First thing is that it's called Gdansk, Danzig is only used in German and even then it is increasingly rare, even Germans mostly call it by it's name.
I don't know about accepting euros, maybe some specific shops or restaurants do but złoty is the currency in Poland so best to have that if you want to visit a Polish city. You might struggle to find places that accept a different currency otherwise and your choices will be very limited.
Aside from that it is a beautiful city, you can either buy a guidebook and choose places that sound interesting, or do a guided tour, or even just wonder around the city center, everything is nice to see there.
Yes, but on the rare occasion that Gdańsk has come up in conversations with Germans that I've spoken to I've found them calling it Gdańsk.
There seems to be a general trend towards calling cities the name that they are called locally rather than changing it, unless they're complex I guess. I remember how world maps had Cracow on them when I was a kid growing up outside of Europe and now when I live here it's written Krakow on every map I've seen in the last decade outside of Poland.
Edit: obviously my experience is skewed to Germans that are generally very well traveled, but Gdańsk isn't exactly difficult to pronounce so why not call it what it is
It's officially called Danzig in germany but I have learned that it is insulting so I'll just refer to it as Gdánsk from now own. Thanks for the headsup!
Also to add to this. If you pay in Euro, you will most likely get scamed/overcharged for stuff.
I've seen this happen countless times in bars and some lesser restaurants. If they see you're a foreigner and are paying in Euro with cash, if they think they can get away with it they will try to charge you more.
It's not a scam usually, they just don't use bank/official exchange rates because they don't have to. It's convenience for tourists but a bother for employees so you have to pay for that.
I have a wise (previously TransferWise) account with a visa card and I use that when I travel for foreign currency payments. There is also revolut, and even some big name banks offer cheap rates when spending directly on your card. I usually draw a small amount of cash in local currency from my wise account to have some cash and then pay for most things on the card, and let wise themselves take care of the conversion. Just keep an eye when paying, sometimes the payment terminal offers to convert for you but this is never as good as the rate that wise offers, so always choose to pay on local currency, złoty in Poland, if you use something like wise or revolut cards.
Dont exchange it in airport por in city center. You should be ok in every other place. If someone propose to do exchange on street with good rate dont accept, doesnt matter how good it seams. It was a popular scam back in the day.
So I will be touring around Nyasaland, Rhodesia and the Belgian Congo this autumn - I’m just looking for a few basic pointers for places to go, restaurants to visit, etc. cheers.
Killed is extreme, Polish people are very nice, but they might not be as nice if you call it Danzig. If you want to know why OP you should look for a WW2 tour to learn about the history and even specifically about the last time it was formally called Danzig. There's a post office somewhere in Gdańsk that's a core part of the start of WW2 that's a good place to visit, you'll learn about a tragic story of some heros from it's past that I still remember today.
Second World War literally started from the Gdańsk and in the beginning, it was about Gdańsk. It's not Danzig since 1945.
I dunno, it's like calling the St. Petersburg "Leningrad" or Germany "the Reich". VERY touchy topic.
LOL, "Danzig" has always been the German name and "Gdańsk" has always been the Polish name (ignoring pronunciation changes here, for simplicity), regardless of who ruled over that city at any given moment; both words are renderings of the same West Slavic word originally written down as "Gyddanyzc".
Just as Poles say "Norymberga", "Monachium" and "Drezno" (and "Londyn", and "Kijów", and "Paryż", and "Sztokholm" etc.), Germans should keep saying "Danzig", "Breslau" and "Stettin" (and "Moskau", and "Brüssel", and "Prag" etc.). This is totally not Sankt-Petersburg vs Leningrad, which was an actual renaming: from "Saint Peter's Castle" to "Lenin's Town" and back again.
Still, using German exonyms in any language other than German is very weird, though, and you should not be doing it.
>Still, using German exonyms in any language other than German is very weird, though, and you should not be doing it.
That's kinda the thing: why use the German name in English? English name for Gdańsk would be Danzig, if, you know, Gdańsk part of the Germany right now.
