Gdynia: attractions, restaurants, itineraries

Gdynia

In this city in northern Poland, the sea never lets its guests go. After the "engagement with the sea" in Poland in 1920, the port city of Gdynia emerged in place of a fishing village. Ambitious, daring, and industrious, Gdynia is a concrete ode to modernism and the sea; the buildings on the port streets resemble ships with portholes and crow's nests.

The main attractions of Gdynia are related to the sea. At the top of Gdynia's sightseeing programs are two museum ships: the frigate Dar Pomorza and the only surviving ship from the anti-Hitler coalition that fought from the first to the last day of World War II - ORP Błyskawica. The Maritime Museum building houses the unique Museum of Polish Emigration with an archive, a genealogy school, and a model of the ship "Batory."

Sweet tooths will be delighted by Gdynia's signature street food: waffle cones with cream; the treat is sold in miniature wooden booths. The best restaurants and cafes on Gdynia's Seaside Boulevard offer the catch of the day with a view of the Baltic Sea. For the most famous "Gdynian" pizza, you'll have to queue on Swietojanska Street, the main shopping hub of Gdynia.

The vibrant nightlife of Gdynia is strongly associated by city guests with the bars and clubs of Monciak. For one summer week, quiet Gdynia turns into the main concert venue of the Baltic coast, with the stages of the musical Open'er Festival bursting with sound and light. The unpredictable Baltic weather has introduced a special dress code for attendees: no one goes to concerts without rubber boots.

The most famous leisure activities in Gdynia are related to relaxation by the sea and in the forest. The entire city area is part of a National Landscape Park, and the city is surrounded by greenery. In summer, head to the wide sandy beach south of Gdynia's main piers for a swim. From the height of the Orłowski Cliff, admire the outlines of ships on the horizon. From a boat, it's easiest to view the Torpedownia - the ruins of the German torpedo plant.

From central Poland, it's easy to reach Gdynia via the E75 and E77 highways, and trains run regularly. From Gdynia, ferries can take you to Rostock and the Finnish port of Karlskrona.

Gdynia, Poland

Gdynia