Get lost in Gdańsk

The city is located on the southern side of Gdansk Bay, in a conurbation with the city of Gdynia, the resort town of Sopot, and suburban villages; together comprise the Tricity (Trójmiasto), which has a population of around 1.5 million people. Gdansk is located near the mouth of the Motawa River, which links to the Leniwka, a branch of the Vistula River delta that drains 60% of Poland and connects Gdansk to the Polish capital, Warsaw.

It isn't easy to imagine a more beautiful harbor than Gdansk on the Baltic. The charming alleyways of Old Town and the gorgeous gardens of Malbork Castle are reason enough to travel north, but the aesthetics are only the beginning. Gdansk thrived in the Middle Ages as a trading connection between the interior and the rest of the world. It has also played a significant part in recent history, acting as a vital symbol of resistance both to the Germans in 1939 and to the Soviets in 1980. A visit to the Museum of WWII and the interactive European Solidarity Centre will give excellent portrayals of these pivotal events from a local viewpoint.