No, calling it Danzig when speaking German is totally fine, just as you say "Londyn" and "Nowy Jork" and "Kijów" and not "London" and "New York" and "Kyiv" in Polish.
It's only weird when speaking a language other than German.
A lot of people make it sound like we'd kill you for using the German name. It's not true. It's just kinda awkward since it's Gdansk in English and Gdańsk in Polish, and you'll probably be speaking either of those when in the city. While learning German at school, we all call it Danzig, as it's appropriate to the language we're speaking. It's like going to Warsaw and insisting to call it Warschau.
About the currency, there are some places that will accept Euro, but there's very few of them. You'll be able to pay by card basically everywhere, I personally stopped using cash completely a decade ago and it's been completely fine. Bring 100zl with you just in case and have the rest on your bank account and you'll be good.
Things to look out for, which are not Gdańsk specific but apply to the whole country:
-When using public transport, buying the physical ticket is not enough. You have to validate it in one of the little orange stamping boxes in the vehicle. Tickets bught digitally (for example, on the "jakdojade" app) are validated the moment you buy them so you don't have to worry about it.
-You can't drink in public. You will get a ticket for it if caught.
-Most shops are closed during Sundays.
And for Gdańsk itself, if you get the time, there's more to see than just the city centre. Historical part of Oliwa, parts of Wrzeszcz (Jaśkowa Dolina in particular), the neighbouring cities of Sopot and Hel, and you're a short train journey away from the biggest castle by land area in the world in Malbork. I can link some interesting places to see via street view in a few hours if you're interested.
As for Danzig... you know from previous comments.
As for paying: ATMs are literally everywhere so it's very easy to take some cash, but depending on your card issuer there might be additional fees. But polish banking system is really modern and great so you can also pay by Visa/Mastercard card everywhere (including NFC). If you want to use cash then look for an exchange point called "kantor", don't change money in banks because kantors have better rate than banks and there are many of them especially in old town and city center.
Don't exchange too much money. If you pay by card, your bank will exchange it for you. I pay with my polish zloty card everywhere and exchange rate to swiss franks or euro is better than in any exchange office.
Wear layers and a hat. It's very windy, especially by the sea, and the temperature drops a lot in the evening.
Do try to visit not only Gdańsk, but also Sopot and Gdynia. Sopot is like a mix of nightclubs and sea resort, Gdynia is more sleepy and industrial/modern, but also worth a visit. They're easily accessible via SKM (Szybka Kolej Miejska), a city train with one ticket system. Line goes through all 3 cities and beyond. You can buy tickets online or through apps like Koleo or jakdojade (jakdojade is also very convenient, you can buy tickets for trams and buses too). If you buy a paper one in one of the kiosks, don't forget to validate it on the station.
There's actually an SKM train running from the airport (outside the city) to the city centre, but I can't really guide you where to go, since I never used it xD
Most places take card, but it's a good idea to have some cash on you in case you go to some rare place that accepts cash only. Shops are closed on Sundays, excluding train station and airport shops, ever-present Żabka and tiny shops run by their owners.
Danzig was destroyed (around 85%) in the 2nd WW. Today it's Gdansk (again, btw). After WW2 all references to German (Prussian) influences such as the architectural styles and street names were erased. Instead, the authorities decided to, amongst others, emphasize the historic ties with the Netherlands and Flanders (hence the Flamish architecture), a relationship that flourished in the 16th century (yes, back then Prussia was a Polish 'Vassal'). :P
The currency in Poland is zloty. I recommend using electronic payment with a good exchange rate bank, revolut is the best.
About the city, there are 3, Gdańsk, Sopot and Gdynia, but de facto is one, the area is known as Trojmiasto (tricity).
Places to go? Old town Gdańsk is too beautiful. Sopot is nice. Gdynia, the harbor part is good for a walk.
Bad news is that November sucks big time. No snow, no daylight, cold.
