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Families I know from different parts of Poland often ask me how to best plan a holiday by the sea and what places are worth seeing in Gdańsk. I cordially invite you to read a short story about a dream weekend at the Baltic Sea, serving as an inspiration that I have prepared for Ola's mother, Krzysztof's father, and Aniela and Adaś for their upcoming holiday.
September Friday begins a few moments before the alarm sounds. Excited children look forward to waking up. With smiles on their lips, they run into their parents' bedroom. They are trying to speed up the time in this way, because today, after returning from kindergarten and school, when mom and dad come home from work, they will pack their backpacks and suitcases to go on a short vacation by the sea together.
They decided to leave in the last days of August. The weather forecast encouraged them to spend family moments in the rays of the September sun and the still pleasantly warm sea. Walks in the fresh, iodine-filled air also promised to improve immunity for the coming fall / winter season. The tourist voucher that the parents received in order to spend joyful moments with their children in the company of their relatives was also of great importance. Thanks to him, the trip did not affect the family budget in any way, and allowed for the fulfillment of childhood dreams about September holidays.
On the way to Gdańsk, they discussed the trip plan designed to get to know the city as much as possible, and also to relax in the vicinity of nature. Earlier, they jointly chose a hotel which, thanks to its good location in the city center, will allow them not to waste any time on unnecessary commuting, and to use the saved time in the hotel swimming pool or sauna. They booked a large room, consisting of a bedroom and a living area, so that the children could tell night stories, and the parents had a space to spend a moment together when the little ones fell asleep.
Upon arrival at the reception, they asked to prepare lunchboxes for tomorrow morning - a delicious, healthy take-out breakfast, as they were supposed to spend Saturday morning in an unusual way. Tired and awaiting adventures, they fell asleep in comfortable beds.
The next day started much earlier than usual. They considered for a moment which direction to choose: the beach in Jelitkowo, the beach in Brzeźno or the beach on the Sobieszewo Island. However, they decided to go to Stogi in Gdańsk, as it was the beach closest to the hotel, and in the dark they set off towards the sea. Then the spectacle began!
Photo: Gdańsk Stogi Beach
They saw the sunrise over the Baltic Sea. The golden-red ball rose above the surface of the water, awakening the still sleepy city with its rays. Waves beat the shore rhythmically. At the edge of the water and land, they observed transparent jellyfish greeting each other. In the distance, they heard the guttural laughter of gulls starting their day happily. Ships waiting to enter the harbor loomed on the horizon. Children - skilled observers - also noticed the first daredevils taking a bath in salty, still warm water. Fans of other activities appeared on the golden sand. For many people, the morning is the perfect time to catch endorphins. Yoga practitioners welcomed the day here and there. They also missed single runners and racing pairs. While walking along the shore, they met walking parents with children who, just like them, decided to watch this amazing spectacle. It was a great experience for the youngest, which they will be telling their friends about long after their return. Parents were right that it is worth starting the day as soon as possible, because Gdańsk offers a whole sea of opportunities to spend free time with your loved ones.
Photo: Shells collected on the beach in Gdańsk Stogi
Water enthusiasts, such as Aniela and Adaś, spent many happy moments on mattresses, with sleeves and splashing with the navel up. Experienced swimmers like their dad jumped in the waves, played water polo and organized races. Beach lovers found themselves on the wide, sandy beach. Our little architects had a lot of building materials to create impressive size castles with a moat and to create sand ships. Slender sailing ships, huge container ships, small agile motorboats were Adam's domain. He looked for them through binoculars on the horizon, then recreated them from sand and stones. Aniela, a lover of marine fauna and flora, added whales, octopuses and seaweed. My mother, who collects natural treasures, found plenty of opportunities to expand her collection with shells of various sizes, beautiful pebbles and small ambers. Before coming to the beach, they also took care of providing themselves with sports emotions. It was enough to take towels and balloons with you to play a family volleyball-balloon tournament. Water-filled balloons bounced off the towels with the combined forces of two-person teams. It was also an opportunity to splash a little on those who did not want to get wet by themselves. In this atmosphere of laughter and antics, we managed to take many photos that will warm their hearts on winter evenings.
After an active afternoon spent among the sound of the waves, breakfast in the form of a picnic on blankets on the beach and recharging the batteries with solar energy, they set off on another adventure.
Photo: Tiger, resident of the Gdańsk Zoo
Younger and slightly older family members love to watch the life of animals, so they put on comfortable shoes and set off on an adventure. The Oliwa district houses the largest zoo in Poland, open every day all year round, visited annually by nearly half a million people. They met over 160 species of animals from all over the world. They looked at the behavior of fluffy alpacas with great satisfaction, jumped upwards following the example of kangaroos, heard the roar of the king of animals, and noticed a riot of colors on bird feathers. They saw huge elephants and giraffes up close, playful meerkats and a small tree frog. The observations made in children awoke a new passion for learning nature and drawing nature.
After the walk, it turned out that they had enough strength, so they headed to the next point of the trip, near the zoo. They took turns relaxing and walking in the shade in the beautiful, well-kept Oliwa Park, still full of blooming flowers at this time of year. Tree-lined paths cut by streams and ponds gave shelter to splashing ducks. The children followed their example and played competitions in jumping on stones in the water. Only the bravest manages to jump from one bank to the other. Anielka won the family competition.
Photo: Oliwa Park
After such intense adventures, they decided it was worth eating something good. Fortunately, there are plenty of restaurants in the area, such as Pierogarnia Mandu and Pobite Gary, which offer a delicious and varied menu. The joint feast and rest at the table as well as eating tasty dishes allowed us to summon the last of our strength, which pleased everyone, because also in the Oliwa district there is a viewpoint on the Pachołek hill. Climbing it and seeing the Bay of Gdańsk and the city slowly preparing to sleep in the rays of the setting sun was a perfect buckle for this eventful day.
Evening has come. From time to time, the first yawning grimaces appeared on the children's faces. The time has come for the youngest explorers to return to a cozy room for a well-deserved rest after an active day. The parents did not even notice when the children drifted away in the arms of Morpheus in the snow-white sheets.
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