The Baltic Seasider

This new holiday to the Polish coast is packed with several centuries of history, culture, and of course diverse railways. Based in the historic Hanseatic City of Gdansk, your holiday includes visits to the largest castle in the world, the oldest British-built naval destroyer, charming narrow-gauge railways, and important memorial sites from World War II.

• Visit the seaside resort town of Sopot, the ‘Rimini of the North’ and the UNESCO World Heritage site of Malbork Castle.
• Visit the World War II memorial sites at Westerplatte, and step aboard the preserved Polish destroyer ORP Błyskawica in the port of Gdynia.
• Enjoy an evening river cruise in the port of Gdansk, and private charters on three different Polish narrow-gauge railways at Nowy Dwor Gdanski and the seaside lines at Koszalin and Gryfice.
• Experience incredible rail journeys on local, regional, and Intercity trains in the region, with both steam and vintage diesel traction, plus a trip to the famed Hel peninsula.

Wednesday 24th July
Fly from London to Gdansk

A direct flight from London will take you to Gdansk before transferring to your city centre hotel. After a welcome meal at the hotel, you’re free to spend the rest of the day exploring this fine city at leisure. All the major attractions are in the Old Town or along the historic harbour, close to your hotel. You’ll also receive a week-long public transport rover ticket, so you can explore the city’s local tram network. (L)

Thursday 25th July
World War II history in Gdansk, port ferry and heritage steamship
After a leisurely breakfast, it’s time to explore the important WWII history of the city. The first battle of WWII began on the 1st of September 1939 at the Westerplatte fort, inside Gdansk harbour. Tasked with holding out for 12 hours, the Polish defenders stopped the fierce Nazi onslaught for a week. The port ferry will take you to visit the battlefield museum and memorial on the Westerplatte peninsula, before returning to the Old Town to see the old Polish Post Office, site of another heroic effort against hopeless odds. After light refreshments at the Wedel Grand cafe, you visit the historic steamship SS Soldek, permanently moored in the Gdansk harbour along the river quayside. This steam-powered 1948 bulk carrier was the first ship built in Gdansk after the war and was in active use until 1980. Dinner will be served at your hotel this evening. (B L D)

Friday 26th July
Baltic seaside at Sopot, Gdansk sunset cruise
This morning you take a local train from Gdansk’s historic main station, dating from 1900, to Sopot. This is Poland’s premier seaside resort, steeped in grand architecture from the early 20th Century. The town’s sandy beach and long boardwalk pier are easily accessible from the railway station, as is the pedestrianised town centre, with its attractive cafes. Enjoy the seaside resort ambiance, which in the 1920s was known as the ‘Rimini of the North’, thanks to its vibrant cultural life. With your flexible railway ticket, you have free time in Sopot before you take the frequent local train back to Gdansk. In the evening you rejoin your group for a sunset harbour cruise. (B)

Saturday 27th July
By train to Malbork Castle and across the Tczew Viaduct
After breakfast you take a direct regional train from Gdansk to Malbork, traveling by PKP Intercity train in First Class. En route you’ll cross the landmark, 840-metre-long railway bridge across the River Vistula at Tczew. This historic railway viaduct is still shaped by the adjacent bridge towers and turrets originally dating from 1857. At Malbork you will visit the iconic UNESCO World Heritage site, largest castle complex in the world, originally established by the Teutonic Knights in the 13th Century. With its expansive ramparts, numerous towers, chapels and spacious courtyards, the Gothic red brick castle complex is as stunning as it is beautiful. Mid-day refreshments at the castle are included, before you return to Gdansk in the afternoon, again by PKP Intercity train in First Class. (B L)

Sunday 28th July
Vintage trolleybus ride and Destroyer ORP Blyskawica in Gdynia
The port city of Gdynia was developed during the 1920s and 1930s and boasts several functionalist as well as Art Deco landmarks from that era.
The Nazi battleship ‘Bismarck’ sailed from it during German occupation in May 1941 on its lone combat mission to the North Atlantic, before being sunk by the Royal Navy on 27 May 1941. Today, Gdynia remains Poland pre-eminent maritime city. You’ll see more naval World War II history here in the form of the remarkable Polish destroyer ORP Blyskawica (Lightning).
The destroyer was decommissioned in 1976 and is now an attractive naval museum in the harbour. Built with its sister ORP Grom (Thunder) in 1935 by Samuel White at Cowes on the Isle of Wight, Blyskawica was designed to be faster and better armoured than most destroyers of that time. Withdrawn to safety in UK waters right before the German invasion of Poland, the ship served with its Polish crew under the banner of the Royal Navy for countless campaigns of WWII. After mid-day refreshments at the port, you have a scheduled sightseeing tour of Gdynia to enjoy, travelling on a vintage Swiss Saurer 1950s trolleybus. In late afternoon you return to Gdansk for dinner at your hotel. (B L D)

Monday 29th July
Narrow-gauge railways at Koszalin and Gryfice
Today is dedicated to visiting two of Poland’s most famous narrow-gauge railways.
The delightful rural lines centred on Koszalin and Gryfice offer charming scenery in the wetlands and estuaries near the Baltic coast. You’ll travel the full length of both lines and have the benefit of private charter trains, with photo stops and run-pasts included, plus steam-haulage with a postwar Class Px48 locomotive on at least one of the lines. You’ll also visit the extensive Gryfice narrow-gauge railway museum with its vast yard and collection of preserved steam locomotives. See the very best of Poland’s ‘Little Trains’ on your fascinating day out to the Baltic coast. Lunch is included (B L)

Tuesday 30th July
Standard and narrow-gauge railways of the Hel peninsula and World War II history
Located north of Gdynia, the Hel peninsula juts out in the Baltic Sea and during the 1930s was of crucial strategic significance for Poland and the protection of the Polish Corridor. Extensive coastal defences were built on the peninsula, which today can be visited as a museum.
You take a direct PKP Intercity Train from Gdansk to the famed seaside terminus of Hel, travelling in First Class and using both electric and diesel locomotives. At Hel, the standard gauge railway terminus is right next to the beaches, and you can stroll along the popular promenade. Then you have a short transfer to the local military museum and narrow-gauge railway, getting a guided tour of both and having a private charter train ride on the line, originally built for military purposes.
In the afternoon you travel from Hel back to Gdansk on a direct PKP Intercity train. (B L)

Wednesday 31st July
Narrow-gauge railway at Nowy Dwor Gdanski
Today you visit another Polish narrow-gauge railway, travelling east of Gdansk to Nowy Dwor Gdanski. The Gdańsk Narrow Gauge Railway once consisted of an extensive network of 750mm narrow gauge lines on both sides of the Wisła river, connected by a train ferry. Having closed in 1996 a tourist service has recently started on the surviving section of the line which is about 15 km long and travels through the idyllic countryside. The principal attractions are the fresh-air half-open coaches, which allow you to feel the gentle breeze and enjoy magnificent views of the passing scenery. The train will pause for photo stops and refreshments will be taken at the railway.You return to Gdansk in the afternoon and join your fellow travellers for one more dinner at your hotel. (B L D)

Thursday 1st August
Fly back to London
You have a direct flight from Gdansk back to London. (B)