The Facade of Old Town Gdańsk

Words by Dalene Heck / Photography by Pete Heck

If cities were novels, Gdańsk’s Old Town would be a page-turner you can’t put down.

Wedged on Poland’s northern coast, this once-thriving port has seen everything from medieval merchants to shipyard strikes, and somehow it’s still managed to look like it belongs on a storybook cover. Think colourful merchant houses, cobblestone streets, and spires that seem to poke holes in the Baltic sky.

So, if you’re plotting a trip to Poland and wondering whether to make time for Gdańsk — spoiler alert: you absolutely should.

Wandering the Old Town (a.k.a. Things You Can’t Miss)

• Dlugi Targ (Long Market): This is Old Town’s catwalk, lined with pastel-hued facades and capped by the impressive Neptune Fountain. Perfect for people-watching and pretending you’re in a Renaissance painting.
  
• St. Mary’s Basilica: It’s one of the largest brick churches in the world. Climb its 400+ steps for views that will either take your breath away or make you regret skipping cardio.
  
• The Crane (Żuraw): This hulking medieval port crane is part museum, part reminder that the city’s economy once ran on muscle and pulleys.
  
• Motława River Promenade: Grab a gelato, stroll along the water, and watch the mix of old galleons and modern yachts bob side by side.
  
• European Solidarity Centre: A sleek, modern museum just outside the Old Town that dives into the rise of the Solidarity movement and how it shaped Europe. Heavy history, brilliantly told.

Where to Stay in Gdańsk’s Old Town

One of the best things about Gdańsk is that you can stay smack in the middle of Old Town without breaking the bank. Hotels and guesthouses are everywhere, and most keep the charm factor high.

Budget-Friendly

• La Guitarra Hostel: Quirky, social, and right by the river. Perfect if you’d rather spend your money on pierogi than pillows.
• Stay Inn Hotel: Affordable but stylish, with comfy rooms and a location across from St. Mary’s Basilica.

Mid-Range Sweet Spot

• PURO Gdańsk Stare Miasto: Modern, hip, and walking distance from everything. Think Netflix in your room, good coffee downstairs, and design that feels more boutique than the price tag suggests.
• Hotel Artus: Steps from Long Market, it has cozy rooms with a splash of character and great value for the location.

Splurge-Worthy

• Radisson Blu Hotel, Gdańsk: Old Town location with big, plush rooms and just the right amount of polish.
• Hotel Podewils: A boutique stay overlooking the Motława River. More intimate, with views that will make you feel like you own a ship or two.

Our Experience

There is no doubt that old town Gdańsk is pretty.

Muted hues of orange, yellow, green and more alternate on the skinny buildings. Some are adorned with elaborate casings and paintings. The clock tower anchors and dominates Dluga (Long) street, with St Mary’s Church, the largest brick church in Europe, just off to the side.

But as we wandered through Gdańsk old town, I couldn’t help but be distracted by something else.

“It’s all fake!” the lady at the tourist information office had bluntly proclaimed just minutes before our maiden walk into Old Town. “All the decoration is not real. It all sits on top of concrete Soviet buildings.”

90% of Gdańsk was destroyed in WWII (then known as the “Free City of Danzig”); in fact, the first shots of the war were fired just a few miles away from the Old Town as Germany began their invasion of Poland. Following the end of the war, much debate existed over how to reconstruct the city. Harsh anti-German sentiment wanted to rid the city of all remnants of it (leading up to the war, Germans constituted the large majority of the population), but much debate continued over how to reconstruct it. An homage to the old days, and which period? Modern architecture? Socialist realism (Soviet)?

The result? A complete mix of old and new with a variety of influences within the structures, and the old world painted right on top. And, as another traveler suggested to us: “it’s kinda Disney-ish”.

I could understand where he and the tourist office employee were coming from. Some elements to the facade are questionable, over-the-top even, and definitely don’t speak to the “old world” feel that is intended.

But ultimately, how can it? This small city, all but destroyed in a war, will never have all the elegant antiquity that other cities across Europe manifest. But that doesn’t mean it is lacking for charm – spending just five minutes in the center we were enamoured with the many talents of the variety of street performers, the clock striking on the impressive Town Hall tower, and the buzz of boats and people along the canal.

Looking beyond the outward appearance of any place should be the endeavour of any thoughtful traveler anyways. Taken at face value, and being mindful of its tragic past, Gdańsk carries considerable appeal, well beyond its curb.

Final Thoughts

Gdańsk’s Old Town is the kind of place where you can spend an entire day gawking at architecture, another day untangling its history, and yet another just lingering by the river with an ice cream in hand.

It’s compact, walkable, and brimming with atmosphere—the kind of destination that sneaks up on you and ends up being the highlight of your Poland trip.

So, bring good shoes, a decent appetite, and maybe a camera that can handle pastel overload.

Gdańsk is waiting.