With budget airlines offering cheap flights from most major UK airports to Poland’s fourth largest city, Gdansk, it’s made it an ideal destination for a city break.
Gdansk is home to one time Polish cup winners Lechia Gdansk but you also have Arka Gdynia just a short train ride away. I didn’t travel to Gdynia so I can only give advice on Lechia. Lechia has played at the 43,615 capacity Stadion Energa Gdansk since 2008 – it was built especially for the Euro 2012 championships.
Lechia rarely fills their ground unless it’s a big clash again Lech Poznan or Legia Warsaw, so tickets are easy to come by. The ground is about a 10 minute taxi ride away from Gdansk old town and the stadium has all the facilities of a modern arena. I’d recommend not sitting behind either goal as the Lechia Ultras sit and one end and away fans at the other, tickets in the side sections cost around 50 Zloty (£10). To get a ticket, simply go to a ticket booth with your drivers license/passport and you will be able to purchase a ticket.
Where to drink?
Gdansk has a fantastic nightlife with bars that cater for all tastes. If craft beer is your thing, then we can’t recommend the pub Cathead highly enough. You can find Cathead nestled down a side street called Powroznicza at the bottom of Dlugi Targ.
It would be easy to miss this place, but it’s a hidden gem – The pub has 14 different craft ales on draught and also a large selection of bottled beers from around the world as well as spirits. A pint won’t set you back much with beers costing you around £2/3.
The real selling point about Cathead is its riverside terrace, the huge decked area at the back of the pub practically overhangs the Motława River making Cathead the perfect summer drinking spot – you can sit in tranquillity and watch Gdansk go by.
That’s not all, craft beer pubs in Gdansk aren’t in short supply, Labeerynt was another one of our favourite pubs in Gdansk along with Browar Piwna. If you’re in Gdansk you must try all three!
Where to eat?
Over our weekend stay in Gdansk we tried out many restaurants. The highlight was most definitely a Japanese place called Mito Sushi. The decor – modern, the staff – friendly and the food -fantastic. I’d say it was expensive for Gdansk compared to other restaurants, but still cheap in comparison to the UK. A starter, main meal, 2 pints and sushi on the side came to £25. If you’re a fan of beers from around the World Mito Sushi also stock a range of Japanese bottled beers.
Another highlight was Original Burger, a typical American style burger joint which is perfect after a long day, it had a great selection of different burgers and a selection of different beers.
Things to do
Sopot
If you’re heading to Gdansk in the summer months, then hopping on the train to Sopot is a must. Sopot is a seaside town where many Poles take their vacation. When looking at photos of Sopot it’s easy to mistake it for the Caribbean. Sopot is home to golden sands, palm trees and the longest wooden boardwalk in Europe.
Sopot was a favoured spot for the Nazi’s in World War 2, the seaside town offered the Nazis an escape from the Frontline. Jews were actually completely banned from Sopot after the Nazi invasion. The Grand Hotel has had many famous guests over the years, including Adolf Hitler, Vladmir Putin, Fidel Castro and Boney M.
Sopot boasts a strip of fantastic restaurants and nightclubs, we visited a bar/restaurant called Sliwka W Kompot, which was on the main strip and it was fantastic. The train from Gdansk Glowny to Sopot only takes around 15 minutes and is the equivalent to £1.20 return. It’s a must do if you’re in Gdansk.
World War 2 Museum
If you hadn’t have already guessed, I’m a huge World War 2 buff, that period of time simply fascinates me. I have visited War museums all over the world – none compare to the one in Gdansk. The newly opened museum is huge and takes at least 3 hours to walk around, you could easily spend all day there. The museum is around a 15 minute walk from the old town, it isn’t well signed posted so a taxi may be needed if you’re not familiar with the area.
Admission was around 50 Zloty (£10) – I highly recommend you purchase online to avoid disappointment as day sales were sold out. The museum takes you through the different sections of the war and it covers all angles of the war. It’s very interactive and a must do in Gdansk.
If you have any questions about Gdansk then just ask…
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