A MAJOR SURPRISE! I knew Gdansk was a lovely city, but I wasn't prepared for how gorgeous it was.

Gdansk. A place name which conjures up images of large ships, ship building and heavy industry. However, the city centre really caught me by surprise. I mention this on the video, but by just walking from the main station to my hotel, I realised I was going to love my visit here.
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[@steve-marsh]

The restoration of Gdańsk is remarkable, so much pride gone into it, and still evolving. Thanks for showing us around Scott!

[@craiglogistics2092]

Gdansk looks like a city that could do with a longer video to do it some justice

[@maedilein6802]

Poland has been a place I've wanted to go for a long time. Thanks for this lovely video.

[@magpie1862]

I recently went to Wroclaw, Gdańsk, Krakow and Warsaw in Poland and I can comfortably say that Gdańsk was my favourite of them all.

[@Christinebythesea]

Thank you for mentioning the Solidarity movement. I watch a lot of travel KZbin videos and so many are made by people so young they often have never heard of these events so it feels a huge part of the history of Gdańsk is totally missed. Also, thank you for so many different shots showing the beauty of the city. 😊

[@paulhoughton5266]

Mighty impressive, like a lot of Eastern European cities, they just don't get the exposure in the uk

[@allthis701]

I think one of the biggest challenges to overcome in giving those cities the attention they deserve is changing the western mindset of them being eastern Europe. Might've been accurate 40 years ago, but nowadays it's just radically misleading.

[@paszczakone1985]

Poland is located in central europe ,not eastern... its acommon mistake made by western europeans.cheers

[@godq3]

@@allthis701 W Gdańsku latem są całe tabuny zagranicznych turystów. Głównie Niemcy, Brytyjczycy i Szwedzi.

[@andrewcoogans471]

I was in Gdansk around 13 years ago and then during the pandemic I went again in 2021 because restrictions were easier by that point in Poland. I loved it the first time but I think even more the second. Such a beautiful city centre, I actually stayed in an apartment in one of the buildings you can see in the background of the lions fountain in the video! Unfortunately we went to Sopot but the rain was so strong and persistent we only got to a cafe by the train station and had to go back! The other Polish city I went to during the pandemic to sit out quarantine was Poznan, and I fell in love with it too. Great video.

[@ea6398]

I visited in Summer and atmosphere was amazing! I love the city!

[@christophernoble6810]

Beautiful city. Restoration to the original beats rebuilding in a modernist style. Great video.

[@duneideann9241]

You should have went to Little Scotland in Gdansk. 20,000 Scots lived in Gdansk in the 17th century

[@joannab7403]

Never knew it...

[@steve-uq1oy]

Ha, just back from a week in Gdansk, lovely city with something for everybody.

[@stevenmc4446]

thanks Scott I never realised what a beautiful city it is I must look into paying a visit

[@andrewjameson5918]

A bit reminiscent of Copenhagen, but maybe on a larger scale.

[@carolinacadabra8278]

A little more gritty, a little less pretty than Copenhagen.

[@Zosia.B]

Gdańsk, Sopot and Gdynia are the Tri-City(trójmiasto), that's how people from Poland call these three cities on the Baltic Sea. I'm from Gdańsk, but currently I live in the UK and I'm glad that you liked my city.

[@johnbowyer6902]

I, too, was surprised at just how beautiful this city is. I had thought of it as a grubby looking industrial city with ship building as its main industry. I'd love to visit it as well.

[@christinecoates2499]

Absolutely beautiful. As a lot of Polish cities. Well worth a visit. Thanks Scott.

[@ronmac9522]

I was there in 1981. Lech walesa. It has changed so much since then.

[@rafalmatysiak77]

My home town....Greetings from Poland

[@terracottagazebos]

Having travelled the length and breadth of Poland I'm 100 percent with you saying it's your No1 Polish destination. Next time though visit the Solidarity Museum .. It's a must. I'm new to your channel and enjoying the videos.Its nice to see someone showing vids that's on my wavelength. I've not been back to Poland since covid but will be back next week ... This has wetted my appetite.

[@mickconners9377]

Proper city with a proper history 🤛

[@mary-janejenkins9560]

That was the first time I’d also heard of gadansk and solidarity ❤❤ Another excellent video as always

[@AkaWilf]

It (Lech Walesa and the Polish solidarity movement) was the basis for the lyrics of U2’s huge 1983 hit ‘New Year’s Day’ I believe.

[@mpingo91]

You're right. There's also Mike Oldfield's "Shadow on the wall" from 19983 inspired by the Solidarity and the atrocities The Martial Law in Poland.