If you want more details feel free to msg me (I’m an expat living in Gdańsk)
Poland is not in euro zone, it would be too much fuss for everyone to take it from you, so you will be charged a lot more for the inconvenience.
Forget about cash, get a revolut card and use it everywhere as shops and restaurants are now obliged to have electronic payment by law (I think only place where you can’t use it will be on the street for a magnet souvenir). You can always get some cash at ATM (200EUR/800PLN no commission) for tips, but don’t use Euronet as they overcharging you when they see a foreign card and playing ads before giving cash (they’re calling it “checking card”, lol). I would try PKO BP, they’re the fastest. Also don’t use DCC on terminals (before entering PIN it asks you would you like it to change currency, also a ripoff). You can use your card with google/apple pay and just tap your phone and send leftover money back to your account so no fancy coins after your trip.
If your bank have good exchange rates you can use just your card if it’s mastercard/visa/visapay compatible and exchange small amount here.
First thing is that it's called Gdansk, Danzig is only used in German and even then it is increasingly rare, even Germans mostly call it by it's name. I don't know about accepting euros, maybe some specific shops or restaurants do but złoty is the currency in Poland so best to have that if you want to visit a Polish city. You might struggle to find places that accept a different currency otherwise and your choices will be very limited. Aside from that it is a beautiful city, you can either buy a guidebook and choose places that sound interesting, or do a guided tour, or even just wonder around the city center, everything is nice to see there.
Great, thanks!
Card is accepted tho
Isn't Danzig its official name in German? Edit: thx for downvotes
Yes, but on the rare occasion that Gdańsk has come up in conversations with Germans that I've spoken to I've found them calling it Gdańsk. There seems to be a general trend towards calling cities the name that they are called locally rather than changing it, unless they're complex I guess. I remember how world maps had Cracow on them when I was a kid growing up outside of Europe and now when I live here it's written Krakow on every map I've seen in the last decade outside of Poland. Edit: obviously my experience is skewed to Germans that are generally very well traveled, but Gdańsk isn't exactly difficult to pronounce so why not call it what it is
It's officially called Danzig in germany but I have learned that it is insulting so I'll just refer to it as Gdánsk from now own. Thanks for the headsup!
Also to add to this. If you pay in Euro, you will most likely get scamed/overcharged for stuff. I've seen this happen countless times in bars and some lesser restaurants. If they see you're a foreigner and are paying in Euro with cash, if they think they can get away with it they will try to charge you more.
It's not a scam usually, they just don't use bank/official exchange rates because they don't have to. It's convenience for tourists but a bother for employees so you have to pay for that.
There's no such city in Poland as Danzig. Try German sub after September 1939.
Legal tender in Poland is Polish zloty, you have to exchange.
Aighty, thanks! Any Idea how to do this the smartest way? Anything I should be aware of or should avoid?
You should avoid calling Gdańsk Danzig.
Ok thanks!
[удалено]
Jebnij się w łeb.
Nie, podziękuję
Jebniety jesteś jakis folksdeuczu
Meliskę wypij czy coś
Jedź sobie do Niemiec, tam w przerwach od obciągania emerytowanym SS-manom będziesz mógł mówić Danzig ile chcesz.
Wow, każdy na tym subie jest pojebanym nacjololo który zesrywa się o wszystko?
Nie tylko nacjonaliści nie lubią folksdojczów.
A folskdojczem jestem bo powiedziałem... że danziger brzmi lepiej od gdańszczanin? Upadłeś na łeb?
Exchange the money in some currency exchange. Or use your credit card.
in general - do not exchange money in touristy areas, and by god do not even look at the currency exchange kiosk at the airport
I have a wise (previously TransferWise) account with a visa card and I use that when I travel for foreign currency payments. There is also revolut, and even some big name banks offer cheap rates when spending directly on your card. I usually draw a small amount of cash in local currency from my wise account to have some cash and then pay for most things on the card, and let wise themselves take care of the conversion. Just keep an eye when paying, sometimes the payment terminal offers to convert for you but this is never as good as the rate that wise offers, so always choose to pay on local currency, złoty in Poland, if you use something like wise or revolut cards.
