As I wrote before, my friends regularly ask me what to visit in Gdańsk. Often, however, when I start talking about the Old Town, the Crane, Neptune, etc., I hear loud "Gajdek boredom, boredom". You must know that nothing offends me more than the term bore. So I have prepared a set of attractions for those, who do not like crowds on Długa Street, have photographed St. Mary's Basilica from all sides or simply prefer alternative forms of sightseeing. I am lucky that I know a lot of Gdansk enthusiasts, including one famous artist (you have these acquaintances) and they helped me create this list of attractions. So let's get to the point - here is a Gajdek's list of recommendations for an original visit to Neptune's castle. The order is absolutely random, each place has its own atmosphere. I invite you to read.
Gdansk Cranes
You could say that this is an attraction with a social mandate. In a survey conducted by President Paweł Adamowicz, 97% of Gdańsk residents said, that cranes that were in danger of being demolished should become a permanent element of the city's landscape. The first crane appeared in Gdańsk in 1914, it worked until 1945, when the Red Army removed it in pieces from Poland. The greatest number of cranes came to Poland in the 1970s and today there are about 110 of them in the shipyard area. The best place to see them is Góra Gradowa, necessarily at sunrise or sunset. I believe that soon this attraction will have the status of the Polish Eiffel Tower, especially since the city authorities have announced the installation of illumination and the organization of a viewpoint on one of the cranes. Definitely different way to approach a shipyard. One thing you can be sure of, although I like to look at the cranes, I will rather not climb any of them. Think - since people can get dizzy there what to do for a dwarf. But You? Climb up and take a good photo for me, leave it in a comment!
100cznia and Elektryków Street
This place is gaining popularity among Gdansk residents every year. It is also directly related to the cranes I mentioned earlier. It is here, that you can see them from a close distance, and in their shade you can drink a beer and eat something tasty. Thousands of people come here every weekend not for the cranes, including me. The main motivation is the possibility of tapping the foot to fashionable sounds and meeting with friends. This place is also worth visiting, when you are less entertained. Street food from many regions of the world awaits you here, but something else is probably more important. The areas of electricians street formerly belonged to the Gdańsk Shipyard. It is worth seeing, how the current party heart of the city fits into this historic place. I must admit, that the Gdańsk authorities took great care to maintain the industrial character of these areas.
Murals in Zaspa
Zaspa is one hundred percent not a district from the front pages of tourist guides. The inhabitants of Gdańsk perceive largely as a cluster of blocks of flats and the so-called night shelter. However, I like its atmosphere, and most of all the murals, which more and more appear on the facades of blocks of flats. I am a fan of street art and I hope that some graphics with a dwarf will finally appear. Currently, there are 59 murals in Zaspa, the first of which were created in 1997. The drawings are devoted to various topics, from the history of Poland, for example those with Lech Wałęsa or Squadron 303 to the globalization of "San" by Shai Dahan. I will not charm you - and I could - the level of graphics varies, but it's probably best if you go for a walk yourself and form your own opinion. You are afraid, that you will get hungry (I am always afraid), there are many nice and affordable pubs in Zaspa, but I will talk about them in another post.
University of Technology
The university as an attraction? Exactly so, especially when you have a guide, who knows everything about the place. I know one and at the end of this post I will give you the information. You can easily pass them on, because we gnomes believe that good must be shared. The oldest buildings of the polytechnic come from 1904 and since then they have always served one purpose - educating people (we dwarfs are born wise and we do not need schools so much), even World War II did not change that. The university in Gdańsk is one of the most beautiful in the world among those established at the beginning of the 20th century. When you go for a walk in its vicinity and gaze at the details adorning the walls of the buildings, you will quickly understand why this is so.
Amber Stadion
Currently known as Polsat Plus Arena, but sponsors come and go and I stick to the original name (I'm a very sentimental gnome) that best reflects the beauty of the facility. From the very beginning, the goal was for the stadium, with nearly 42,000 seats, to resemble the greatest treasure of Pomerania, i.e. amber. In my opinion, it is the most beautiful stadium in the world, that you must visit, even if you are not a football fan. Inside, many attractions for the whole family await us, incl. laser shooting range or go-kart track. For those who would like to know the history of the most famous club from Gdańsk - there is the Lechia museum on site.