[@chrisneppiras9408]

wow, its breath-taking the mix of very?? old and new really works.

[@MrJanusz45]

Thank you, from Vancouver, British Columbia. What a lovely and beautiful city Gdansk. They have a lot of beautiful stores with AMBER. Thanks

[@chrischalk6213]

I visited there a few years ago purely because of having fallen in love with the book and film ‘The Tin Drum’ and the other two books of Gunther Grass,s amazing Danzig Trilogy. The books and film give an intense vivid picture of everyday life in city and environs during the terrible times of Nazi Germany. The city has been so beautifully and faithfully reconstructed after its 1945 destruction that you can immediately know your way around simply from having read the Grass novels! Many of the place names have been exactly rendered in Polish from the old German names eg Dlugi Targ from Langemarkt or Long Market which I think is great for historical continuity. Many of the buildings were originally designed by Dutch architects during the 17th Century Hanseatic league times - hence the similarity with Amsterdam. In short Gdańsk provides a wonderful example of how a destroyed city should be rebuilt. The 80 mile distant Russian city of Kaliningrad (rebuilt from the 1945 destroyed medieval city of Konigsberg) maybe provides an example of how a city shouldn’t be rebuilt!

[@MK-lm6hb]

Gdansk/Danzig was within the Polish state for several centuries (as part of Royal Prussia) therefore Poles consider Gdansk to be historically a Polish city. Russia gained Konigsberg as a war trophy. Konigsberg was meant to be a Soviet city, and its Germanic character erased as offensive to Soviet sensibilities. Poles have a sense of historical continuity of their nation despite dramatic changes in Poland's history. In contrast to Russians who have a tendency to utopian maximalism (religious or secular). Poles build and rebuild, Russians destroy with an intention to build a better world but often manage only to destroy what they inherited. In "Kaliningrad", there was never an intention to rebuild what was alien and offensive to Russians.

[@Krystof1956]

@@MK-lm6hbRussia never rebuilt enythyng specially if the city belonged to some other state before. And poor Germans was good only in demolition. Kenigsberg original name was given by Polish king KROLEWIEC and that’s min KINGS PLACE . 900 yers ago poles build ther huge Roman Catholic Church to honour ST MIKEL THE ARCHANGEL IT WAS DESTROYED BY Germans in 1944 . And for couple centry ther was POLISH UNIVERSITY OF POLISH KING STEFAN BATORY who was a sponsor of this university it was the second oldest Polish university after the university in Krakow .

[@bernardsohn]

@@MK-lm6hb Yes, but observing their local news platforms, I can see that now they regret and try to renovate all what remains in Kaliningrad. New generation seems try to find some identity in this city after lobotomy. However, in general city and its "genius loci" remains alien for most of them.

[@MK-lm6hb]

@@bernardsohn That's a very complex issue. Russians have always been, and still are, unsure who they are. Especially now, during the war with the West, they suffer from an identity crisis. Most Russians think about themselves as a separate Eurasian civilisation, neither East or West, or an amalgam of both. Official propaganda maintains that the West always aspires to destroy Russia, as a mortal enemy of anything Russian. Europe in general is apparently ruled by neo-Nazis (!!!). In such an atmosphere, pro-Western longings are likely to be interpreted as treason. The Russian government created a new legal category, foreign agent (inoagent), and the promotion of foreign (ergo alien ergo fascist) cultural legacy may now be dangerous indeed.

[@yannisbve5220]

I had exactly the same feeling in Gdansk this summer. We visited all the major Polish cities, and I was not expecting Gdansk to be so beautiful ! This city really have a special spirit. It's my favourite place in Poland

[@marekkwapisiewicz2675]

When you live in Poland and cannot afford a trip to Amsterdam, you can still visit Gdańsk. These two cities have a similar vibe.

[@bobbythomas200420032]

That was an excellent video and what a beautiful city with amazing looking buildings. Thank you so much for taking the time to film and put this video together. I really enjoyed it so much.

[@truebrit3578]

Good to see you taking on new and interesting subjects. So many other vloggers seem to be stuck in the same rotation of themes

[@carolinegreenwell9086]

I'd imagined Gdansk to be a very industrial city - maybe it is in parts but what you showed is beautiful

[@leno_o17]

Gdańsk is very diverse. Some parts are industrial, other, like the city center- very old and historic. The residential areas also differ a lot from one to another: modern luxury apartments/ soviet blocks/ 100 years old villas sorrounded by the forest.

