Pomerania Region People & Culture

Gdynia doesn't have the history or tourist attractions of Gdansk and comes off rather as a no-nonsense place with the amenities of a port city of roughly 250,000 people. However Gdynia usually offers less expensive accommodation than what you'd find in Gdansk and can still be worth a visit if you're interested in naval history as there are two museum-ships (one is a converted destroyer from WWII, the other is a training vessel from before WWI). For transportation, it is well-connected to other Polish cities via buses and trains and there are several daily express / intercity trains that begin their routes in Gdynia and end them in Krakow via Warszawa. Within the Tri-Cities, Gdynia is at the northern end of a commuter railway service (SKM). A ride from Gdynia to Gdansk via SKM takes about 25 minutes and trains run approximately every 20 minutes daily.

Located at the Hel Peninsula, at the polish seaside, is definitely a place for young people to spend holidays there!

One shop, no discos, not so many annoying families with little children or people who came there to show off. It's tiny, it's peaceful but offers one of the most beautiful sandy beaches I've ever been too. Swimming under the cliffs that are 50m high is really unforgettable experience. Because it's not so popular among the tourists, sometimes it seems like the beach belongs to you (swimming naked in fresh baltic water - fantastic!:). You can also take your bike there and enjoy other beautiful sites of Wolin island. But in fact it would be better if you don't come around there - more place for me heh :D

Accommodation is very cheap - you can rent a small bungalow in the forest or you can bring your own tent. Not so very far from bigger towns (by car or by bus).

In June or in September you can hardly meet anyone there - perfect place to relax for a week or some after exhausting holiday :D!

nice people, clean, awesome during summer

Sopot is the holiday destination of Polish people. You will find all the usual attractions associated with a seaside town. Plenty of restraunts, hotels, bars and clubs to suit all tastes.

Szczecinek- typical Polish small town. Developing, clean...lovely leak :). Anyone loving peace should go there... to better Polish culture basicly.

This is not a tourist town and only the younger locals are likely to speak English, so make sure you have a translator if you really want to see the sights. Staying at a 'new' friends house is the best way to experience the culture and food of the area. Getting here by train from Warsaw takes most of a day.

In Gdynia you can find many attractions. This is a city located by the Baltic Sea. There are many squares, beautiful boulevard and pier. Everyone can find something for himself....Transport here is well-developed (PKP, SKM, ZKM). Gdynia is a cultural centre of Poland. Year by year there are more festivals (like Open'er, of musical theatres or festival of polish movies).

Toruń is a city in northern Poland, on the Vistula River, second-largest city of Kujawy-Pomerania Province, after Bydgoszcz. The medieval old town of Toruń is the birthplace of Nicolaus Copernicus. In 1997 it was inscribed onto UNESCO's World Heritage List as a World Heritage Site.
Toruń has many monuments of architecture beginning from the Middle Ages, including 200 military structures. The city is famous for having preserved almost intact its medieval spatial layout and many Gothic buildings, all built from brick, including monumental churches, the Town Hall and many burgher houses. The most interesting monuments are:
- Gothic churches
- the Old Town Hall, one of the most monumental town halls in Central Europe
- city fortifications, mostly demolished in the 19th century, but partially preserved with a few city gates and watchtowers (among them the so-called Leaning Tower)
- a Gothic house from the 15th century, where Copernicus was allegedly born (now a museum)
- ruins of the Teutonic Knights' castle from the 13th century
- The House Under the Star
-Toruń has the largest number of preserved Gothic houses in Poland, many with Gothic wall paintings or wooden beam ceilings from the 16th to the 18th centuries

CULTURE
Toruń has two drama theatres (Teatr im. Wilama Horzycy with three stages and Teatr Wiczy), two children's theatres (Baj Pomorski and Zaczarowany Świat), two music theatres (Mała Rewia, Studencki Teatr Tańca), and numerous other theatre groups.
Toruń has a number of cinemas including a Cinema City.
Over ten major museums document the history of Toruń and the region. Among others, the "House of Kopernik" and the accompanying museum commemorate Nicolaus Copernicus and his revolutionary work, the university museum reveals the history of the city's academic past. The Center of Contemporary Art (Centrum Sztuki Współczesnej - CSW) opened in June 2008 and is one of the most important cultural facilities of this kind in Poland. The modern building is located in the very center of the city, adjacent to the Old Town. The Toruń Symphonic Orchestra (formerly the Toruń Chamber Orchestra) is well-rooted in the Toruń cultural landscape. Toruń is equipped with a planetarium (located downtown) and an astronomical observatory (located in nearby community of Piwnice). The latter boasts the largest radio telescope in the Eastern part of Central Europe with a diameter of 32m, second only to the Effelsberg 100m radio telescope. Toruń is well-known for Toruń gingerbread, a type of pierniki often made in elaborate moulds.
TRANSPORT
The transportation network in the city itself has been a subject of much criticism for years. Although the city proper is not very large, the underdeveloped street and road network is a source of problems. It has to deal not only with a traffic generated by Toruń itself, but also with heavy transit and metropolitan traffic. Even the construction of new wide avenues, both by reconstructing existing streets and by construction of others from scratch, has not been enough. The most serious problem, however, is that only a single car traffic bridge crosses the Vistula river inside the city's boundaries.
The mass transit system is composed of 5 tram lines and about 40 bus lines, covering the city and some of the neighbouring communities. Toruń is situated at a major road junction, one of the most important in Poland. The A1 highway reaches Toruń, and a southern beltway surrounds the city. Besides these, the European route E75 and a number of domestic roads (numbered 10, 15, and 80) run through the city. With three main railway stations (Toruń Główny, Toruń Miasto and Toruń Wschodni), the city is a major rail junction, with two important lines crossing there (Warszawa–Bydgoszcz and Wrocław–Olsztyn). Two other lines stem from Toruń, toward Malbork and Sierpc.

