Many danes will probably think that Krakow is the most exciting city in Poland to visit for a weekend. Are you one of these, they are simply mistakes. Krakow is an amazing city full of history and attractions, but can not be measured with the northern Polish port of Gdansk.
Gdansk has, in fact, something quite nice, and is much more relaxed than Krakow. In addition, it is not overrun by tourists like Krakow. If something is better than something else, of course, is a claim and depends, as a rule, is in the eye of the beholder. Someone will probably also say that the compare Krakow and Gdansk is like comparing apples and pears. They will have the right, the two cities are very different and should perhaps not be compared. Your released dare it nevertheless: Gdansk is something very special.
Gdansk is Poland’s sixth largest city, whose history goes back to the year 999. History has not always shown his nice side in Gdansk. It was precisely here that the Second world War began 1. september 1939, and at the end of the war, Gdansk more or less leveled.
the Museum of the Second world War was created in 2008 and is located in Gdansk. It is definitely worth a visit. Photo: Ota Tiefenböck
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the period under communism – also a time, which is also not exactly a dance on roses. Also here you can Gdansk, however, noted to be an important milestone in the history of the world.
It was namely in Gdansk, the first free independent trade union Solidarnosc was founded under the leadership of the electrician Lech Walesa, who, since in a period was the president of Poland. The union was later revealed to be the initial chink in the iron curtain, which at that time had divided Europe into East and West.
Both events are marked in Gdansk with big, beautiful museums, and these two museums are in themselves reason enough to visit Gdansk. Second world War museum and Solidarity museum are both located in the quite impressive and architecturally attractive buildings and uses all modern means of communication.
the Museum of the Polish trade union, Solidarnosc, which was to pave the way for the peaceful revolution in 1989 is also located in Gdansk. Photo: Ota Tiefenböck
can you simply not help but be engulfed by the story and at the same time, be wiser about these two very crucial periods in the history of Poland. Solidarnosc-the museum is even located in a nice, futuristic building, where you can risk a meeting the person, that the museum part is all about.
The now 75-year-old Lech Walesa is no longer active in politics, but has its office in the building.
You can be lucky enough to bump into Lech Walesa, when visiting the Solidarity Museum. Photo: AP/Czarek Sokolowski
historically interested and have the time, you can also take out to the peninsula of Westerplatte, where world War ii began. The peninsula is approximately 12 kilometers from the gdansk’s city centre. Depending on the season you can sail to Westerplatte, or take a local bus.
On the spot, however, there is currently not much else than each of the old bunkers, a tavleudstilling with the description of what happened here, as well as a small memorial monument.
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also lots of other sights. Even from several different architectural periods. Most of them were rebuilt after the war, when the city more or less was completely destroyed.
however, to have restored the buildings with such a respect for the historical, that most of the people will be able to see that the sights are built after 1945.
unlike in Krakow, the buildings are scattered throughout the city and not assembled in a relatively small area. This means that the interesting places are not so crowded in Gdansk as they are in Krakow. Of course, with reservations, for example, for most of gdansk’s main street or the harbour area, where there are large flocks of tourists more or less at all times of the day.
the Majority of the sights are also built in the more nordic, the German style instead of the Kraków central european and Italian-inspired buildings. It is probably wrong to use the word ’self-important’ about the sights, but compared to Kraków’s sights, seems these nevertheless such.
the Sights of Gdansk is more sinister and has a more down-to-earth charisma. Without to gdansk’s sightseeing of the reason is less valuable or attractive. On the contrary. For example, is st. mary’s basilica in Gdansk, one of Europe’s largest churches.
A so-called conversion (exchange) of the amount in Polish zloty, paid by credit card for their own currency, ie. Danish kroner, is enormously widespread in Poland.
Select never exchange, pay always in Polish zloty. By the exchange provides the banks the exchange rate, and this will always be much higher than the National rate assigned to individual percentages, depending on which card you have.
Restaurants and shops all over the Poland will use this way to score a little extra money. Press ’Nie’ on pengeautomaten. Subsequently, the amount forward in the Polish zloty.
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in Gdansk can also be experienced at the city’s restaurants and cafes. Also they seem far more genuine and less directed towards tourists than restaurants and cafes in Krakow. The restaurants in Gdansk, will also often be cheaper than the restaurants in Krakow, where prices gradually begin to approach the Danish level.
In Gdansk you can avoid addition, for large pandas and other weird street vendors of everything between heaven and earth, as well as drunken englishmen, which often take on drunken trips to Krakow.
A weekend trip to Gdansk is therefore nowhere near as hectic as in Krakow and provides a better opportunity to concentrate on the city itself. Have you been convinced that the next time you are going on a weekend trip to Poland, that you must choose Gdansk over Krakow?
It is easy to get to Gdansk from both Zealand and Jutland. Several airlines fly directly between Denmark and Gdansk. SAS, Norwegian and Ryanair all fly from Copenhagen, while WizzAir flies from London. WizzAir flies in addition to Gdansk from Malmo.The big competition, of course, means low prices. Check out all the companies ‘ websites. It is easy to get to/from Gdansk airport. There are both trains and several bus lines, which run to the city centre.Big competition also applies to the hotels in Gdansk, which depending on the season can be obtained at quite low prices. Always select hotel in the city central part.