[@victoriaaletaaustria2817]

Seeing Gdansk, I'm reminded of Prague by the gothic churches, Brussels' The Grand-Place (town square) & Prague's The Old Town Square by the side by side tall, narrow buildings, Amsterdam by the bridges and again the narrow side-by-side buildings, London Eye by the huge ferris wheel. But Gdansk has a charm of its own. Hope I can still travel because I'm having difficulty now in walking due to sn injury. Good thing I travelled to many places and didn't wait until retiring.

[@robertofraser101]

I Scott I can't believe if I may mention another you tuber non stop Don was in gidansk video I watched yesterday his flight from.aberdeen was £25 hotel near airport £15 night ,Scott beautiful montage excuse my ignorance in past under impression Eastern Europe underdeveloped poorer couldn't be further from.truth eh with UK scotland beautiful we are struggling (in bits).anyway gidansk I agree beautiful buildings waterside I see your love for Poland 🇵🇱 a nice supprise I well happy it went well Scott I love places you go I still remember how beautiful Ireland looked in your posts you guys mean a lot too us sharing us how to get what beautiful places thanks Scott

[@mcallisterk]

Stunningly beautiful city thank you for sharing this video

[@jakubsik9931]

im actually from gdansk! and it is very gorgeous!

[@danial2315]

How costly is a studio apartment there for a month near olivia business centre ?

[@QornyIsBack]

@@danial2315 Hi mate, it`s around 2000-2500 PLN (500-550 EUR) per month. Depends on the apartment and general look. Actually Gdańsk is the second most expensive city (after Warsaw) when it comes for the rental / buying a house.

[@danial2315]

@@QornyIsBack thanks for the info 👍

[@jakubsik9931]

soon to be the 1st!@@QornyIsBack

[@BobTravellin]

Another great video, Scott, thaks for sharing. I haven't been to Gdansk for a few years and it's clearly changed but it you're right, it's a lovely city. Its neighbours in the Tri Cities area, Sopot and Gdynia, are different but equally interesting and beautiful in my opinion. Look forward to seeing something from you on those on day too 😉 I must make a point of going back there soon.

[@izabelaszlachta7769]

lts nice to hear this ...♥️ Gdansk is very old and was polish, not polish freetown, town of Hanza ,seaport then It is another place between rests in Poland couse here a lot of nations was , Dutch ,Sweden, German, Nederlands artists made big work in churchs and architects , more It was always ok international place Long time ago was one of important for Pomerania 's land ,which was not polish totally but of generations of prince family nam "Gryfici" (polish historical ) and because if it it is total another place so rest of Poland sorry of my english 😘 ❤️from my town

[@scottstevens8756]

From a Kiwi Scott - just come back from Europe and visited Gdansk. Definitely my absolute favorite part of Poland, I wasn't expecting it to be so stunning and absolutely will be going back for longer. Took the Berlin to Gydnia service through from Berlin HBf to Gdansk Glowny. Had and amazing guide drive me out to Wolf's Lair who also did a little side trip through Lenin Shipyard as he was a part Solidarity and explained the history of not only solidarity and what it was like under communism but also the history of that region of Poland. Amazing experience and a stunning city

[@bdeithrick]

I was there head out to Sopot on the train

[@janetmorgan4334]

Lovely vibe in the evenings and I slso Loved the buildings

[@Brua58]

You always managed to pack so much in to each video without it being too long 😊.. Most enjoyable, entertaining and never boring. Well done 👏

[@thenewjerseydevil997]

Wow beautiful indeed

[@vivianhughes9347]

Looks wonderful. Thanks for showing us around. Another "must see" place to add to my list.

[@alejandrayalanbowman367]

Surprisingly, the buildings remind me of Amsterdam

[@Rene_Moor3095]

Surprisingly? What do they teach you in history lessons?

[@PlaneandTrainWindowSeat]

If you will get a chance go to Toruń.

[@michaweir6146]

Going in April from Scotland to Gdansk for the first time. Excited 😃

[@colinrenfrew48]

Looks a little like Amsterdam or Copenhagen. Would like to go. Nice video!

[@jkardez4794]

Really beautiful city and the buildings have been rebuilt with great love and care . I would certainly love to go to Gdansk and explore it .

[@mikestravelshow]

I'm disappointed the video wasn't long to give the city the justice it deserves as well as showcasing polish food. That would of been awesome.

[@killickr]

Visted Gdansk in the early 70's when I was a student. It was a great place, even then.

[@davidoliver1169]

Love the videos Scott. Keep them coming please.

[@chathamdogend4461]

Been there, fantastic city.

[@jeanjacques9980]

London is a classic example of disastrous reconstruction after the war.

[@steve-marsh]

Just ordered your book mate!

