Gdynia is a port city on the Baltic Sea, with a population of 245,000. It is less than a hundred years old and is one of the youngest and most modern cities in Poland. Together with Gdańsk and Sopot, it forms an urban agglomeration - the 'Tri-City', with a total population of 750,000 people, making it the main urban centre in northern Poland.
The strategic location, at the intersection of important international transport corridors, running from Scandinavia and North-Eastern Europe towards Southern Europe and the Mediterranean Sea, is one of the major advantages of Gdynia.
Gdynia is one of the most important ports and railway transport hubs in Poland, hence the excellent transport accessibility of the city.
It is a place of truly unique natural and environmental conditions, its waterfront area and the beach located in the city centre being a rarity on a European scale.
It is a seaside promenade stretching from the very heart of Downtown Gdynia to Redłowo Beach and Redłowo Glade (Polanka Redłowska). It is about 1.5 km long, which makes for a ca. 30-minute walk. The Boulevard starts with one of Gdynia’s icons: the Gdynia Fish sculpture. The beach in the very heart of the city is Gdynia’s pride and joy. Lively, family-oriented, safe. It is a favourite meeting place and a romantic setting with the murmuring sea in the background. In every season of the year, children are welcome to a remarkable playground: a realm of beach-style adventure and seabased inspirations. In the summer season, it provides multiple sports activities.
The newest and most interesting of Gdynia’s museums. It tells the story of Polish emigrants and the contribution of Polish people to the history of the world. The exhibition can be viewed but also felt, heard and experienced through all the senses. The building which houses the Museum is the pre-World War II Marine Station (Dworzec Morski), a gem of Gdynia’s Modernism. It was from here that Polish transatlantic liners, the M/S Batory and M/S Stefan Batory, set off on their voyages over several dozen years.
Address: ul. Polska 1, 81-339 Gdynia
Tel: +48 58 670 41 61
Facebook: @muzeumemigracjigdynia
www: polska1.pl
The ORP Błyskawica is the last surviving destroyer from World War II. It fought from the first to the last day of the War. Since 1976, it has been a museum ship and part of the Polish Navy Museum. The open-air exhibition at the entrance to the Seaside Boulevard exhibits torpedoes, naval mines, anti-aircraft guns, along with aircraft and helicopters of the Polish Navy air units. Inside the museum, you can see a permanent exhibition titled "It’s our sworn duty to defend you…" dedicated to the history of the Polish Navy, alongside models of old navy ships and 20th century Polish ship weaponry.
Address: ul. Zawiszy Czarnego 1b 81-374 Gdynia
Tel: +48 58 620 13 81
Facebook: @muzeumMW
www: muzeumMW.pl
Orłowo is an oasis of peace and quiet with a beautiful 180-m-long wooden pier. The place was famous back in the late 19th century, and the Polish writer Stefan Żeromski stayed here in the 1920s. Access to the pier is free of charge, there is a picturesque walking trail and a fishing harbour nearby, where boats are hauled directly onto the shore. To the left of the pier, you can see Orłowo Cliff, an icon of the place. It is a strict nature reserve so you will see fallen trees and branches at the foot of the cliff, which sometimes makes passage difficult.
Once an unforested seaside hill, today it is a park with quiet paths and a viewing platform with an illuminated cross. The hill is 46 m tall and you can get to the top by funicular railway. The car takes up to 7 people, with the bottom stop in Grunwaldzki Square, near the Music Theatre. The route’s length is 115 metres. It is free of charge both up and down.
Dar Pomorza full-rigged frigate is over 100 years old and has been making the Polish merchant navy famous since 1929, when the Maritime College bought the ship to train navigator officers. The ship covered over half a million nautical miles, having circumnavigated the globe several times, with over 13,000 students trained on board. Since 1983 it has been a museum ship, part of the National Maritime Museum.
Address: al. Jana Pawła II
Nabrzeże Pomorskie/Basen Prezydenta, 81-345 Gdynia
Tel: +48 58 620 23 71, +48 697 607 166
Facebook: @NarodoweMuzeumMorskie
www: nmm.pl/dar-pomorza
A paradise for those who crave knowledge and fun. It is a unique experimentation lab for explorers of all ages in which you can single-handedly carry out experiments to discover the laws of nature. No one will get bored here, with Experyment frequently organising theme-based workshops for kids and adults alike.
Address: al. Zwycięstwa 96/98, 81-451 Gdynia
Tel: +48 58 500 49 94, +48 509 429 017
Facebook: @CentrumNaukiEXPERYMENT
www: experyment.gdynia.pl
Known as Skwer Kościuszki in Polish, it is the tourist hub of Gdynia. Built on an artificial peninsula, the Southern Pier (Molo Południowe), which stretches out far into the sea, with John Paul II Avenue (al. Jana Pawła II), is an extension of the Square. The place features a monument to Maritime Poland, Modernist townhouses and a fountain. The ORP Błyskawica museum ship and the Dar Pomorza sailing ship are moored at the quay; a little farther ahead, you can see Poland’s only Passenger Ship Avenue and the Joseph Conrad monument, with the Sails monument closer to the sea.
One of the most popular and the largest music theatres in Poland. Its main stage auditorium seats over 1,100 spectators. The Theatre has made Polish theatre history with productions including: Jesus Christ Superstar, Fiddler on the Roof, Les Miserables, Hair, Lalka, Shrek, Chłopi, Notre Dame de Paris or Wiedźmin. It is located near Gdynia’s Downtown Beach, with its architecture, especially the large glazed foyer, splendid in its grand scale.
Address: pl. Grunwaldzki 1, 81-372 Gdynia
Tel: +48 58 661 60 00, +48 58 785 59 00
Facebook: @teatrmuzycznygdynia
www: muzyczny.org
This museum documents the history of Gdynia and is also a centre to promote Polish and European design. The Gdynia – Open Work exhibition is a journey through the history of often lesser known Gdynia-based families shown against a panorama of Pomerania’s and Poland’s history. The Museum also showcases temporary exhibitions which are well worth a visit.
Address: ul. Zawiszy Czarnego 1, 81-374 Gdynia
Tel: +48 58 662 09 55
Facebook: @muzeummiastagdyni
www: muzeumgdynia.pl
The Gdynia Aquarium is a zoo located at the end of the South Pier, which is an extension of Kościuszki Square. Here you can see, among others, animals inhabiting far corners of the world such as Africa or North America, but also those from the waters of the Atlantic or the local Baltic Sea. Among the biggest and most recent attractions of the Gdynia Aquarium is the "Cold Seas" exposition located below the sea level, where you can observe, among other things: unusual species of jellyfish, unique shellfish, bullrays or lumpfish.
Address: al. Jana Pawła II 1, 81-345 Gdynia
Tel: +48 58 732 66 01, +48 690 119 184
Facebook: @akwariumgdynskie
www: akwarium.gdynia.pl