I really took the opportunity this summer to explore Gdansk. Not only during one visit, there were actually several of them. The first visit of the year was during a cold winter weekend. That was about to change during the summer and I discovered the possibility of going on day trips. That meant a morning flight from Stockholm Skavsta Airport and a return already in the evening. That gave me almost 10 hours in Poland. So after visits in both July and August, it was now time to return for a September visit as well.
Earlier visits:
- Gdansk, Poland – A 24 Hour Visit
- Gdańsk, Poland – A Stormy Winter Visit
- Gdańsk, Poland – Summer Day Trip from Sweden
- Gdańsk, Poland – A Repeat Summer Visit
Hiking from Gdynia to Sopot
I had for some time considered hiking from Gdynia to Gdańsk. That is a fairly long walk for sure. This time I would at least give it a try, with a milestone set to reach the town of Sopot. After taking the train from the airport to Gdynia I set out towards the coast. Once I reached the coast, I was greeted by the long pedestrian walkway leading south. This walk along the waterfront was the highlight of the day. Many beautiful sights, with the Baltic Sea just a few meters away.
With the sun shining, I just kept walking along the waterfront. That was possible up until I reached the end of the walkway as it ended at a sandy beach. Not really wanting to walk on soft sand for a long distance I headed up from the coast and found myself in a forest. It was really green here and the forest path did take me in somewhat right direction. It was just once I encountered a tree over the path and once that I ended up in a residential area. Otherwise, I stayed on nice paths through the Kępa Redłowska Nature Reserve.
The walk through the reserve ended in Kolibki where the jetty offered some picturesque views. Another benefit was that it once more was possible to walk along the waterfront. The long sandy beaches in this part of Poland are really neverending. It was after almost 13 kilometers of walking that I finally reached the train station in Sopot. My feet had by now decided that it was better to take the train to Gdańsk, instead of continuing on foot.
A Shorter Walk in Gdańsk
It was already afternoon when I reached Gdańsk. I only had a few hours before I needed to head back to the airport for my flight back to Sweden. I did, however, have time for a short stroll through Gdańsk and still about an hour of shopping at the shopping center Forum Gdańsk. It really was a beautiful day in the late summer. It was actually a lot nicer to walk along the main tourist street of Ulica Długa now in September compared to a month earlier. The number of tourists in July and August had been quite insane. Now it was back to normal and possible to really enjoy the city center.
Goodbye, For This Time!
It was eventually time to head back to the airport. I usually opt for a taxi to get from Gdańsk to the airport. There is a train, but then a change of trains is needed at Gdańsk Wrzeszcz. It takes quite some time and when only visiting for a day I prefer to spend more time in the city instead of saving a few euros and spending the time on a train. There is also less need to increase the time margin in case of delays. Gdansk Airport is also quite pleasant for these kinds of trips. Yes, it is quite small. But there is never really a problem with getting through security and no time is really wasted anywhere. With the exception of course if you trying to order something at one of the few restaurants. With the dark falling over Gdańsk it was time to board the flight back to Stockholm Skavsta Airport. Luckily, we had already planned a family trip to Gdansk just a month later. Next time Little A was going to get to visit Poland for the first time.
