Gdansk Nightlife Tips by matcrazy1 Top 5 Page for this destination

Cinema City Krewetka: Multiplex cinema

If you like movies there is a multiplex cinema called Cinema City Krewetka ("krewetka" means a shrimp in Polish) in downtown Gdansk, opposite to the Main Railway Station. Cinema City is a company which runs cinemas in Israel, Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary and Bolgaria. As large, new, multiplex cinema of the same company (Cinema City) is almost completed just by my home in Tychy, I entered this one in Gdansk to see what does it look like.

Movies are played in 8 modern screening rooms, each equipped with top sound system. The movies are released in Poland at the same time as in the other countries of European Union which means hmm... a few months after the USA. Many movies, especially in English language, are subtitled. The last movie starts at 10.30 pm. Tickets cost 15 - 18 zl (€ 4 - 5). There are a few bars/fast food restaurants in the complex, too. Add multi-store, covered and guarded parking lot. It's free for cinema customers during movie play - keep your ticket and show it to a parking lot cashier.

Dress Code: Casual dress.

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Address: Ul. Karmelicka 1; 80-851 Gdansk

Directions: Opposite to the Main Railway Station (Gdansk Glowny), distance on foot: 5-10 min. to Solidarity Square, 15-20 min. to the Main Town (Dluga Street).

Other Contact: cckrewetka@cinema-city.pl

Phone: +48 (56) 769-30-00

Theme: Other

Polish Baltic Philharmony: The best concert hall in Europe!

If you are a fan of serious music, you simply must check the schedule of concerts which take place in the concert hall of Polish Baltic Philharmony (on their webpage or ask in any tourist information office). Why?
- top world's musicians and orchestaras, including Polish ones, play there,
- the concert hall is said to be the best one in Europe,
- tickets for a concert cost only 25 - 45 zl (for the best places; €1 = 4 zl).

I usually go for a concert of serious music once or twice a year. I look for top concerts or those ones in a church (organ concerts) or played for a very special occasion. I've enjoyed a concert of Jean Michel Jarre in Gdansk shipyard a lot. But apart from that event, I wanted to hear music in the best concert hall in Europe, completed in 2003 on the Olowianka Island but unfortunatelly there were no concerts there that time.

But, thanks to one very nice guy from the staff of the Polish Baltic Philharmony, I was allowed to enter the concert hall during an orchestra rehearsal. Well, I'd really love to hear the whole concert there. With the centrally located stage, the design follows ancient Greek amphitheatres. There are 970 seats around the stage and on a balcony. Both the design and the acoustics seems to be perfect. No wonder, that many top, world famous, musicians say that this concert hall is among the best ones in Europe (add Berlin and Manchester here).

Dress Code: No jeans, T-shirts or sneakers, but not necessarilly a formal suit. For visitors or young folks something between (a jacket, a shirt or casual suit) is acceptable.

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Address: Ul. Olowianka 1, 80-751 Gdańsk, Poland

Directions: On the Olowianka Island, overlooking the Motlawa River. Take a ferry across the Motlawa river which leaves by the Crane.

Other Contact: bilety@filharmonia.gda.pl

Phone: +48 (58) 320 62 62

Theme: Concert

Website: http://www.filharmonia.gda.pl

Yesterday: Party everyday :-)

It's a pub and nightclub open from 6.00 pm till 2.00 am, on Fri/Sat and Sat/Sun night till 4.00 am. The entrance guards may order your identity as you must be over 18 years old. They looked seriously at my wife, me and my camera, adviced me not to take any pictures and let us in. The dark interior was painted in bright colours with murals on the walls. The DJ was playing golden hits from 1980' and 1990' as usual on Saturday. There were a lot of 18 - 20 years old youths, less people at their 20s and a few older folks including visitors and a German couple from Berlin I started to talk to although it was not easy with all that noice around. We had nice chat but I had to leave soon.

Well, I think that "Yesterday" maybe a good place to hear pop music (no hip hop!), watch young locals and make new friends especially at age up to 25 although most people comes in groups there. But after all those beers the folks start to mix and change tables. There is no entrance fee. Beer and other drinks plus snacks are sold at low or average price.

Dress Code: Casual, casual and again casual clothes: new jeans and a funny T-shirt most welcome.

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Address: Ul. Piwna 50/51, Gdansk

Directions: In the old town. Walk eastwards Dluga street, turn left to either Tkacka or Lektykarska st. and turn first right to Piwna, the pub on the left. About 25 min. on foot from the Main Railway Station (Gdansk Glowny).

Other Contact: http://www.trojmiasto.pl/ob.phtm

Phone: +48 (58) 301 39 24

Theme: Live Music

Website: http://www.inyourpocket.com/poland/gdansk/en/venue?id=POGDENN0053

Wybrzeze Theatre: Famous theatre

Wybrzeze Theatre (Teatr Wybrzeze), open on the birthday of Prussian King Frederick William III in 1801, is one of the best state-owned theaters in Poland, now. I didn't see any perfomance there, but my parents did in... late 1970' and they liked it a lot as I remember well. I only saw quite ugly edifice of the theatre. If I only had more time...

Great names in Polish culture have worked here, including Andrzej Wajda and Kazimierz Kutz. Wajda is Polish film and theatre director awarded Oscar statuette in Hollywood, La Palme d'Or in Cannes and Golden Lion in Venice. Gdansk hosts regular festivals of street theatre each year, where language is no barrier. Most of the performances here, however, are in Polish language, so unless you've triumphed over Polish grammar you may be a tad bewildered by what's going. Perfomances start at 6.00 or 7.00 pm.

Dress Code: For evening perfomance no sneakers and rather no jeans and T-shirts.

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Address: Ul. Sw. Ducha 2; 80-834 Gdansk

Directions: Look here

Phone: +48 (58) 301 70 21

Theme: Theater

Website: http://www.teatrwybrzeze.pl

Gdansk shipyard: Concert of Jean Michel Jarrea and other events

I decided to go to Gdansk (over 500 km, 350 mi from my hometown) in August 2005 because I unexpectadly got two tickets for a concert of Jean Michel Jarre "Space of Freedom". The concert for over 100,000 folks took place on large and empty square by Gdansk shipyard and was a part of celebrations of 25th anniversary of Solidarity movement. A few top world artists, like just Jean Michel Jarre, U2 and others loudly supported Solidarity movement in 1980'.

It was fantastic heart-braking, light and sound perfomance. The place and the date made it very emotional. I saw a few older folks with tears in eyes when JMJ started to sing the song "The Walls" by Kaczmarski, informal anthem of Solidarity. Travelling, huge, shipyard crane lighted by numerous fireworks was a part of scenography. There were 3 a few-store billboards, two on the walls of shipayrd halls. The second star of the concert was former leader of Solidarity and former president of Poland Lech Walesa.

OTHER NIGHTLIFE AND EVENTS
There are a lot of nighlife and night cultural events each summer in Gdansk. In August some of them refer to the Solidarity movement. I do hope to see the next concert on the same place in August 2006.
Check events in Gdansk here and here

Dress Code: For an outdoor concert casual dress is the best. Check when the gates are open and the security rules before... I was not allowed to bring any camera (taking pictures was forbidden but... I, like many others, had a cell phone with a camera, hmm... poor quality pics). Flags with a mast, glass or larger bottles were not allowed, too. If you are not VIP (with a seating place booked) take your favourite newspaper :-) to sit down on it (on the ground) waiting for the concert.

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Address: Stocznia Gdanska

Directions: North of the Solidarity Square, northwards of the Old Town, approx. 15 - 30 min. on foot.

Theme: Concert

Website: http://www.jarre.pl