I Love My Neighborhood: Nowy Port, Gdansk (Poland)

In this series, I ask expats to share the joys of local life they’ve found in their corner of the world. If you’re just joining in now, previously covered cities can be found here.

Today’s post comes from Agness & Cez, who are well-known for their expat stints all over the world and have chosen to shine some light on one of their favorite neighborhoods in Gdansk, Poland!

Agness & Cez: Why We Love Nowy Port

There’s a charming corner of the world located in the north of Poland on the shores of the Black Sea. Often overlooked in favor of more popular tourist destinations such as Warsaw and Krakow (perhaps more to do with location than anything else) the delightful and historic port of Gdansk still draws in a large slice of the Polish tourism pie. And little wonder, because there’s so much to see and do in this region of the country you’d be stark raving mad to miss it!

It’s no secret that Poland had a rough time of it and took a battering in WWII, but cities like Gdansk have seriously got their skates on when it comes to rejuvenation. It’s been largely rebuilt almost brick for brick and continues to improve every year with exciting sights and attractions that are putting it firmly on the map. It also just happens to be our old stomping ground and we’re here to tell you why we love our neighborhood – and why you will too.

Nowy Port: Our little slice of heaven is a place called Nowy Port, one of the four quarters in the city of Gdansk (the others being Brzeźno, Letnica, and Przeróbka). It’s an affordable place to live – much cheaper than the rest of the city but still blessed with beautiful and idyllic surroundings. There are never too many tourists in our neighborhood, no hustle and bustle, and you can live the slow and peaceful life if that’s what you’re looking for!

There is so much culture and tradition here that the city has awarded it heritage site status. Gdansk has a long and famous maritime history dating back centuries, and you can see it at every turn when you visit. Perhaps Nowy Port’s most recognizable attraction is its lighthouse – which is an iconic and much-loved structure built in 1893. Its rather somber claim to fame is that it was from here that the very first shots were fired to mark the beginning of WWII.

Finding Our Zen: While we’re traveling, we make our cozy apartment in Gdansk available for other travelers, but there are some great hotels and hostels in Gdansk too. When we do return home though, this neighborhood is perfect for our digital nomad lifestyle. Its quiet locale ensures we can be super productive without too many distractions or take time off to charge the batteries. It’s really wonderful when we need to rejuvenate or clear our minds of clutter!

And being just 10 minutes away from the beach really helps! It’s great to visit in any season for a stroll or even a picnic, and we really enjoy the fact that it’s so close. Who wouldn’t want a beach on their doorstep?! Aside from that, there’s a lovely park big park nearby that we often enjoy going for walks or biking in – and the whole area is generally well serviced with cycle paths. We can get to pretty much anywhere in town using these routes – and it starts right outside our door!

Getting Around: Which leads us nicely onto what we do if we’re looking for a bit more action! As well as the abundance of cycle routes throughout our neighborhood, there’s also a really nice mix of old and new trams that service the area – which makes it super easy if we want to head into the city itself. There are beautiful, cobbled streets and alleyways at almost every turn here and with the transport system being so good, it really makes it a joy to get around.

We have plenty of local shops nearby and while the locals generally don’t speak English, they are very friendly and open to try and engage with tourists should you ever pay us a visit. You’ll see some fascinating, old Soviet apartment blocks while exploring the neighborhood too. Very typical of the time period – but at least they’re really colorful!

Into Gdansk: Once into the city itself, you’ll be spoilt for choice for things to do and it’s improving every single year, adding new attractions, events and places of interest. Perhaps the most popular tourist draw is the old town and the “Trakt Królewski” or Royal Way. Unsurprisingly named because this is where Polish kings used to parade when visiting the city. It’s a stunning, historic thoroughfare with beautifully restored fairy-tale architecture.

Along the route, you’ll see many of the city’s most famous sites, with loads of really cool cafes available anytime you want to take the weight off. We’re both huge coffee fans – and one of the many things we love about Gdansk is the vibrant bean scene. The city is obsessed with java! (And cake – we like cake here too!)

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About the authors: Agness and Cez really do love their homely part of the world, but when they’re not relaxing on their local beach or enjoying Nowy Port’s peace and quiet, they’re usually to be found trotting the globe. The duo set up eTramping back in 2011, quickly building a loyal following and bringing you oodles of adventure travel advice, tips, tricks, and guides. If you’d like to find out where they are or whatever they’re getting up to, follow them on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. You never know where they might strike next!

All photos courtesy of the authors.