Favorite destination of polish yuppies and cool kids (especially from Warsaw). Suitable for a whole weekend party with its numerous number of clubs and pubs in a nice atmosphere of the then health resort.

check those clubs:
Soho, Mandarynka - the trendiest ones, a bit puffed up
SPATiF - a legend, cultish club of the artist society
Papryka - more alternative place than those over, many live shows, funk, dub, reggae.
Klub Atelier - unconventional club connected with an alternative theatre, many happenings
Club 70 - club with good old 60's 70's 80's disco (theme depended on a day)
Sixty9 - gay friendly, electro, disco, drum'n'bass also a good chill out, after party place
SFINKS - the only massive club mentioned here, once voted the best in Poland with huge selection of club music: progressive electro d'n'b jungle jazz idm hip-hop techno house breakbeat funk disco hc

hope this tip will help you avoid cheap huge discos that are here too.

A good time to visit Miedzyzdroje is the third weekend in July, when the annual "Western Piknik" is taking place in nearby Sulomino (between the towns of Dargobadz and Wolin). It's a full weekend of country, bluegrass, and blues music, featuring bands from all over Europe. 10-15,000 fans (mostly Polish and German) attend the headlining band's show on Saturday evening. There are also plenty of items to buy, food and drink, and a great atmosphere.

Miedzyzdroje itself is a nonstop hive of activity, with nice but crowded beaches and places to get a bite to eat even in the wee hours of the morning. I prefer to stay at the Hotel Amber Baltic, although it is not the cheapest in town. If you will have a car, be certain to reserve parking when you reserve the room - the hotel parking lot is small and fills up fast!

Heineken Open'er is a great music festival held at Gdynia annually. The price of tickets is moderate considering the line-up. As for places to eat, I'd recommend bar "Hollywood" for colossal meals at a reasonable price.

Szafa - The wardrobeVery nice place in the center of Old Town. Cafe in the afternoon and pub in the evening. Good music, very nice people and beer for about 2 euro.You can find there the real passage trough the wardrobe !!!Street: Podmurze 2
URL: www.cafeszafa.pl

In the harbour there are two anchored museum ships, the ORP Blyskawica Destroyer and the Dar Pomorza Tall Ship frigate. Gdynia is also the host of the Heineken Open'er Festiwal, one of the biggest contemporary music festivals in Poland.

hiring a bike is a must! try bicycle path to German side - it goes waterfront through 3 wonderful towns Ahlbeck, Heringsdorf and Bansin - a trip for 3 - 4 hours there and back.

The best fish restaurant in whole region. Unforgettable taste of every fish you can imagine and sea food. Desserts? Traditional pancakes and pies from the region made in line with legendary recipes.

If you are here, you have to go to Maszoperia fish restaurant. The selection of fish there is good and the taste is excellent.
The building itself was the meeting place for the fishermen council ('Maszoperia') since the 19th century. The whole idea and history of the fishermen council in Hel is neatly outlined in the menu.

Bar under the fish (Bar Pod Ryba) on Dlugy Targ has basically the best baked potatoes ever, with addictive fillings and combinations. Just go.

One shop, no discos, not so many annoying families with little children or people who came there to show off. It's tiny, it's peaceful but offers one of the most beautiful sandy beaches I've ever been too. Swimming under the cliffs that are 50m high is really unforgettable experience. Because it's not so popular among the tourists, sometimes it seems like the beach belongs to you (swimming naked in fresh baltic water - fantastic!:). You can also take your bike there and enjoy other beautiful sites of Wolin island. But in fact it would be better if you don't come around there - more place for me heh :D

Accommodation is very cheap - you can rent a small bungalow in the forest or you can bring your own tent. Not so very far from bigger towns (by car or by bus).

In June or in September you can hardly meet anyone there - perfect place to relax for a week or some after exhausting holiday :D!

Szczecinek- typical Polish small town. Developing, clean...lovely leak :). Anyone loving peace should go there... to better Polish culture basicly.

Superbe ville! Passez votre temps près du port, admirez l'ancien quai de déchargement! Surprenant!

Buy pierniki. I like the ones with chocolate.

Go to the Molo! It feels like you are in Hollywood

summer in Poland :) it is great, but sometimes weather is horrible!!