Poland Guide
The Bay of Gdańsk and the Wisła delta
Even by Polish standards, the northern Tri-City (Trójmiasto) – the dominant conurbation in northern Poland, consisting of Gdańsk, Sopot and Gdynia – is a heavyweight in the history department. It's the place where World War II started with a bang and where the communist dictatorship ended with a whimper fifty years later. But rather than lingering on the past, the region is thundering forward, and a new generation has made its mark in the twenty years since democracy arrived.
Historic Gdańsk was obliterated in World War II but the carefully reconstructed parts of the city centre are now full of life. Nearby Sopot, with its golden beach, is the lively summertime party capital of Poland, but is pleasant to visit in any season. The industrial port city of Gdynia only appeared on the map in the 1920s, but now has seen much investment and is attracting tourism and business.
Highlights
1 Gdańsk An archetypal north European maritime city, full of Gothic architecture, fog-bound quays and buzzing nightlife.
2 Hel This quaint fishing village provides easy access to mile upon mile of pristine white-sand beaches.
3 Kashubia Spend some time exploring the rolling countryside west of Gdańsk, dotted with lakes and a distinct local culture.
4 Elbląg– Ostróda Canal Go on a boat trip with a difference – you're hauled uphill on an intricate railway system.
5 Malbork Castle For centuries the headquarters of the Teutonic Knights, this monumental medieval castle sprawls along the banks of the Wisła.
6 Toruń A lively university town packed with a jumble of exquisite medieval buildings.
The Tri-City is a good base for exploring neighbouring Kashubia, to the west, with its rolling hills, lakeside forests and distinctive communities of Prussianized Slavs. While waters around the Trójmiasto are a dubious (if ever-improving) proposition, the Hel Peninsula and the coast further west make a pleasant seaside alternative. South from Gdańsk, a collection of Teutonic castles and Hanseatic centres dot the banks of the Wisła and its tributaries. Highlights include the huge medieval fortress at Malbork, once the headquarters of the Teutonic Knights, and Toruń, with its spectacular medieval ensemble. In the south of the region is, Bydgoszcz a city still in the throes of change, its historical district currently being restored.
The Ostródzko– Elblaski Canal
Part of the network of canals stretching east to Augustów and over the Belarus border, the 81-kilometre-long Elbląg– Ostróda Canal (Kanał Ostródzko– Elblaski) was constructed in the mid-nineteenth century as part of the Prussian scheme to improve the region's economic infrastructure. Building the canal presented significant technical difficulties, in particular the large difference in water level (over 100m) between the beginning and end points. To deal with this problem, Prussian engineers devised an intricate and often ingenious system of locks, choke-points and slipways. These slipways, the canal's best-known feature, are serviced by large rail-bound carriages that haul the boats overland. Five of these amazing constructions operate over a ten-kilometre stretch of the northern section of the canal, located roughly halfway between Elbląg and Małdyty.
Day-trips along the whole stretch of the canal route operate daily from mid-May to the end of September, although you'll need to call Zegluga Ostródzko-Elblągska ( 
055/232 4307) at least a week in advance to reserve tickets (70–85zł). Boats start at 8am from Elbląg, arriving in Ostróda, at the southern tip of the canal, at 7pm. You can also get off at 2.30pm in Małdyty, where trains back to Elbląg depart at 3pm and 3.30pm. If you're travelling by car and want to view the slipways, turn west off the main road at Marzewo, a few kilometres north of Małdyty, and you'll meet the canal 5km down the road.