Gdańsk in 2 days
Długi Targ, Westerplatte and the shipyard in two days — arranged around two museums that close on different days.
- How long
- 2 with Westerplatte and Sopot
- Getting around
- The centre on foot
- Rhythm
- A museum in the morning
Two days in Gdańsk are arranged around two museums: the Museum of the Second World War closes on Mondays, and from October to April so does the European Solidarity Centre on Tuesdays (in summer it opens that day too). So the first day goes to the war museum and the Main Town, the second to Westerplatte, the shipyard and an evening in Sopot — and if the days are a Tuesday and a Monday out of season, that is exactly the order.
The museum and the Main Town
The Museum of the Second World War, at opening. The ticket is €8.06; on Tuesdays entry is free, but that day the museum is open only until 4 pm, and on Mondays it is closed. The main exhibition wants about three hours, so it comes before everything else.
Długi Targ, the ceremonial street from the Green Gate to the Golden Gate, with Neptune's fountain and the Artus Court halfway along.
Mariacka, narrower and quieter, with stone terraces in front of the houses and amber in the windows; St Mary's Basilica stands at its end.
St Mary's Basilica. One of the largest brick churches in the world; the tower is climbed by narrow stairs, and from the top you see how small the Main Town actually is.
The Motława: dinner by the river, beside the Żuraw harbour crane.
Westerplatte, the shipyard and the sea
Westerplatte. Bus 138 leaves from Plac Solidarności, by the ECS, and stops at the Westerplatte Museum; from April to the end of November a water tram also runs from the Motława, 45 minutes to an hour, past the shipyard and the port.
The European Solidarity Centre, back on the same bus to Plac Solidarności. The permanent exhibition is €9.21 with the audio guide.
The SKM to Sopot — fifteen minutes and €2.07: the beach, the pier and an evening on Monte Cassino street.
Before you go
Short answers to what people ask most before setting out.
How many days does Gdańsk need?
Two, with Westerplatte, the shipyard and an evening in Sopot. A third day is for Gdynia or Malbork.
How do I order the days if they are a Monday and a Tuesday?
Out of season (October–April): the war museum on the Tuesday, since it closes on Mondays; Westerplatte and the ECS on the Monday, since the ECS permanent exhibition closes on Tuesdays. In summer the ECS opens on Tuesdays too, so the order matters less.
Ready for Gdańsk?
Where to next
Day trips from Gdańsk
→Malbork for a full day, Hel for the beach, Sopot and Gdynia for half — all by train except Kashubia.
Malbork · 43 km
→Europe's largest brick castle on the bank of the Nogat, with the town and its old square right beside it
How well does Gdańsk suit you?
→Six questions: a score for this place and others like it.
Front row for the next trip
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