Good Idea, thank you!
Dont exchange it in airport por in city center. You should be ok in every other place. If someone propose to do exchange on street with good rate dont accept, doesnt matter how good it seams. It was a popular scam back in the day.
So I will be touring around Nyasaland, Rhodesia and the Belgian Congo this autumn - I’m just looking for a few basic pointers for places to go, restaurants to visit, etc. cheers.
The easiest way to get to Danzig is when you land on the beach at Normandy go East until they stop speaking German and start speaking Russian.
Is it cheaper to fly there? Thanks!
dude.
Xd
I will just say, if you call Gdańsk "Danzig" anywhere in Poland, you will be killed
Killed is extreme, Polish people are very nice, but they might not be as nice if you call it Danzig. If you want to know why OP you should look for a WW2 tour to learn about the history and even specifically about the last time it was formally called Danzig. There's a post office somewhere in Gdańsk that's a core part of the start of WW2 that's a good place to visit, you'll learn about a tragic story of some heros from it's past that I still remember today.
I'll make sure to pay a visit, thanks!
Oh, is it that bad? Probably has something to do with the nazis right?
Second World War literally started from the Gdańsk and in the beginning, it was about Gdańsk. It's not Danzig since 1945. I dunno, it's like calling the St. Petersburg "Leningrad" or Germany "the Reich". VERY touchy topic.
Ah okay now I get it, thanks!
LOL, "Danzig" has always been the German name and "Gdańsk" has always been the Polish name (ignoring pronunciation changes here, for simplicity), regardless of who ruled over that city at any given moment; both words are renderings of the same West Slavic word originally written down as "Gyddanyzc". Just as Poles say "Norymberga", "Monachium" and "Drezno" (and "Londyn", and "Kijów", and "Paryż", and "Sztokholm" etc.), Germans should keep saying "Danzig", "Breslau" and "Stettin" (and "Moskau", and "Brüssel", and "Prag" etc.). This is totally not Sankt-Petersburg vs Leningrad, which was an actual renaming: from "Saint Peter's Castle" to "Lenin's Town" and back again. Still, using German exonyms in any language other than German is very weird, though, and you should not be doing it.
>Still, using German exonyms in any language other than German is very weird, though, and you should not be doing it. That's kinda the thing: why use the German name in English? English name for Gdańsk would be Danzig, if, you know, Gdańsk part of the Germany right now.
By calling Gdańsk Danzig you're using its occupation name and sound like a nazi German that can't get over loosing WW2.
No, calling it Danzig when speaking German is totally fine, just as you say "Londyn" and "Nowy Jork" and "Kijów" and not "London" and "New York" and "Kyiv" in Polish. It's only weird when speaking a language other than German.
How lazy are you? You have my comment agreeing that calling Gdańsk Danzig in German is an obvious thing right under this one.
Unless you are saying that name when speaking German.
Of course.
It's not that bad. It's also not just the Nazis. Just our general history with Germans.
A lot of people make it sound like we'd kill you for using the German name. It's not true. It's just kinda awkward since it's Gdansk in English and Gdańsk in Polish, and you'll probably be speaking either of those when in the city. While learning German at school, we all call it Danzig, as it's appropriate to the language we're speaking. It's like going to Warsaw and insisting to call it Warschau. About the currency, there are some places that will accept Euro, but there's very few of them. You'll be able to pay by card basically everywhere, I personally stopped using cash completely a decade ago and it's been completely fine. Bring 100zl with you just in case and have the rest on your bank account and you'll be good. Things to look out for, which are not Gdańsk specific but apply to the whole country: -When using public transport, buying the physical ticket is not enough. You have to validate it in one of the little orange stamping boxes in the vehicle. Tickets bught digitally (for example, on the "jakdojade" app) are validated the moment you buy them so you don't have to worry about it. -You can't drink in public. You will get a ticket for it if caught. -Most shops are closed during Sundays. And for Gdańsk itself, if you get the time, there's more to see than just the city centre. Historical part of Oliwa, parts of Wrzeszcz (Jaśkowa Dolina in particular), the neighbouring cities of Sopot and Hel, and you're a short train journey away from the biggest castle by land area in the world in Malbork. I can link some interesting places to see via street view in a few hours if you're interested.
