What’s a better way to spice up your Christmas than drinking a unique blend of Eastern European cultures on the shore of the Baltic Sea in Gdańsk, Poland?
(Need more inspiration to travel? Check out Best Instagram For Budding Travellers)
Visit the Xmas Market
Christmas Market (“Jarmark Bożonarodzeniowy”) is one of many beautiful Polish traditions and an experience worth exploring. Starting from Nov. 18 to Dec. 22, the streets of Old Town Gdańsk are going to be filled with local food, Kashubian products, and polish delicacies. Aside from the festive decor, a warm glass of mulled wine and a bite of polish gingerbread (‘piernik’) will bring you the essence of eastern European Christmas like no other. Carnival games like Arrow Shoot and Merry Go Round will also be featured, making this market a fun event for all ages.
Explore the Historic Gdańsk
Gdańsk is on the north coast of Poland, and home to the Independent Trade Union ‘Solidarność‘. The union was founded in 1980 and it marked the success of the workers’ movement against poor standards of living under the communist government.
Gdańsk is also the starting point of World War II
The city is known for its picturesque architecture and interesting museums; Mariacka street and the Museum of the Second World War are among many wonderful attractions that are worth visiting.
Close to Gdańsk are Sopot and Gdynia, and together they are named “Trójmiasto” or Tricity. With the charms of each city, convenient public transportation, and amazing eateries – and of course the Christmas market- the Tricity is ideal for a long getaway.
Eat Like the Polish
Pierogis are perhaps the most popular dish in Polish cuisine. And while they are exceptionally delicious, there are other dishes that you would want to relish. Bigos, for instance, is a stew made of chopped meat, sauerkruat, and onion. This dish is definitely a wintertime feast since the grease in it can keep you satiated and warm for a long time. Bigos is usually served with sourdough rye bread – another polish special you don’t want to miss.
Kielbasa means sausage in Polish and it is a word to look for in the Christmas market. Polish cuisine offers a variety of sausages; Kielbasa in particular refers to a typical smoked sausage that is usually served grilled with mustard and bread. Biala Kielbasa or white sausage, on the other hand, is unsmoked and best when served with spicy horse-radish sauce. And Kaszanka, a black pudding, is made of animal offal, blood, and buckwheats In the market, sausages are often cooked over a charcoal grill that sends off the mouth-watering barbeque smell. You can also find dried and uncooked sausages from different regions of Poland in the market.
Fly to Gdańsk for Under 20 EUR
There are roughly 43 direct flights to Gdańsk Lech Wałęsa Airport per day – 2 flights per hour – from 9 airlines. In this festive season, the two major air services of Europe Ryanair and Wizz Air are competing to offer a better deal on ticket prices. For example, with a WIZZ Discount Club membership, you can travel from London to Gdańsk for as cheap as 15 EUR in 2 hours. And for the same duration, Ryanair offers a flight from Bristol for just 18 EUR with no membership necessary. Deals like these are definitely a no-brainer.
Isn’t Christmas vacation in Gdańsk too good to miss? Let us know what you think!
