It witnessed the first shots of the second World War and played a pivotal role in the fall of communism, but this Polish city has more to offer than a history lesson, writes RORY BOLAND
FEW CITIES can claim to have been at the sharp end of history over the past century more than Gdansk.
Through the 1980s this Polish port city had the world glued to its TV screens, as Lech Walesa and the Solidarity trade-union movement went eyeball to eyeball with the country’s communist authorities and their Soviet masters.
Moscow blinked first, and the curtains came down on communism not only in Poland but ultimately across the whole Eastern bloc.
But the city’s role in defeating communism wasn’t its first time in the headlines. Gdansk also played a pivotal if less well-known role in the opening hostilities of the second World War.
Last month world leaders jetted into the city to mark 70 years since Hitler marched his troops into the then free city of Danzig, causing a continent to reach for its guns.
Given that the city has spent much of the past 100 years being asked to step outside, it’s amazing that it doesn’t bear more serious scars.
After huge post-war destruction the city was masterfully rebuilt, and today it ranks alongside Cracow as one of Poland’s most enticing centres.
As a member of the Hanseatic trading league, Gdansk was once one of the most powerful movers and shakers in Europe, and the area’s main town has been restored to recapture this 15th-century splendour.
The show-stopper is Ul Dluga, the city’s main drag. This boulevard is a brassy parade of architectural achievement, stuffed with the slender burgher mansions that were once the homes of the city’s sharpest traders. The buildings are boastfully decorated with coats of arms and heroic statues, and crowned by grand gables.
It’s the perfect backdrop for the bustling hordes of ice-cream-toting tourists who invade the city each summer. And, as the temperature rises, the cobbles are swamped by beer gardens serving ice-cold brews to overheated holidaymakers.
The city’s laid-back vacation pace is best seen along Motlawa riverfront. In its heyday this stretch of water was once clogged with masts from all over Europe. Laying anchor here today is a more modest collection of pleasure boats, offering day cruises along the Baltic and quick hops to nearby seaside resorts.
Those looking to follow in the footsteps of Barack Obama and other world leaders will also find the boat to the Westerplatte peninsula, where the first shots of the second World War were fired.
Following the curving waterfront is the Dlugie Pobrzeze promenade. Lined with fish- frying stalls, makeshift market tents flogging amber, and terraced restaurants taking advantage of the view, it has a disorganised seaside appeal. It’s a great place to try the local giggle juice, Goldwasser – a liquor laced with gold flakes – and watch hand-holding couples bounce by.
Unfortunately, while the city bubbles by day, as the sun disappears so do the tourists. Gdansk by night has all the excitement of a car park. Luckily, tourists and locals haven’t hit the sack: they’ve hit Sopot, 15 minutes away by metro. Gdansk, Sopot and Gdynia make up the Trojmiasto metropolitan area, and while Gdansk might be the headline act, the support has plenty to offer.
The spas and casinos of Sopot made the town a 20th-century sin city favoured by tsars, kings and kaisers. Predictably, communism took much of the shine off Sopot – with the Reds turning off the music, binning the champagne and packing the aristocrats off to holiday homes on the Siberian tundra.
Yet Sopot has re-established itself, both as a bohemian beach resort and the kind of place you’re likely to wake up in a bush. This is Poland’s party capital, and the waterfront is home to some of the best clubs in the country. These blockbuster dance floors attract everybody from cocktail-sipping celebs up from the capital to bleary-eyed vodka-gulping artists, and parties don’t tend to wind down until the sun winds up.
The final slice of the Trojmiasto sandwich is Gdynia, a booming business town on the Baltic coast. Less than 100 years old, the city has spent much of its life in the shadow of bigger brother Gdansk, but while Gdansk is arguably defined by its past, Gdynia is the Poland of the future.
This is a city that is booming, and the streets are flanked by sushi bars and coffee shops frequented by dapperly-dressed businessmen.
It’s a great place to get a handle on aspirational Poland, and the wealth of its citizens means it also has some of the finest restaurants in the region.
Where to stay, where to eat and where to go if you're spending a weekend in this historic city
5 places to stay
Podewils. Ul Szafarnia 2, Gdansk, 00-48-583-009560, podewils.pl. Set in a beautifully restored 18th-century town house, Podewils is one of the finest properties in the city, with romantic views over the Motlawa riverfront.
Wolne Miasto. Sw Ducha 2, Gdansk, 00-48-583-222442, hotelwm.pl. An attempt to capture the spirit of old Gdansk, Wolne Miasto has period furniture and expensive-looking paintings. The design effort runs out of steam in the rooms, but they remain well appointed, if small.
Gdansk Apartments. 00-48-503-057142. If you fancy self-catering accommodation, Gdansk Apartments has a range of upscale studios and flats in the city centre.
