We are considering taking the RS Best of Poland tour next April? This will be our 10th Rick Steves Tour. We now like to come four or five days early and usually go somewhere else before going to the first tour hotel the day before the tour starts. I would love to have some suggestions about places that might be fun to experience for three or four nights? Sopot, Tel Peninsula, and Gdynia have all been suggested and all are accessible by train. I am more inclined to do something that doesn't require renting a car, but I am not totally opposed to that if it makes sense? Any suggestions out there?
Thanks,
Sders
Posted by
Sweden + Barcelona
4304 posts
I think if you want to say in Gdansk those 4-5 days you can easily do Gdynia + Sopot as a day trip, not too much to do outside of the beach area, if you are going in April the weather might also be iffy. I think you can take a ferry to the Hel peninsula from Gdansk too, that could be its own half day trip.
If you are looking for a bit more off the beaten path you could explore the Masurian Lakes District for 4-5 days, about 2 hrs southeast of Gdansk. This area is the heartland of the former Teutonic Knight crusader state. There are 1000s lakes, doted with medieval castles, "gingerbread" towns, and picturesque water ways that you can use a canoe to explore. Good base towns would be Olsztyn or Elk. I explored this area by car but it might be doable with train/bus.
You can read more about the area here - https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2019/jul/02/poland-lake-district-rivers-canoe-kayak-cycling
Posted by
Lexington, KY (formerly Southeast US)
4629 posts
I definitely think you could fill your time in Gdansk with things such as the WWII Museum, general wandering, Sopot/Gdynia, Hel Peninsula, etc.
I do rather like Carlos' suggestion, though. Olsztyn is an interesting town in and of itself. Originally the German/Prussian town of Allenstein, its old town has old Prussian architecture with little Polish figures nailed onto the facades by the Communists to make it feel more Polish after if changed hands with the shifting of Poland's borders west after WWII.
Elk would get you even deeper into the lake district. Either town could serve as a base for a trip to Wolf's Lair, if you have interest in WWII history. I took this private tour from Olsztyn: https://www.polandtraveltours.com/en/city-breaks/olsztyntours/olsztyn-wolfs-lair-mamerki-bunkers-tour/. It was awesome, but WWII is one of my biggest interests!
Posted by
OP
38 posts
Thank you, Dave and Carlos. Many opportunities to consider.
Sders
Posted by
Upstate New York
142 posts
Another possibility to consider would be a visit to Wroclaw. It’s a fascinating city. I spent four days there this past summer, after the conclusion of the RS Poland. It’s a moderate sized city. Something of a college town, so it is rather lively, a positive in my eyes. Interesting architecture, historical buildings and the like. Many eating venues, at various price range and cuisine, from the formal to the very relaxed. Easily reached by Poland’s excellent and extensive train routes. You should be able to travel from Wroclaw to Gdansk without any problem. Wroclaw also has an international airport, so I think you’d be able to fly into Wroclaw from some of the major European airports (e.g. Frankfurt Rt, Munich, etc.) and then travel by train up to Gdansk.
I visited at the end of the RS tour, as I mentioned, and went up to Wroclaw by train. I stayed at the ART Hotel, just a block or so from the historic town center. Very nice hotel, moderately priced, fine breakfast. I would recommend it highly.
JimD