Gdansk, a Port City on the Baltic Sea

Westerplatte, the beginning of World War II

It was right here on the Baltic coast that the German invasion of Poland and World War II began on 1 September 1939. I recommend taking a boat ride to the Westerplatte peninsula through one of the canals and then take a walk around the beach where you can still see the remnants of military bunkers of the Polish army, which served as a coastal defence. During my visit, the Bread Festival took place at the city’s main square and I had the opportunity to give my taste buds a treat. On top of that, there was also live music and numerous other stalls offering international dishes in the centre. When you enter through the golden city gates, you’re already walking down the long street leading to the city centre, which happens to be the most famous cobbled street. It will take you past numerous restaurants, museums, souvenir shops and street musicians. Most shops sell amber products, and most of these even contain pieces of insects.

Amber capital of the world

The port city of Gdansk earned the name amber capital of the world due to the large deposits of the amber, sometimes regarded as a “semi-precious gemstone”, in the surrounding areas. The main square is home to the city hall in front of which stands one of the city’s most coveted symbols, the Neptune’s Fountain. Along with historical and cultural buildings, Gdansk also offers many interesting museums. At Amber Museum, I saw first-hand how important this semi-precious “stone” is for the city and the greater surroundings. The museum houses numerous fossilised amber “stones” and items that were crafted by various master craftsmen. There are many visitors waiting at the museum’s entrance, which shows it’s one of the city’s most visited museums. Just outside the old town stands a modern building, housing a World War II museum on almost 5,000 square metres. You’ll learn about the atrocities that were committed during World War II. The collection consists of many personal items and exhibit pieces. One of the numerous rooms depicts the devastated city with a Soviet Union tank. It’s best to take at least four hours to see the museum because of its great size. The city also offers plenty of various musical and cultural events, while also not forgetting about sports.

The Polsat Plus Arena Stadium, the home of football

In 2011, the city hosted one of the European Football Championship groups. A new and modern football stadium that would hold more than 41,000 visitors was built for that purpose. The stadium is quite a treat for football fans. Accompanied by a guide, we went on a tour of the stadium’s interior. We were also able to walk through the locker rooms of football players and visit the chapel where they pray before each match. The stadium tour also included the football museum, the halls and the luxury box. People can even get married at one of the numerous halls at the stadium. Special treatment and care are given to the grass field, as it’s mowed each day.

The European Solidarity Centre

I took a tram and travelled a few stations from the football stadium to the European Solidarity Centre building, which houses the permanent “Solidarity” or “Solidarność” exhibition, a synonym for the city of Gdansk in Poland. It was here, at the Lenin shipyard in 1980 that the first protests and strikes of dock workers started, which led to the founding of an independent and self-governing trade union. The former leader of the Solidarność trade union was the former Polish president in 1990 and Nobel Peace Prize laureate in 1983. Lech Wałęsa is a person who was imprisoned for eleven months due to his many speeches and his leadership of the then forbidden movement, and the port city of Gdansk’s airport was also named after him.

Gdansk is becoming an increasingly popular tourist destination on the Baltic Sea and will remain so, since the historical port city illustrates the Baltic beauty with its striking architecture, charming old town and long stretches of sandy beaches.