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GDAŃSK – a city with over 1000 years of history and tradition, for many centuries the largest
port on the Baltic and one of the wealthiest and most beautiful cities in northern
Europe. The city lies on the southern edge of Gdansk Bay, in conurbation with the city of
Gdynia, spa town of Sopot and suburban communities, which together form a metropolitan
area called Tricity / Trojmiasto /. Gdansk has been the hometown of Hevelius, Fahrenheit,
Schopenhauer, Grass and Walesa. In more recent times it is the place, where the first shoots
of World War II were fired. The city was also the birthplace of the Solidarity movement which
under the leadership of Lech Walesa, played a major role in bringing an end to communist
rule across central Europe. Nowadays, Gdansk is known as 'the Amber City' with highly specialised
local artists and craftsmen.





Arrival in Gdansk, transfer from the L.Walesa Airport

to hotel. In the afternoon – a guided walking tour
through the Old Town, a fascinating network of narrow
streets and Gothic and Renaissance buildings. You will
see the landmarks of the city, such the Crane from the
15th century, the medieval Town Hall, the Artus Court, a
magnificent 14th century guildhall / interior visit / and the
famous Neptune Fountain. Continuing with a visit to the
St. Mary's Basilica, the largest brick church in the world,
and a walk along charming Mariacka Street, which, with its
narrow and lavishly decorated facades of town houses, is
a great example of Hanseatic architecture. Nowadays the
street is dominated by jewellery workshops and galleries
selling unique amber goods.

After breakfast we make our way to Oliwa, nowadays
a suburb of Gdansk. The partly preserved monastery
complex with Gothic Cathedral and 13-hectare park is one
of the city's major sights. On our way to Oliwa, a short
photo stop will be made at the Monument to the Fallen
Shipyard Workes, near the historic shipyard, where you
will have the oportunity to hear the story of the Solidarity
movement.
The archcathedral in Oliwa is a three-nave basilica and is
107 m long, which makes it the longest Cisterian church in
the world. It holds works of art in Renaissance, Baroque,
Rococo and Classical style of great artistic value.
After a short drive we stop our coach in Sopot – a major
health-spa and tourist resort with beatiful beach, over 500 m
long pier and racing track. In the season Sopot offers to
visitors numerous attractions including the International
Song Festival, sailing regattas in the Bay of Gdansk, tennis
tournaments and horse races. Upper Sopot is a wealthy
suburb of entrepreneurs, architects and artists. Here, and
in other residential areas of Sopot, many of the houses
have a touch of Art Nouveau style.
We continue our sightseeing in Gdynia, which was originally
a small Kashubian village. In the mid-1920-s Polish authorities
decided on a massive port-building programme,
which transformed Gdynia into a bustling harbour, which
by 1937 boasted the largest volume of naval traffic in the
Baltic region. In the harbour we can admire two anchored
museum ships, the 'ORP Blyskawica' destroyer and the
'Dar Pomorza' fregate.

After breakfast time at leisure till transfer to the
'L.Walesa - Airport'.