ribs my 11 year old ordered! He now rejects the kids menu! We also dined on schnitzel, salmon tartare, a kids portion of dumplings, and we tried local beer and a Stobbe’s gin. The shot has a plum in it, and you apparently eat the plum, down the shot then snap the cocktail stick. Hurrah!
Stary Myln
For all your dumpling requirements, plus traditional Rosel soup (a chicken broth with – you guessed it – dumplings). Alongside the boiled dumplings, Stary Myln offers a vast array of baked dumplings(more like Cornish Pasties) with a variety of fillings. Even dessert comprised of a rich pistachio dumpling. Delicious. [There are two Stary Myln in Gdansk. One in a very modern setting, the other more rustic. I much prefer the traditional vibes, but check which venue you book.]
Pomelo Bistro
This contemporary setting dishes up high end food. Mr Scots2Travel raved about his duck confit, meanwhile I ordered a traditional potato pancake. I expected it to be quite stodgy (in a good way!) and down to earth, but it was beautifully presented and refined. I also tried an ‘Old Town Gdansk’ drinks board that comprised of four Gdansk hits – Goldwasser, Machandel, Kurfursten and a homemade blow-yer-head-off liqueur.**
Swojski Smak – Ideal for Second World Museum & the Solidarity Centre
As well as having a vodka menu 150-strong, this local, modern restaurant is well situated near two of Gdansk’s key museums. My eldest son loved the venison and cranberry dumplings, Junior chose chilli prawns, I went for mushroom dumplings, and Mr Scots2Travel indulged in schnitzel and fruit beer (his meal of choice it seems).
Piekarnia Bakery – handy for the Amber Museum
We popped in here for doughnuts, baked treats and coffee after a visit to the Amber Museum. It’s just across the road and a 2 minute walk.
Things we didn’t fit in – Visiting St Mary’s Basilica and climbing the tower for views over the city. Two restaurants I was keen to dine in, but couldn’t fit in, include Pyra and Pierogarnia Mandu. Tip – if you wish to dine outdoors in the evening sun, book a venue on the east coast of the river, rather than the west.
Where to Stay
Two recommendations. We arrived on a late flight into Gdansk and booked an airport hotel that delivered everything you need, including a breakfast with a waffle machine. Take a look here.
In town you’ll find lots of reasonably priced apartments in v central locations. We booked a one-bedroom Welcome Apartment. It worked well for us – kitchen, washing machine, secure, garden space, smart, quiet, balcony, and a fantastic central location. Looking back, I wish we’d paid a little more and booked a city view.
Visit Gdansk Card
We were gifted a Visit Gdansk card for review purposes. With these cards you need to work out whether they’re a saving for you. How many sites will you visit in a day? They can prove a great saving if you plan to squeeze a lot in. You can also get solid restaurant discounts – the 15% Pomelo Bistro discount is worthwhile, but the Gdanske Bowke discount only applies to 2 dishes we didn’t order, so made no difference to us.
*included with the Visit Gdansk card = free access.
**15% discount with the Visit Gdansk card.
Our Story – we flew direct from Aberdeen to Gdansk with Wizz Air.
Enjoy Gdansk.
If you liked the Things to Do in Gdansk article then please subscribe, join the conversation on Facebook, or check out the bonny photos on Instagram. For any queries or opportunities please email scots2travel@hotmail.com. Images and text copyright of Scots2Travel unless otherwise stated. Contains affiliate links. Check out our Privacy Policy here.