Gryf. Ul Jana z Kolna 22/26, Gdansk, 00-48-583-000130, owgryf.pl. The decrepit yellow exterior might make it look like a pay-by-the-hour motel, but Gryf’s contemporary rooms and friendly service make it the best budget bet in town.
Sofitel Grand Sopot. Ul Powstancow Warszawy 12/14, Sopot, 00-48-585-206022, sofitel.com. Once the haunt of dukes and barons, the Grand has had a recent renovation and is once again the region’s star stay. Set on Sopot Beach, the views over the Baltic are second to none.
5 places to eat
Pod Lososiem. Ul Szeroka 52-54, Gdansk, 00-48-583-017652, podlososiem.com.pl. Enjoy gourmet Polish classics in an atmospheric setting of antique furniture, wrought-iron chandeliers and paintings that look as if they should be in a museum. Don’t miss a glass of Goldwasser, which has been cooked up on the premises for 400 years.
Bar Mleczny Neptun. Ul Dluga 33/34, Gdansk, 00-48-583-014988, barneptun.pl. Milk bars are one of the few remaining communist experiences left in Poland. These barren canteens feature grumpy dinner ladies slopping out surprisingly good heaps of potatoes, cabbage and chops, as well as other Polish classics. A must-see.
Cyrano et Roxanne. Ul Bohaterow Monte Cassino 11, Sopot, 00-48-660-759594, cyrano-roxane.com. Run by Bergerac native and raconteur Marc, Cyrano et Roxanne serves up home-made and thoroughly authentic French dishes in down-to-earth surroundings. Try the tongue-tingling garlic soup paired with a choice selection off an impressive wine list.
Bar Przystan. Al Wojska Polskiego 11, Sopot, 00-48-585-500241, barprzystan.pl. Little more than a plastic-cutlery cafeteria, Przystan has nevertheless gained a mythical reputation as one of Poland’s best places to snack. Grab your fish and chips and join the crowds on the beach soaking up the sun.
Pueblo. Ul Abrahama 56, Gdynia, 00-48-586-216007. Serving the best Mexican food in town, Pueblo cooks up outstanding fajitas and quesadillas, as well as lava-like chilli, all for little more than a pocketful of pesos.
5 places to go
Gdansk Shipyards and Roads to Freedom museum. Ul Waly Piastowskie 24, Gdansk, 00-48-583-084428. It was from the Gdansk shipyards, then enigmatically known as the Lenin shipyards, that Lech Walesa and the Solidarity movement defied Poland’s communist government and sowed the seeds for democracy in central and eastern Europe. Don’t miss the Roads to Freedom exhibition, which gives a blow-by-blow account of the events leading up to communism’s demise, as well as documenting daily life in Poland and under martial law.
Arthur’s Court. Dlugi Targ 43/44, Gdansk, 00-48-583-017061, mhmg.gda.pl. The most ostentatious of Dluga’s grand mansions, Arthur’s Court was built by the city’s wealthiest merchants. A visit is the ideal way to get a glimpse at Gdansk’s powerful past.
Maritime Museum. Ul Olowianka 9/13, Gdansk, 00-48-583-018611, cmm.pl. Delve into the city’s seafaring history at the Maritime Museum, which includes buccaneers’ maps, cannons and other swag swept from the Gdansk Bay floor.
St Mary’s Church. Ul Podkramarska 5, Gdansk, 00-48-583-013982. Said to be the world’s largest brick church, this brooding construction is a jaw-dropping sight. Inside, you can clamber the 405 steps up the church tower for breathtaking vistas over the city.
Sopot Pier. Probably the most popular tourist attraction in Poland, at least in summer, Sopot’s 150m pier claims to be the longest wooden pier in Europe. It’s the perfect place to soak up the sun.
Hit the shops
Gdansk has been famous for its amber for well over a century, and the city’s artisans remain old pros at crafting the material into fine jewellery. To pick up a piece, head to Ul Mariacka, the city’s most atmospheric street, where, among the growling gargoyles and wrought-iron fences, you’ll find a string of shops and stalls.
Hot spot
If you’re determined to stay in Gdansk, avant-garde Absinthe (Sw Ducha 2, 00-48-583-203784) is generally considered the best place in town to meet madcap locals, drink vodka and fall over. Alternatively, do as the locals do and park your party shoes in Sopot. Most of the clubs cater to an exclusive crowd; for something more down to earth try Atelier (Al Mamuszki 2, 00-48-585-558906). Beach parties go on long and late, and you might find you’re still holding a cocktail as the sun makes a morning entrance. Boys looking for a sports fix will find all the games at Language Pub (Ul Pulaskiego 8/1, 00-48-585-500014).
Go there
Ryanair (ryanair,com) flies from Dublin to Gdansk. Wizzair (wizzair.com) flies from Cork to Gdansk. Lot (lot.com), SAS (flysas.com) and Lufthansa (lufthansa.com) fly to Gdansk via Frankfurt.