[@QornyIsBack]

That`s my city over there ! :) Thanks for visiting, but altough we have beautiful places out here - if you come to Poland, you have to taste Polish food ! In my life I have visited half`s Europe but still, homemade food is yet to be the best !

[@lsafan6]

You showed the city of Gdańsk in a lovely way. I Am a lokal Bornholm here. Next time you will be here I can takę you around

[@peterbrown6224]

Thanks. My in-laws lived there when it was German, and I've always wanted to visit. It's hard work if you are flying BA, though :-)

[@luisstransport]

Great video Scott

[@skibumirl]

Thanks for another great video

[@michaelharkin3150]

Great video scott

[@jamesdoyle8442]

Love Scott 👍👍👍

[@paulstephen3867]

I recently stayed in the novotel aswell I loved the city 😊

[@Al1en_Boy_The_5th_Kind]

Well, I’m Polish, I never been in Gdańsk 🤐 But I hope next year 🤞

[@adanteam]

"Hello guys! I actually found my favourite part of Poland" - how can i not love you? :)

[@gerrykennedy7849]

Hiya Scott any information on the Bus services at Frankfurt Hahn?. Keep up the great work!

[@henasgd1566]

You shoud also visit KL Stutthoff. Very close to Gdańsk

[@robertwalters5654]

Hope you will try the ibis budget birmingham airport

[@jamesdoyle8442]

Scott hamburg please 👍

[@stewartferguson9774]

surprised you never went to the lenin shipyard.

[@rajfell]

Compare to England, Poland is very clean. It's difficult to find rubbish on the road where in the UK it's difficult to find clean places 😕. Better food and more polite people. Different world for sure.

[@joannab7403]

Not very polite - rather boorish of you to say this kind of thinds

[@rajfell]

@joannab7403 it's only true 😉

[@joannab7403]

@@rajfell in your opinion. English countryside and small town are "chocolate box" pretty. And anyway Poland is in a different moment than England - we are a fast developing country that is pretty homogeneous, whereas England, especially London, has very mixed population, lots of immigrants from everywhere. This is the main reason for London and similar immigrant hubs not looking "the part"

[@robertrobski1013]

@@joannab7403England is not anymore faster developing country economy is more like falling apart plus cost of living is terrible according to British people i know

[@joannab7403]

@@robertrobski1013 cost of living is not terrible - I live here and other than rents, mortgages and car insurance , everything else is affordable. Unfortunately, too many people here are used to ever growing level of consumerism and state handouts, state support... they are self entitled and plainly unreasonable. I thoroughly recommend a critically acclaimed book entitled " Less is more" written by a british man. It shines some light on the underpinning of the current "austerity"...The problem is that northern countries like the UK have been overconsuming and living a life of excess and self-gratitude for decades. This is based on a completely wrong capitalist premise that we are all indviduals, we do not need to care for others or the environment, its ok to exploit the world ruthlessly and exterminate the natural world and abuse human rights, as long as you do not get caught and you profit from it. We are in the wake of a collapse of the civilisation and potentially the natural world itself. The book makes for a harrowing reading

[@gdanskiorze4105]

2:22 my school

[@scooterspringsteen3544]

A bit like Amsterdam

[@mpingo91]

Thera are some obvious Dutch accents. Why? Because centuries ago a certain Dutch minority lived there. And in many other places in Poland. From the 16th to the 19th century, about 1,700 Dutch settlements were established in the area of Poland. Quite a number, isn't it?

[@tally1604]

You should visit Warsaw, and the jewel in the crown of Poland, royal Cracow. I was in Warsaw last right before the pandemic, having visited previously in communist times in the mid 80s. And what difference I saw! Like 2 different cities. Communist Warsaw was grubby, grey, unkempt, and desperately poor. Modern Warsaw is vibrant, well maintained, and visibly prosperous. Poland, more than any of its East European peers bar Estonia, has done well out of the transition.

[@worldcitizen123]

In summer, there are as many tourists in Gdańsk as in Barcelona. 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@richardstreet7518]

Don't forget Gdynia...

[@madtrainspottermacrae6744]

What is ur last name

[@john07973]

Nice video. Incredible how the buildings have been sympatheticly restored/rebuilt, was this done under the communists ?

[@mareka3740]

Yes, the reconstruction is going on since 1945 and is not over, it still continues !

[@andrewlong6438]

It also used to be Danzig a port in Germany until 1945. Looking forward to going there next spring.

