Tour Overview
Board the galleon, sit back and enjoy the views adorning both banks of Motlawa river. Start your cruise in Dlugie Pobrzeze (Long Embankment) waterfront of Gdansk, just where the famous Crane of Gdansk has been standing for centuries. Absorb the medieval silhouette of this beautiful Baltic port en route to Westerplatte peninsula, where the first military clash of World War II was fought. Explore the former Polish military outpost on foot and return to the grand Main Town of Gdansk on the same rocking boat that brought you there.
The name of
Gdansk appears in written records on various occasions that were groundbreaking for world's history. Established in 997, included in
the territories of 14 different kingdoms and state units until the present day, it evolved from a craft-fishing village into
a wealthy port of multicultural social fabric. This
casus belli for World War II was a cradle for the Solidarity movement in the 1980's and excellently served as a host city during UEFA EURO 2012 tournament. In order to reach Gdansk, you need to travel over 400 kilometres northwards from
Warsaw, with the city itself situated at the southern shore of the Baltic Sea.
A cruise from Gdansk to
Westerplatte lasts 45 minutes and takes you down the Gdansk rivers on the board of "Lew" ("Lion") or "Czarna Perla" ("Black Pearl") galleons. The initial part of your cruise will let you pass by
Zuraw – the largest port crane of medieval Europe and gate rolled into one. The current shape of this partly-wooden structure was designed in 1444, when the former one proved inefficient after the importance of Gdansk as
a Hanseatic city had strenghtened. The opposite
Granary Island will expose you to the view of a dozen or so granaries that were reconstructed after WWII
from among over 300 subject to total destruction. As the cruise goes by, before the galleon slides into
Dead Vistula, you will also sightsee
the charming merchant houses at Rybackie Pobrzeze or the wonderful landmarks on
the Olowianka Island:
the National Maritime Museum, Olowianka Granaries and the
Neo-Gothic complex of Polish Baltic Philharmonic. Before you reach your destination, you will also take a chance to capture the panoramas of
globally-famous Gdansk Shipyard and the impressive amber-resembling stadium of Gdansk, originally known as "
Baltic Arena".
You will see Westerplatte well enough from the distance, with its
25-metre-high "Monument of the Coast Defenders" signalising the end of this part of the cruise. Unveiled in 1966, it was to commemorate the heroism of the soldiers from Polish garrison at Westerplatte. They defended it for 7 days back in 1939 while heavily ountnumbered, due to an attack of German
"Schleswig-Holstein" battleship on September 1, 1939. Prior to any wars,
this former uninhabited island had been famous for its sandy beaches. Nowadays, you will sightsee
the remnants of barracks and guardhouses, as well as
the cemetery of fallen soldiers and other anti-war monuments placed in the peninsula. Deciding to take a return ticket after the sightseeing will let you return to Gdansk via the river route, accompanied by
the shanties sung on the board of the galleon and
the instructive commentary of a guide.
Ready to join the crew and let your captain show you the hallmarks of Gdansk from the board of an old galleon? Contact us to make this wish come true!
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