How to visit Malbork castle and Gdansk from Warsaw
Discover the amazing architecture of Malbork's castle. The biggest castle made of bricks in Europe. Located very close to the beautiful city of Gdansk, but you can easily visit the Malbork castle from Warsaw. All you need in order to plan!
The massive Malbork Castle and the city of Gdansk
The Castle of the Teutonic Order in Malbork city
The largest castle in the world measured by land area
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A visit to Gdansk & Malbork can be combined with a visit to Stutthof Nazi Camp
READ ALSO: BIALOWIEZA FOREST FROM WARSAW
Gdansk in Poland
Brief History of Gdansk
Gdańsk (Danzig in German) is a port city on the Baltic coast of Poland.
At the center of its Main Town, reconstructed after WWII, are the colorful facades of Long Market, now home to shops and restaurants.
Nearby is the Neptune Fountain, a 17th-century symbol of the city topped by a bronze statue of the sea god of mythology.
What differentiates Gdansk from the rest cities in Poland?
With thousands of years of history, Gdansk is located at the crossroads of important commercial and communication routes, an extensive port and mercantile traditions.
All this, together with the warm people and the awesome atmosphere, makes Gdańsk a meeting place of many cultures, nationalities, and denominations.
In 1939, it was the flashpoint of World War II.
Later in 1980, Gdansk was the birthplace of the Solidarnosc labor movement, ushering the end of Communist domination in Eastern Europe.
Points of interest in Gdansk
- The Main City (Główne Miasto)
- Coal Market (Targ Węglowy) -- see the Museum of Amber.
- Golden Gate will lead you to the Long Market, then to the Green Gate.
- Artus Court, a meeting place and center of social life
- Dutch House (Dom Holenderski)
- Neptun’s Fountain.
- Basilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the largest brick church in the whole world!
Fall in Love in Gdansk
Discover the beautiful and romantic beaches. Gdańsk beaches attract large numbers of tourists, especially in the summer when the water is quite warm.
Most popular beaches are:
- Jelitkowo
- Brzeźno (only pier in Gdańsk)
- The Stogi
Sobieszewo Island
However, I recommend that you go for a long romantic walk to Sobieszewo Island where the beach is wild and wide.
Sobieszewo Island is an island on the Baltic Sea, between the Gdańsk Bay and the delta of the Vistula river.
The beach itself is an awesome place to awaken your emotions. Finally, access to it is very interesting as well.
The reason is that you can enjoy the Ptasi Raj (Birds' Paradise) nature reserve on your way.
Oliwski Park
Another romantic place is Oliwski Park, which is located in the historical district of Gdańsk, Oliwa.
Enjoy the Abbots’ Palace and Oliwska Cathedral, which is dedicated to The Holy Trinity, Blessed Virgin Mary, and St. Bernard.
In the summer (Around Middle to end of August), you can stroll along the alleys surrounded by classical music as numerous concerts such as the Mozart festival are held there.
Love Bridge in Gdansk
That was previously the Most Chlebowy (Bread Bridge) because they used to sell bread there.
The bridge is located between Kowalska Street and Korzenna Street, Old Town. Walk 10 minutes north from Long Street; close to the Great Mill and the Hevelius Square.
Foto: Gdańska Organizacja Turystyczna
Lovers come here to make their relationships more durable. They hang a padlock with their initials, important dates, or vows of undying love.
Then they have to throw the key to the padlock to the Radunia river under the bridge.
The Lighthouse of Nowy Port
A historical lighthouse built-in 1890 is located at the Nowy Port District in Gdansk. It is probably the most beautiful lighthouse in the whole country.
Follow the 114 steps to the top of the 30 meters lighthouse and admire the beautiful view.
You can visit the lighthouse at any time of the year. See also the unique Time Ball that was used for navigation in the past.
It was the 1st of September in 1939 when the German forces received Hitler's command to start fire exactly at 4:45 a.m.
The execution delayed for the whole 3 minutes.
It was those shots from the lighthouse at Gdańsk Nowy Port that in fact began the Second World War, a war that claimed 55 million lives.
