Gdansk, Gdynia and Sopot, Poland

Trojmiasto or Tri-city, as it is known in English, is situated on the Baltic coast of northern Poland and consists of three inter-linked cities: Gdansk, Gdynia and Sopot. Each city has it's own distinctive character, bringing something completely new to the Trojmiasto experience and the area is fast becoming one of the premium holiday destinations in northern Europe.

Gdansk

The historical mercantile city of Gdańsk, which dates back to the 13th century, has always been at the centre of territorial disputes between Germany, Russia and Poland and has been the scene of some of the most cataclysmic events in modern history. Having already changed hands on many previous occasions, it was here that WW2 kicked off when the Nazis began their invasion of Poland by attacking the city's Westerplatte on 1st September 1939. Later on, in 1980, striking shipyard workers (led by the enigmatic Lech Wałęsa) formed the Solidarity movement which ultimately brought about the disintegration of communism in Poland.

With such a rich history, Gdańsk is without doubt the cultural epicentre of the area and in addition to the usual attractions, features several outstanding museums and architectural highlights such as the Mariacka Cathedral, the Golden Gate and the Motława crane.

Gdynia

Situated to the north of both Gdansk and Sopot, this is by far the youngest of the Trojmiasto cities. Until the 1920s it was little more than a fishing village however, as Gdansk was a 'Free City' at this time, the Polish government decided to build Gdynia up as a port and the city grew rapidly from then on.

Today Gdynia is renowned for being the modern hub for shoppers in the three cities, this in part is due to the many shopping centers in the area and the many designer shops.

Sopot

Sopot, the smallest of the three Trojmiasto cities, is sandwiched between Gdansk (to the south) and Gdynia (to the north) and has quite a reputation to live up to. Although considerably older, it was established as a health spa for the citizens of Gdansk in the 16th century and, since then, has been Poland's playground for the rich and the famous.

Nothing has changed and today this little gem of a city is deservedly famous for its nightlife - or rather 'all-night' life. A Miami-type strip lined with a host of stylish bars, clubs and restaurants leads down to a beautiful sandy beach and the longest wooden pier in Europe.