What was only a humble Kaszubian fishing village less than 100 years ago, has since become one of Poland’s economic miracles. The rapid rise of Gdynia has resulted in a massive shipyard, a proud maritime university, and a number of huge office buildings. Whilst builders could hardly keep up with the demand for housing and commercial space during these years, they were kind enough to take the time to create some stunning parks and unique cultural gems at the same time. While Sopot may have an edge on Gdynia in the cultural sphere right now, many Poles feel that Gdynia is where the future lies. Its world famous film festival and open air music festivals attract the biggest names and it has a refreshing lack of the snobbery often experienced in Sopot’s artistic hangouts.
Any trip to Gdynia should take you to the heart of the action, so make sure to spend some time on the bustling Kościuszki Square, where outdoor art galleries and cool sculptures are part of the landscape. From there, you can take a walk along the South Pier, savouring the salty ocean air and taking a look at Gdynia’s tribute to Joseph Conrad, one of Poland’s greatest writers and author of ‘The Heart of Darkness’ and a number of other spectacular nautical novels.
Whilst in Gdynia, also look out for the ‘ORP Lightning’ and the ‘Dar Pomorza,’ two famous vessels that call Gdynia home. The ‘ORP Lightning’ was a Polish battleship which fought in the Second World War, while the ‘Dar Pomorza’ is a spectacular tall ship from years past. Both have museums aboard where you can learn all there is to know about Gdynia’s maritime history and the exciting lives of these proud ships.
Gdynia is included in our Tri City Tour
