Gdańsk - practical information

All you need to know about Gdańsk.

Time

In Gdańsk, the time is GMT+1 in the winter, and GMT+2 in the summer.

Food and drink

Since you are by the seaside, be seduced by the fish in the Targ Rybny Restaurant (ul. Targ Rybny 6C), and you certainly won't regret it. If you want to eat quickly and less elegantly, go to the bistro Kawalerka (ul. Piwna 61/63), where you can eat a light lunch or a sweet snack. Further from the centre you can find rich and tasty food at Karczma Zagroda (ul. Niepodległości 625), and cheaper fare at the Syrena milk bar (ul. Grunwaldzka 71/73). Of course, while walking the streets of Gdańsk, you will also come across many chain restaurants.

Typical Polish dishes include bigos - which originally came from Lithuania - and pierogi (dumplings) authentic in Russia, Belarus, Ukraine and Poland, buckwheat with crackling - also appearing in the above countries, sauerkraut and pickled cucumber - also occurring in all Slavic countries, red borscht with dumplings - a variant adapted from Lithuanian cuisine, white borscht (also called zalewajką) and zurek - all occurring in northern Slavic countries, cabbage soup, pea soup, tripe soup (flaczki), chicken soup (rosół), mushroom soup, Czernin soup, kutia, Easter cake - originally made in Lithuania and Belarus, makówki poppy seed dessert, and honey - however honey was already being produced in ancient Greece.

Dishes of a higher pedigree, often similar to German and French cuisine, however are now very characteristic of Polish cuisine and are eaten throughout the country:

'schabowy' - a German Schweineschnitzel, steak - from France, the art of meat with sauce - boiled beef served in horseradish sauce, German Tellerfleisch or Tafelspitz, mashed potatoes - also from France, boiled potatoes, 'mizeria' cucumber salad - from France, 'golonka' pork knuckle - Also popular in Germany where it is called Schweinehaxe, sausage - originally comes from Germany, but there are a lot of Polish varieties - such as Silesian, hunters', Krakow ('krakowska'), and black pudding ('kaszanka'), pancakes - probably a Slavik-wide dish but also adapted from Austrian cuisine, gingerbread - with dough from Hanseatic cities, including Gdańsk and Torun.

Climate

The temperature and precipitation in the Gdańsk area is affected by the maritime climate. It is characterized by a smaller temperature difference between day and night in the summer and winter, and is warmer in the autumn than the spring. The weather in Gdańsk is affected by the wind blowing in from the Baltic Sea. In the summer the temperature hovers around 20°C and in the winter around 0 °C.

A City for Children

After visiting the cathedral in Oliwa for an organ recital, you can head with solace for a walk in the nearby park. After walking along the paths, and feeding the ducks in the park you can visit the Abbot Granary, in which the Ethnographic Museum is located. You can also go by bus to the nearby zoo. It is open all year from 9.00 to 15.00, and in summer until 19.00. Prices: adults 15 zł, concessions 7,50 zł.

You could go to Hel by water tram and visit the Seal Centre located there. After a short walk from the Marine Station, you reach the seaside boulevard. The Institute deals with the conservation of the grey seal population, once numerously occurring in the southern Baltic, yet now threatened with extinction because of human activity. The Seal Centre is open daily throughout the year and the opening hours are dependent on the season. The ticket price is 2 zł.

Of course you can also take your child to a children's play centre, such as the one at the Auchan shopping centre on ul. Szczęśliwa, or the playground at the Morena mall at ul. Schuberta 102 A

Holidays and days off

On holidays and public holidays all shops are closed. On some holidays restaurants, museums, theatres and cinemas do not operate. The holiday season in Poland is in July and August, when most of the theatres are closed. In season the theatres are closed on Mondays. Regarding shops, only large shopping malls and supermarkets are open on Sundays.

Holidays, during which all stores are closed:

1.01 - New Year

6.01 - Epiphany

Easter (Sunday, date varies yearly)

Easter Monday (date varies yearly)

1.05 (Labour Day)

3.05 - (national holiday)

Whitsun (Sunday, date varies yearly)

Corpus Christi (Thursday, date varies yearly)

15.08 - Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Our Lady of Assumption)

1.11 - All Saints

11.11 - National Independence Day

25.12 - Christmas

26.12 - the second day of Christmas

Shopping

In Gdańsk, as in many Polish cities, there are many shopping centres and malls which are open from early morning to late evening seven days a week. If you want to go shopping, go to the Galeria Bałtycka (al Grunwaldzka 141). The opening hours are: Mon.-Sat. 9.00-21.00, Sun. 10.00-20.00. For the Madison Shopping Centre (ul. Rajska 10) the opening hours are: Mon.-Sat. 9.00-21.00, Sun. 10.00-20.00. Apart from Gdańsk, you can visit the Klif Shopping Centre which is located in Gdynia (al. Zwycięstwa 256). The opening hours are: Mon.-Sat. 9.00-21.00, Sun. 10.00-20.00. In addition, whilst walking through the Old Town, you can encounter many quaint gift and antique shops.