The lighthouse itself passed into world history. Check some interesting tours in Gdansk and from Gdansk.
You might also want to check the Gdansk Tourist Card as an option.
Finally, Dear Lovers :)
Take a walk the most beautiful and romantic street of Gdansk, Mariacka Street.
Mariacka Street is one of the favorite places for many artists and TV productions.
Many couples visit the place, after dark when everything is beautifully illuminated with romantic lanterns.
Close to Gdansk Points of Interest
Pay your regards to a Nazi Camp
Located around 55 km, 40 minutes drive from Gdansk, Stutthof Nazi Camp, worth a visit.
During 1939-1945, Stutthof was one of the cruelest Nazi camps in Poland.
After 1942 became part of the final solution to the Jewish question. Stutthof became infamous by Rudolf Spanner’s factory.
The factory was producing soap created from human fat. Around 90,000 people lost their lives in this camp.
The city of Sopot
Sopot is a town on the Baltic Sea in northern Poland. Along with neighboring cities Gdynia and Gdańsk, it forms the so-called Tri-City metropolitan area.
The city of Sopot is well known in Poland for its health spas, sandy beaches, and the long wooden pier which extends into the Bay of Gdańsk.
Sopot’s main promenade is Bohaterów Monte Cassino, named after the heroes of the second world war battle against the Germans in Italy.
The Crooked House is a surreal building modeled on fairy-tale illustrations. It's on Sopot’s pedestrianized main street, Monciak also called Monte Cassino.
Sopot points of interest
- Sopot’s wooden pier or “Molo” - try the famous Polish “Gofry” waffles
- The famous Heroes of Monte Cassino Street.
- Crooked house - surreal building modeled on fairy-tale illustrations. It's on Sopot’s pedestrianized main street, Monciak also called Monte Cassino.
- Lighthouse - built between 1903 and 1904 as a part of the Balneological Institute.
Finally, if you asked where else to go and someone tells you to go to hell, don't take it wrong. Hel is one of the most beautiful places in Poland.
Take the ferry from Sopot across the Bay of Puck to Poland’s Hel peninsula. The ride is around an hour and a half and it really worth it!
Hel's amazing beach is on the north side of the peninsula and has powdery sand that is almost white.
Malbork Castle - UNESCO site
Malbork is a town in the Vistula delta, founded by the Knights of the Teutonic Order.
It is known for its medieval castle, built in the 13th century as the Order’s headquarters.
The Teutonic castle is the biggest castle complex in Europe. Malbork Castle is also the biggest brick construction in history.
Inside the complex, you will see the Courtyard, the Cloisters of the High Castle, the Summer Refectory, and the Palace of Grand Master.
The complex is listed on the UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage List.
Plan your Trip to Malbork Castle
General information about Malbork Castle
The amazing castle of the Teutonic Order in Malbork is the largest (by surface area) castle in the world.
Also the largest brick castle in the world. Planning your trip alone will allow you to spend more time in the castle.
This amazing medieval castle was built back in the 13th century as a stronghold of the Teutonic Knights, a Catholic religious order of Germany.
After the construction, the castle was used as a fortress by the Teutonic Order, a Polish royal residence.
During World War II, it was heavily destroyed but has been entirely restored.
It is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a popular tourist attraction in Poland.
How to get to Malbork Castle, Gdansk
First of all, you need to get to the city of Gdansk from Warsaw. You can use a train or a bus.
Best Option is to use the train (Intercity), which is faster. But it might be even better if you rent a car.
In case you are looking for alternative options, you can check the full options list on how to travel between different cities in Poland.
Finally, you can use Omio to compare different options including cheap buses. The bus is usually cheaper than the train but it takes much longer.
Transport from Gdansk to Malbork by Train
Malbork is very easy to get to from Gdansk and there's no need to spend extra money on organized tours.
In addition, you are going to have more time and see more.
You can buy your train tickets at Gdansk Glowny station (Central Station).
In case there is a long queue, try your luck at the ICCC ticket office in the left corner of the train station.
In case you would like to avoid any long queues, you can try to buy your tickets online in advance.
Visit the Intercity Website and book a train from Gdansk Główny to Malbork.