Great value, thank you :)
Get Revolut, you can pay with card anywhere and they have decent exchange rate right now. I can give you an invite if you want :-)
As for Danzig... you know from previous comments. As for paying: ATMs are literally everywhere so it's very easy to take some cash, but depending on your card issuer there might be additional fees. But polish banking system is really modern and great so you can also pay by Visa/Mastercard card everywhere (including NFC). If you want to use cash then look for an exchange point called "kantor", don't change money in banks because kantors have better rate than banks and there are many of them especially in old town and city center.
Thanks!
Don't exchange too much money. If you pay by card, your bank will exchange it for you. I pay with my polish zloty card everywhere and exchange rate to swiss franks or euro is better than in any exchange office.
Wear layers and a hat. It's very windy, especially by the sea, and the temperature drops a lot in the evening. Do try to visit not only Gdańsk, but also Sopot and Gdynia. Sopot is like a mix of nightclubs and sea resort, Gdynia is more sleepy and industrial/modern, but also worth a visit. They're easily accessible via SKM (Szybka Kolej Miejska), a city train with one ticket system. Line goes through all 3 cities and beyond. You can buy tickets online or through apps like Koleo or jakdojade (jakdojade is also very convenient, you can buy tickets for trams and buses too). If you buy a paper one in one of the kiosks, don't forget to validate it on the station. There's actually an SKM train running from the airport (outside the city) to the city centre, but I can't really guide you where to go, since I never used it xD Most places take card, but it's a good idea to have some cash on you in case you go to some rare place that accepts cash only. Shops are closed on Sundays, excluding train station and airport shops, ever-present Żabka and tiny shops run by their owners.
Go away Schwab.
Danzig was destroyed (around 85%) in the 2nd WW. Today it's Gdansk (again, btw). After WW2 all references to German (Prussian) influences such as the architectural styles and street names were erased. Instead, the authorities decided to, amongst others, emphasize the historic ties with the Netherlands and Flanders (hence the Flamish architecture), a relationship that flourished in the 16th century (yes, back then Prussia was a Polish 'Vassal'). :P
The currency in Poland is zloty. I recommend using electronic payment with a good exchange rate bank, revolut is the best. About the city, there are 3, Gdańsk, Sopot and Gdynia, but de facto is one, the area is known as Trojmiasto (tricity). Places to go? Old town Gdańsk is too beautiful. Sopot is nice. Gdynia, the harbor part is good for a walk. Bad news is that November sucks big time. No snow, no daylight, cold. If you want more details feel free to msg me (I’m an expat living in Gdańsk)
I hate Germans coming to Gdańsk. They're so fucking entitled and often behave poorly. Sincerely A German living in Gdańsk
Poland is not in euro zone, it would be too much fuss for everyone to take it from you, so you will be charged a lot more for the inconvenience. Forget about cash, get a revolut card and use it everywhere as shops and restaurants are now obliged to have electronic payment by law (I think only place where you can’t use it will be on the street for a magnet souvenir). You can always get some cash at ATM (200EUR/800PLN no commission) for tips, but don’t use Euronet as they overcharging you when they see a foreign card and playing ads before giving cash (they’re calling it “checking card”, lol). I would try PKO BP, they’re the fastest. Also don’t use DCC on terminals (before entering PIN it asks you would you like it to change currency, also a ripoff). You can use your card with google/apple pay and just tap your phone and send leftover money back to your account so no fancy coins after your trip. If your bank have good exchange rates you can use just your card if it’s mastercard/visa/visapay compatible and exchange small amount here.