Visiting Gdańsk with children - a walk with legends
Nearby: Gdańskstroller Route for stroller (small wheels)
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A short walk around Gdańsk, a sightseeing route where we will 'check off' all the most famous attractions and 'must-see' points, and along the way, we will learn a few Gdańsk stories and urban legends.
The Royal Route: Upland Gate, Golden Gate and Long Street
We start our walk in Gdańsk by going through the main route to the city. This is where kings and other more or less distinguished guests entered Gdańsk.
At the Upland Gate, the king received the keys to the city, we can receive many necessary materials - this is where the city tourist information kiosk is located. It's also worth looking at the city's coat of arms on the gate. What elements does it consist of? Try to remember them, this knowledge will be useful later in the walk!
After the Upland Gate, we pass the Torture House with the Prison Tower. Once it housed the Amber Museum, today a new exhibition is being prepared. Did you know that the hero of one of the Gdańsk legends was imprisoned here?
Legend of the Beautiful Madonna from Gdansk
The Beautiful Madonna is a Gothic statue that you can see in one of the side chapels of St. Mary's Basilica in Gdansk ...
After the Torture House, we pass through the Golden Gate to Long Street. This is one of the most famous and representative streets of the old town of Gdańsk, the "Main Town".
Long Market, Town Hall, Neptune's Fountain and Arthur's Court
Walking down Long Street, we will reach the Long Market, the main square of the city, the "Gdańsk market". It's definitely worth stopping here for a while! What is worth seeing in the Gdańsk market? What stories are associated with this place?
Main Town Hall
First, let's stop at the town hall. If you want, you can (for a fee) go inside, visit the museum (representative halls, exhibition about the history of the town hall) and climb the town hall tower (about 200 steps). It's one of the most popular viewpoints in the old town.
Also, pay attention to the ornate portal leading to the Town Hall and look at the city's coat of arms carved on it. Does it look the same as the one on the Upland Gate? Are you curious why one of the lions has its head turned around? Learn the story of the lions from the Gdańsk town hall!
Herb Gdańska - historia i legenda o lwach z ratusza
Jaka jest historia herbu Gdańska? Skąd się wzięły gdańskie lwy? Dlaczego lwy patrzą się na siebie, a czasami nie? ...
While at the Long Market in Gdańsk, it's worth waiting for the full hour. You can then hear the melody struck by the carillon, an instrument made of 37 bells, located on the town hall tower.
Neptune's Fountain
The next mandatory point on Gdańsk's Long Market is a visit to the king of the seas, Neptune. The fountain adorned with his statue is one of the symbols of the city. You will find it right next to the town hall, in front of the representative building of Arthur's Court (there is also a museum here, we can visit the representative halls of the merchant guilds).
Several interesting stories and legends are associated with the fountain itself:
Neptune in Gdansk - history, legends and trivia
The Neptune Fountain in Gdansk is one of the city's symbols. There are many legends and stories revolving around it. ...
When we stop under Neptune's Fountain, let's look for another trace of another urban legend. Can you find the "maid from the window" on one of the tenement houses?
The Maiden from the Window - the legend of Deotyma
Did you know that the famous maiden is actually from a window in Gdansk? ...
Motława Embankment, Crane and Granary Island
From the Long Market, we go out to the Motława embankment. The city's wealth and its inhabitants came from here: ships with goods, which Gdańsk merchants traded, sailed into the Motława. They used a large port crane, called a crane, for transshipment (a new exhibition will soon be opened here). Did you know that it is over 500 years old and was the largest port crane in medieval Europe?
Goods transported by ships were stored in special warehouses, called granaries. Most of them were located on Granary Island. Do you feel like another Gdańsk legend?
Legenda o skrzypku z Wyspy Spichrzów w Gdańsku
Gdańsk - legenda o skrzypku z Wyspy Spichrzów ...
Motława Embankment - attractions for children
During a walk along the Motława, numerous attractions await us. Children will surely like the "moving bridges" to the Gdańsk islands, i.e. the revolving footbridge to Granary Island and the lifting footbridge to Ołowianka.
In addition, we can see the legendary "Goldwasser" (Long Embankment 22), go for a ride on a water tram (or another ship), visit the Sołdek museum ship and the National Maritime Museum, or look at the city from above from the large AmberSky Ferris wheel.
Mariacka Street, St. Mary's Basilica and the highest viewpoint
The last stage of our walk is a return from the embankment to the streets of the Main Town. This time we suggest entering through the Mariacka Gate to the secluded, charming Mariacka Street.
Perhaps it is not as representative as Long Street, but it has its unique atmosphere. It is known for numerous shops with amber products, but also for preserved Gdańsk stoops:
The 'Przedproża' of Gdansk
The 'przedproża' are typical elements of Gdansk's townhouses... ...
St. Mary's Basilica and the viewpoint
Walking down Mariacka Street, we will reach the largest temple of the Main Town in Gdańsk: St. Mary's Basilica. Did you know that it is also the largest brick Gothic church in the world?
It's worth going inside to see the beautiful vaults, an extraordinary astronomical clock, a beautiful medieval Madonna from the legend (known from passing the former Torture House), and while admiring the copy of "The Last Judgment" by H. Memling hear the story of how the painting came to Gdańsk.
We have collected everything you need to know about St. Mary's Basilica in Gdańsk here:
St. Mary's Basilica in Gdańsk - viewing tower and tour
Visiting St. Mary's Basilica and admiring the city panorama from the terrace on the viewing tower is one of the must-see points during a walk around the old town of Gdańsk. ...
...and finally, of course, go up to the highest viewpoint! Did you know that a Kashubian giant Stolem once visited it? From here you will see all of Gdańsk and all the places visited during the walk "at a glance"!
What else is worth seeing with children in Gdańsk?
On the route of our walk, we managed to fit the most important places around the Long Market and the Main Town in Gdańsk and as many as 7 urban legends and stories. Of course, there are many more places worth visiting in Gdańsk with children!
We especially recommend:
The very child-friendly new Amber Museum:
Amber Museum in Gdańsk
The Amber Museum in the old Great Mill in Gdańsk is a real treasure trove of Baltic gold. It houses one of the largest amber collections in the world, along with a wealth of information about its formation, uses, and lots of interesting facts! ...
A place full of "live knowledge", for those who love good fun and discovering the secrets of the world through their experience:
Hewelianum. Science and fun center!
Visiting Hewelianum...is definitely a must-do during a family trip to Gdańsk! A center of science, education ...
And for history lovers (and not only):
Visiting Westerplatte
Westerplatte is one of the most important places in Polish history. It's worth visiting with the whole family: take a peek into the preserved Guardhouse No. 1 (a branch of the Gdańsk Museum), and take a walk in the forest that remembers the tragic events of September 1939. ...
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More in the Region Trójmiasto (Tricity)
