This section is dedicated to take away all your "I wish someone had told me that before I went!" experiences. This way, you can spend less time settling in, and more time making new friends in your chosen hostel. We share our insider knowledge of tips, tricks and important things to look out for in Gdańsk.
Gdansk, the sixth-largest city in Poland, is a popular venue for Polish and other European holidaymakers. It is a superb city for a weekend break or a worthwhile visit if you are visiting other areas of Poland. The climate in Gdansk is warm during the summer, with temperatures up over twenty degrees Celsius, but it gets cold in winter.
An ideal and cheap way to explore Gdansk is to rent bikes -- it is possible to rent for hours, half days, full days, or longer. Most of the city can be explored by bike in one day, allowing for breaks for snacks and refreshments. Along the cafe- and restaurant-lined river is the ideal place to take a break where meals and beverages can be purchased at reasonable Polish prices.
All tourists will inevitably pass through Dlugi Targ (Long Market), which is a pedestrianized street with tall towers at either end. It is worth walking slowly to admire the buildings on either side. Many of the ground floors are cafes or souvenir shops.
Interesting day trips can be taken to Sopot or Gdynia. Sopot is another holiday resort with a large square and has the longest wooden pier in Europe. Gdynia is another town that is often visited by tourists. Both of these towns can be reached from Gdansk by boat. From Gydnia it is possible to catch a car ferry to Sweden. About two hours' drive from Gdansk is the peninsula out to Hel, which is a nice town stretching out into the Baltic Sea. About one hour from Gdansk is Malbork Castle, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is the world’s largest brick castle and continues to be restored. From the top there is a great view of Malbork’s surroundings. Following Euro 2012, Gdansk has a renovated football stadium, PGE Arena Gdansk, which is home to Lechia Gdansk.
There are a number of hostels in Gdansk and there are also a number of campsites about ten kilometers from the city centre. All are reasonably cheap and offer all the facilities required by travelers.
Written by local enthusiast for Gdańsk hostels
RayJ