Tickets cost between 12 - 79 PLN for one way with a local train. The most expensive are the fast trains Class-1 (29 minutes).
The ride a normal train (Class-2) should not be longer than 45-50 minutes and they are the cheapest.
You can also check possible connections on this page: «http://old.rozklad-pkp.pl/bin/query.exe/en».
Choose one which suits you and buy the ticket (for that train) online or in the ticket office before the train journey.
Book the Cheapest Intercity Transfers - FlixBus
Approaching the Malbork Castle
When arriving in the city of Malbork, you can enjoy a beautiful view of the castle.
The castle seems to be so close, that you might be thinking to get out early.
It might worth doing it if you don't mind walking for 15-20 minutes. The Stop is called Malbork Kałdowo (express trains will not stop).
Getting out on this stop will give you a great view of the castle from the other side of the Nogat River.
Anyway, it is more or less the same distance to the castle from the Central station.
TIP: Trains -- Icon explanations and prices
Gdansk-Malbork price without discount, 2nd class. The service provider is intercity («intercity.pl/en») - long-range trains
- EIP - Express Intercity Premium - fast service with new Pendolino trains - price around 50PLN
- EIC - Express Intercity - fast service with wagons/carriages - price around 49PLN
- IC - Intercity - economy service with relatively new rail stock - price around 17PLN
- TLK - Twoje Linie Kolejowe (Your Railway Lines) - economy service with relatively old rail stock - price around 17PLN
Plan your Tour in Malbork Castle
Castle interiors are closed on Mondays. They are also some holidays where the castle is closed.
It is recommended to always check opening hours and close days on their website in advance.
A complete tour of the castle grounds will take around 3 hours. It is recommended to go either early or late just to avoid the crowds.
But note the closing time and the time you need to see the castle.
TIP: The castle has different opening times for the summer and winter seasons and the ticket office closes 30 minutes before.
It is recommended that you book your visit to the Malbork Castle in advance when it's high season.
Information about ticket prices and online booking can be found here: «http://www.zamek.malbork.pl/bilety».
Tickets can be purchased also at the new museum building off of Piastowska. They also accept credit cards and is the starting point for the audio tour.
Tickets prices might range. During December, for example, the tickets are around 30 PLN for a 3-Hour audio guide in English.
During the summer months, there are also special light and sound shows as well as night tours.
TIPS for your visit to Malbork Castle (Discount)
Although visiting the castle late afternoon (around 17:15) will get you a discounted ticket price.
You might not have the time to see the whole castle. The castle closes at 19:00 and the guide is 3 Hours.
The audio guide is amazing and highly recommended. It has a built-in GPS that tracks your route and literally guides you into the next location on the map.
It also notifies you if you make a mistake. The castle is divided into 3 main sections: A, B, and C.
Some information is from this source -- HOW TO VISIT MALBORK CASTLE
Would you like to stay in Gdansk for a Night?
The best option in Gdansk might be this apartment in a great location and in the best price.
Check the awesome: Gdańskie Apartamenty - Apartament Gdańskie Poddasza
Or Find your Hotel in the Map Below
Transport from Hotel to Train Station and Back
I highly recommend you to use public transportation. You can try the application: JakdoJade.
A more comfortable option and highly recommended is Bolt.
Not sure if they operate in Gdansk. If they do, you can also use the discount code: DRB9U.
As the last option will be a Taxi. Read all the necessary information on How to use Public Transportation.
Finally, a tour to Gdansk
The all-inclusive tour to Malbork castle and Gdansk or Sopot includes a professional tour in Gdansk or Sopot.
You have the option to get a FREE walking tour in Gdansk.
But you can explore Gdansk using an audio guide which is the cheapest option to explore Gdansk. Only €7,18 per group up-to 2
Rent an audio guide device to help you make the most of your visit to 1,000-year-old Gdansk.
Choose from over 20 sites and 40 audio guide tracks. Including a gift map and a unique souvenir.
Finally, you can also read more about Gdansk.
TIP: Install the "Gdańsk Travel Guide" application on your mobile phone. The application is made by 21CN Polska and is available in Google Play.
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