[@Pawel_Jozwik]

It was Free City Of Danzig 1920-1939. Although predominantly populated by Germans it was under the oversight of League of Nations and bound by the union with Poland. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_City_of_Danzig

[@joannab7403]

Predominentky german speaking population .... but historically mixed and from background - architecturely "dutch"

[@frasermitchell9183]

Or Danzig, when it was part of Prussia !

[@Rene_Moor3095]

Yes, the Germans occupied Gdańsk as they carried out the partition of Poland together with Russia and Austria-Hungary. If you take someone's property by force it is called theft.

[@ChillDudelD]

@@Rene_Moor3095 Not Austria-Hungary but just Austria back then.

[@Aski2]

@@ChillDudelD Austria was small crown land in Habsburgs possession. Hungary was old Kingdom where Habsburgs hold crown insignia. There were much more quite different provinces ruled by Habsburgs at that time. So it is hardly name this was just Austria. Keep in mind Habsburgs named even Polish partitioned lands in their possession as Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria heritage.

[@ColinH1973]

You should try Wrocław. Another former German city, just like Danzig, Zoppot, Königsberg and quite a few others. Poland inherited this territory thanks to Stalin, but the architecture and layout is fundamentally German. In September 1939, the demographics were 95% German, and 5% Polish.

[@wrotamas]

Well, Gdansk is one of the oldest Polish cities, it was founded by Mieszko I in the 10th century. Then for some time it was Prussian and German, then it was the free city, but it's hardly a former German city. Sopot the same. Wroclaw was a German city. And actually Poland got it thank to Germans themselves.... You know, they started the war and lost it, so they lost Wroclaw.

[@Aski2]

@@wrotamas Wrocław also was old Polish town, known from late 10th century. There lived Polish Silesian Slavic tribes. Due to dynastic issues they became Bochemia vassals in 14th century. Habsburgs owned Silesia provincial lands from 16th century. Prussia conquered this town in 1740. German settlement arose trough few centuries, but Polish minority still lived there. Allies during WW2 in Teheran and Yalta conferences get back this town to Poland. German Population runaway themselves before soviets offensive or died during long siege in 1945. Only some remnants were resettled to Germany. Wrocław was almost completely destroyed and abandoned at that time. Polish rebuilt it from ruins and without a doubt it is Polish city now.

[@FirstLast-ve6jg]

Gdansk is not it's real name. It's real name is Danzig.

[@Rene_Moor3095]

It's not true. This name only applied when these lands were under German sovereignty. Gdańsk (the first official name of the city: urbs Gydannyzc) is Polish from the beginning of its existence and even when Gdańsk was occupied by Germany it wanted either to belong to Poland or to be an independent city. The Germans came to these lands when the castellan Bogusz called on the Teutonic Knights for help. The Teutonic knights, having seized the castle, carried out a pogrom here in 1308, which went down in history as the "Slaughter of Gdańsk". Then the Germans occupied Gdańsk as they carried out the partition of Poland together with Russia and Austria-Hungary.

[@ChillDudelD]

No, Gdańsk is older than Danzig.

[@mpingo91]

Yeah, yeah, and the real name of Oświęcim is Auschwitz, right? Remind us, friend, your name, pls. Was it Hermann or Adolf?

[@GluonToo]

The oldest name of the town is Gyddanyzc. It was recorded in the contents of the "Life of St Adalbert", which was written down by John Canaparius at the turn of the 10th and 11th centuries.

[@opalek467]

no

[@philip0987]

Pitty it's full of polish

[@Rene_Moor3095]

It is a pity that you are so badly behaved. You are therefore not welcome. So do not come to us.

[@philip0987]

No intention of ever travelling to that place..

[@ChillDudelD]

This city has been under Polish control for 700 years, that’s most of its history, you fool.

[@philip0987]

Who said anything about who controlled the place !! Comment was it was full of Polish. As in rude, greedy and most Selfish people I've ever had the misfortune of meeting. Also all the men are alcoholics

[@mpingo91]

@@philip0987 Have you finished? Then flush the toilet, cause it stinks.

[@BengtHansves]

Take the train to Malbork (Marienburg) and the Malbork Castle ( en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malbork_Castle ) Continue on to Braniewo ( Braunsberg ) at the border to RUSSIAN enclave of Kaliningrad ex german Königsberg...

[@tomaszarchutowski3290]

Don't try buying a train ticket to "Marienburg" or "Braunsberg". Nobody uses the old, pre-war, German names anymore- maybe except Auschwitz.

[@BengtHansves]

@@tomaszarchutowski3290 I know ! But still today people . even from german Public Service ARD - uses the old name of Gdansk (Danzig) and Szczecin (Stettin)

[@tomaszarchutowski3290]

@@BengtHansves I see. No problem.