GREAT break
For more great holiday ideas, see page 39
and steel. The excellent exhibition here tells the story of Solidarity. There is a tremendous view from the roof. Tickets cost £4.20. See ecs.gda.pl.
Sandy fun Sopot
Twenty minutes north by frequent commuter train – and less frequent boat – is the beach resort of Sopot. It is a destination in itself, with a beachfront casino and grand hotel, a long pier and extensive sandy beaches that are backed by bars and restaurants.
Monte Cassino, the pedestrianised main drag from the railway station, is famous for its boutiques and ice-cream parlours. And you can see the crooked building – inspired by fairy tales. The whole place gets very busy on summer weekends,
o particularly pa with families. The sea here is shallow, safe, sa warm and pretty clear, and there is a buzzy nightlife ni scene.
Beer B and potatoes Eating Eat and drinking
Gdansk Gdan is stuffed with all manner of places to eat, with most m menus featuring dumplings, goulash, beetroot b t soup, sausages and sauerkraut, pork cutlets and potato pancakes.
Fish dishes are plentiful here. The local version of bouillabaisse is worth a try. But specialist fish restaurants are generally a bit pricier. Try Fishmarkt, Targ Rybny 6C. The bargain places are the “milk bars” – self-service restaurants where you can get dinner for £5 or a full breakfast for £3.
Try Bar Mleczny, Stagiewna 15, just across the bridge on the island, or Bar Familijny Kos,
Tkacka 21-26, up by the Golden Gate.
For a good honest waiter-served meal, Dominiskanska, Garbary 2/4, also by the Golden Gate, is a safe bet. This is a beer destination and there are a lot of brew-pubs all over. But for the best pint in town go across the river to the Hotel Gdansk, which has its own brewery. Snack on their sausages too. See hotelgdansk.com.pl.
Bargain find Flying and staying
Between them, Ryanair, from Stansted, and Wizzair, from Luton, offer frequent and inexpensive flights, from around £65 return.
Hotels are generally good value too. Try the newly built Fahrenheit, which has doubles from £68. See fahrenheit.pl.
For family groups, downtown apartments are particularly popular, and surprisingly sophisticated – check out see airbnb.co.uk.
For further information, see the Gdansk tourist board website at visitgdansk.com.