Gdansk

I'm Polish and I've been to Gdańsk a number of times over the course of the last 10 years. When I was younger and have seen and experienced less, I was very impressed by the old town. However, these days, after having seen most of Europe and some of the US, I can't help but feel that Gdansk's old town is small and everything that surrounds it has a distinct, post-communist feel, which I do not enjoy. I was there this summer (2022) and it felt like being in an amusement park, with many of the apartment complexes around the old town turning into cheap, short stay aparthotels. The place felt empty due to that. The biggest allure of the city is that it is so close to the sea. Unfortunately, as locals would tell you, it is extremely crowded when the weather is nice, therefore most locals avoid the sea in the summer, which to me sounds weird. Considering the climate, I wouldn't want to be near that sea outside of the summer time!

To end this review on a more positive note, I think the city is well connected with the municipal rail making all parts accessible. It is very green outside of the old town and the air quality is the best among largest Polish cities. For foreigners, I think Gdańsk is a must see and as other commenters here noted, it's a good place to nomad from.

I can't believe that this city has never ranked in the top 10 here. Gdansk is one of the most beautiful cities I have ever been to!

Gdansk is a city in northern Poland and the capital of the Pomeranian Voivodeship, with a population of 464,113 (December 2013). It is the 16th most populous city in the European Union, with a population of 740,918 (2011). Gdańsk is the largest city of the Kashubian region. It is the historic capital of Gdańsk Pomerania.

Gdańsk lies at the mouth of the Motława River, connected to the Leniwka, a branch in the delta of the nearby Vistula River, which drains 60 percent of Poland's territory. According to the Statistical Yearbook of Gdańsk, the city had a population of 466,631 in 2014.

The city was built in the Middle Ages on the site of a former Baltic Sea trading town known as Qwanty (or Gdansk, pronounced "Gdantsk"), which dates back to the 11th century. Gdańsk was the capital of the Prussian Province of Pomerania. The city's history is closely tied with the Hanseatic League.

Gdańsk is home to the University of Gdańsk, the Gdańsk Shakespeare Theatre, the Museum of the Second World War, and the annual Gdańsk Shakespeare Festival. In 1980, the UNESCO added the city to its list of World Heritage Sites, as the first ever site in Poland and one of the largest and most spectacular Gothic and Art Deco centres.