Gdansk and Wroclaw are two of the biggest and most picturesque cities in Poland. Gdansk has been a major port city for centuries and has many landmarks found in and around the city. Wroclaw is known for its beautiful old town and universities. If you are trying to decide between Gdansk or Wroclaw, here is the ultimate guide to help you decide which city you should visit.
Table of Contents
Gdansk or Wroclaw Overview
Gdansk
Gdansk is the main port city and has the fourth largest metro area in Poland. For centuries, Gdansk was considered to be the wealthiest city in Poland as well as the largest for many years. It has also been fought over throughout its history by Poland, Germany, and Prussia.
The city is known for its historic architecture in the old town and its stunning waterfront areas. Gdansk is also home to the largest brick church in the world. Gdansk was the first major city attacked in 1939, starting WW2.
Wroclaw
Wroclaw is the 4th largest city in Poland with 642,000 people living here. Like many Polish cities, Wroclaw was heavily damaged during WW2 but rebuilt and reconstructed its landmarks at an incredible pace following the war. Wroclaw is also another city with many institutions of higher education with over 130,000 university students in the city.
The University of Wroclaw is known for having 9 alumni that were Nobel Prize laureates. In 2016, Wroclaw won the award of the European Capital of Culture and in 2018 was awarded the European Best Destination title.
Places to See
Gdansk
St. Mary’s Church is considered to be one of the largest, if not the largest, brick churches in the world. It opened in 1502 and has served as a Catholic and Lutheran church.
Gdansk Town Hall is one of the most iconic parts of the city, sitting in the middle of the old town and at the end of the Long Market.
The Gdansk Crane is a reminder of the city’s long history of trading and being a seaport.
Wisłoujście Fortress was a sea-side stronghold used to defend the city and for some parts of its life was just a lighthouse.
The Golden Gate is one of the most popular places to see in Gdansk.
Wroclaw
Wroclaw Market Square in the middle of the Old Town and is the most famous tourist area in the city.
Town Hall began construction in the 13th century and is one of the most iconic buildings in the city.
Cathedral Island is an area that used to be an island and is the oldest part of the city.
Centennial Hall is a UNESCO World Heritage Site used mainly used for sporting events recently.
Wroclaw University is one of the most prestigious universities in Poland and produced 9 Nobel prize laureates.
Food
Gdansk
Traditional Polish foods can be found just about anywhere in Gdansk. Pierogi, Rosol, and Golabki are some of the traditional Polish cuisines you could try when you are here. There are multiple Milk Bars found throughout Gdansk. If you don’t know about milk bars in Poland, they are places that serve cheap dishes (typically Polish foods) to large amounts of people. Danziger Goldwasser is a liquor that originated in Gdansk and it has little pieces of gold floating around in the liquor.
Wroclaw
Placki ziemniaczane, or potato pancakes, is very popular in Poland. It is typically served with some sort of topping, from cottage cheese and sour cream to apple sauce. Of course, pierogi is a good option anywhere you go in Poland so it wouldn’t be a bad idea in Wroclaw! Golabki is a dish consisting of boiled cabbage leaves, wrapped around minced beef or pork. If you want to try something sweet, you should find some Pączki which are basically the equivalent of a donut in Poland.
Getting Around
Gdansk
The center of Gdansk is very walkable but if you want to go to the coast to other attractions outside of the Main Center, you will want to look into public transport. Gdansk has a public transportation network made up of trams, trolleys, and buses. Getting from Gdansk to Sopot or Gdynia is also very easy to do by utilizing the metro area’s public transport.
During the summer months, water trams and ferries are a fun way to get from place to place and to just explore the city from the water. You might want to invest in one of the Gdansk Tourist Cards. There are a few different options for the Gdansk card including the family, sighting-seeing, and active packages. Uber is also available here.
Wroclaw
Wroclaw has a very walkable city center so you should definitely take your time and explore the beautiful area. You might not even need to use public transport if you don’t plan on leaving the center of the city. If you plan on visiting the Wroclaw Zoo or Centennial Hall, you will want to take public transportation. Wroclaw has a network of trams and buses that can get you pretty much wherever you want to go. Wroclaw is also a great city to explore on a bike because of its 95km of bike paths.
Nightlife
Gdansk
The old town of Gdansk is full of bars, pubs, and nightclubs. There a quite a few interesting bars to explore within walking distance of each other. One bar I would recommend trying is Pixel Bar. LUMI SHOTBAR is a fun place to go as well to see all the unique drinks and shots they offer. Bunkier Club is another place worth going to for a unique atmosphere.
Many people argue that the best nightlife is in Sopot because it is in the middle of Gdansk and Gdynia. One of the best nightclubs in the area, Sfinks 700, is located in Sopot. To get to Sopot from Gdansk you just hop on the SKM which is the rail line that connects the three cities.
Wroclaw
The center of Wroclaw has an abundance of bars and pubs for you to bounce around to. Another area to explore is Słodowa Island which is an island that has quite a few drinking establishments. It is also close to Wroclaw University so many students flock to the island at night. If you want to let loose and dance, there are quite a few clubs you could check out. The area around Niepolda Street is the best place in the city to find some wild parties. Insomnia Club, Mundo 71, and Czarny Kot Klub are some of the best nightclubs in the city and are all right next to each other near Niepolda Street.
Day Trips
Gdansk
Malbork is home to the largest brick castle by area in the world. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Sopot is technically connected to Gdansk which makes it an easy trip. It has great beaches and is known for its nightlife.
Gdynia is the northernmost part of the Tri-city and is known for its modern architecture and beaches.
Wroclaw
Książ Castle sits on a hill overlooking the Pełcznica River and was completed in 1292.
Świdnica is a small city to the southwest of Wroclaw. It is known for The Church of Peace and its market square.
Opole is one of Poland’s oldest cities and is less than an hour from Wroclaw.
Other Polish cities that you might want to consider making time to visit are Poznan, Warsaw, and Krakow.
Overall
Gdansk and Wroclaw are two Polish cities that are known for their well-preserved old towns. If you have 3 or more days you should consider going to Gdansk and the surrounding because there is more to see. If you have two or fewer days Wroclaw would make a fantastic stop on your journey. If you choose to go to Gdansk you should make time to visit Sopot or Malbork Castle. If you are struggling to decide between Gdansk or Wroclaw, take comfort in knowing that both cities are beautiful and full of history so you really cannot go wrong.