'Falowiec'
The most famous block from Gdańsk is located in Przymorze. A total contradiction of logic, it was supposed to be 25 years old, and soon it will turn 50 (construction was completed in 1973), it is officially inhabited by 5,000 people, in practice much more because it is one of the most popular places among students, when it comes to renting. There are three bus stops along the building, and the block itself serves 4 postmen. It owes its name to the fact, that it is not straight but wavy. There exists only one residential building in Europe longer than this one. Very often it is around Falowiec that we dwarfs organize our equivalent of a marathon. Falowiec is very well located, about a 15-minute walk separates it from the sea beach, to which we have to cross the park to get to.
Wajdeloty Street
Not so famous as Long or Mariacka Street, but take my word for it, it has its own atmosphere. Until quite recently, it would not have been included in my list, unless I made a list of places, where it is easiest to lose your wallet. However, after the city decided to restore it in 2013, we can see a new, better face of the place. Why is it worth visiting Wajdeloty? There are many reasons for this, e.g. pubs scattered along the street, the opportunity to see, what this part of Gdańsk looked like before the Second World War, and this is where the oldest confectionery in Gdańsk, Paradowski, is located (I wouldn't recommend it).
'Biskupia Górka'
In the Gajdek's ranking, it is here that the best viewpoint in the city center is found. Although the facades of the buildings are not encouraging (the area is still before the planned renovation), I recommend a walk to the bishop's church. The place has a very interesting history, suffice it to say that it is one of the few places in Poland, where the king of England stayed overnight. The first cable car in the world was also built here. However, when I take my friends to this area, the biggest impression on them is ... Neptune. Yes, nothing was wrong for me, on the bishop's hill you can find a statue of Neptune, probably a relative of the famous one from Długa Street. It's not easy to get to him, but the greater the satisfaction, when you get there.
'Brzeźno'
A district named after a place where a lot of birches grew. In its beginnings (14th century) it was a fishing village belonging to the Cistercian order. In 1803, the first spa house on the Bay of Gdansk was built here. After the Second World War, the district lost its value and for many years became a synonym of a region where it is better not to go in the evening. Nowadays, the place is once again a tourist attraction, largely due to the pier which is gaining popularity. I myself often take my friends here from outside Gdańsk and many of them think that the pier in Brzeźno is more fun than the one in Sopot. Today, more than 11,000 inhabitants live here, and modern apartment buildings are being built at every turn. As I wrote, however, I am sentimental and while in Brzeźno, I always go for a walk in the footsteps of 19th century villas, a few of which are still here. It is also worth extending your walk and wandering to the neighboring district of Nowy Port. Why don't You take a little trip?
This is how the Gajdek list of alternative places in Gdansk looks like. Please let me know if you would add anything, or maybe some selections are wrong? My ranking would not be created, if it were not for my friends, guides, enthusiasts of Gdańsk. You can go with them at any time to get to know less obvious attractions of Gdańsk. All thanks to their routes available in the guideU app and City Guides app (here - for free).
A walk around the Gdańsk University of Technology with Kasia Michałowska - learn about the history of the university, people associated with it and, above all, details that you would not have noticed had it not been for Katarzyna's story. The author is a graduate of the polytechnic, and the passion with which she talks about her indicates, that she remembers the time spent there very well. The route is available in free app - City Guides.
Unusual murals of Gdańsk - the selection of 10 murals, that can be found in Gdańsk Zaspa made by Ula and the stories she told will make your walk around this district pleasant. Link to the route https://guideu.page.link/gDwb
Stocznia Centrum Gdańsk - Krzysztof Skiba, a well-known artist, but most of all a Gdańsk resident, will take you on a journey through the grounds of the former Gdańsk Shipyard, which are currently the most "trendy" meeting place for young people from Gdańsk. The route is available in free app - City Guides.
Gdańsk as an alternative - Maciek, a citizen of Gdańsk by choice, will tell you, often with a grain of salt, about places that are not always included in guides, even though they have an interesting history. This route is also avalable in free City Guides app.
A story about Brzeźno in Gdańsk - Tadeusz, a graduate of Gedan Studies, but most of all a person, who has lived in Brzeźno for over 25 years, tells about the district he loves with his first love and places you won't hear anywhere else. Link to the route https://guideu.page.link/Zk8q
PS. Visiting these interesting places made you hungry? Check where you can eat tasty food in Gdańsk: https://en.guideu.pl/post/where-to-eat-in-gdansk-gajdkowy-top10 or have a drink https://en.guideu.pl/post/where-to-go-out-for-a-drink-in-gdansk -in Gdansk .
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