Mistakes everyone makes in Gdańsk

Most mistakes in Gdańsk come down to the wrong day or the wrong transport — the place itself is almost always the right call. A castle stays shut on the inside, an exhibition stays closed all day, a boat doesn't run, a free ticket runs out before you arrive. Each one comes down to checking a day or a timetable before you set out.

1. Planning Malbork for a Monday

The Historic Route through the interior of the Teutonic Order's castle doesn't run that day; only the walking route around the walls is open. Arrive with that plan on a Monday and you pay for the full trip for half the visit. Malbork works on any other day of the week.

Day tripsHow long the full Malbork trip takes:Day trips from Gdańsk →

2. The ECS and Westerplatte on the same day, a Tuesday out of season

Westerplatte is open every day, so pairing it with the European Solidarity Centre on the same day sounds logical. From October to April that fails on a Tuesday: the ECS permanent exhibition is closed then, leaving just Westerplatte and the square outside the building — the rest of the year the ECS is open on Tuesdays too. In those seven months the pair goes on a Monday instead, when the Museum of the Second World War is closed anyway, and Tuesday goes to that museum.

2 daysThe schedule that keeps both museums open:Gdańsk in 2 days →

3. The Westerplatte water tram out of season

The water tram from the Motława runs only from April to the end of November. Head down to the jetty in December or February with that boat in mind and you find an empty dock. Outside that window, bus 138 runs to Westerplatte all year round.

Getting aroundWhich transport reaches Westerplatte out of season:Getting around Gdańsk →

4. The free Tuesday ticket without a reservation

The Museum of the Second World War is free on Tuesdays, but the free tickets are limited in number and taken online or at the door — arrive in the late afternoon and you can find them gone, with the museum also closing earlier than usual that day. Reserve a ticket ahead instead, or arrive early in the morning.

BudgetHow much that saves when the ticket really is free:What Gdańsk costs →

5. A car to Sopot or Gdynia

The SKM runs every seven to ten minutes at peak, straight into the centre of both towns. A car on the same route saves no time. Both destinations work by train instead.

BeachesWhich beach is where, once you arrive by train:Beaches in Gdańsk →

Where to stayWhich area to sleep in:Where to stay in Gdańsk →

FoodWhat to eat and where:What to eat in Gdańsk →

When to goWhich month to pick:The best time to visit Gdańsk →

Hidden gemsWhat the guides skip:Gdańsk behind the façades: the crane, the tower, the fortress and the district the guides skip →