www.Gdańsk4u.pl www.Gdańskconvention.pl

Going on a trip? Go hiking and remember always to take a map. What else? A backpack, water, a snack, a raincoat and a first aid kit.

Hiking means exploring and reaching places inaccessible by car.

Hiking means emotions and experiencing the beauty of nature.

Hiking is available all-year-round, not only during spring or fall. See how your city transforms when the nature awakens, when its colors change and when it hides under the snow.

Remember – you are the guest here!!!

don’t leave trash, don’t destroy, don’t pluck – keep in mind that nature is a common good,

don’t build campfires,

don’t make noise,

keep your dog on the leash and clean up after it,

park your car in designated places only,

don’t scare the animals,

don’t steal eggs from the nests,

don’t destroy poisonous mushrooms – some are needed in the ecosystem,

don’t part forest litter – it is the forest’s natural source of moisture,

don’t pick unfamiliar plants – this will save your from consequences such as poisoning.

Live in harmony with nature:

Hikes and much more…

GreenGdańsk

Hikes and much more… Green GdańskGreen Gdańsk

the Oliwa Park the Road to Eternity the President Ronald Reagan’s Park

a view from the bastion of Bison

the Gradowa Mountain and the Napoleonic Redoubt

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Tri-City Landscape Park Features areas that are rich from the natu-ral, historical and cultural perspective, in-cluding nature reserves called the Springs in  Eve’s Valley  (Źródliska w Dolinie  Ewy), the  Hussars’  Ravine  (Wąwóz  Huzarów) and the Forests in the Strzyża Valley (Lasy w  Dolinie  Strzyży).  The  most  interesting areas can be explored by following the marked  trails  of  the  Polish Tourist  Coun-try-Lovers’  Society  (PTTK): Tri-City  –  yel-low,  Kartuzy  –  blue,  Skarszewo  –  green, Wzgórza  Szymbarskie  –  black,  and  even the Daniel Chodowiecki horse  trail. There are also bicycle lanes available for those who like to spend leisure time actively. Follow the trail in the Samborowo Valley (Dolina Samborowo) to discover the park’s natural  assets.  Learn  about  the  Devil’s Stone  (Diabelski  Kamień)  on  the Devilish Hill  (Czarcie  Wzgórze)  and  the  massive fallen Douglas-fir – with a trunk circumfer-ence  of  4 m  –  known  as Dominic’s  Lover (Kochanka Dominika). See 11 monumental oaks, including the Thick Oak (Gruby Dąb) – with a trunk circumference of 5.60 m, and a cross commemorating the victims of December 1970.

Arrival  from the Gdańsk Główny PKP  railway station:  by  tram no.  6  (bound  for  Jelitkowo), 12 (bound for Zaspa) and 11 (bound for Abra-hama) to Abrahama stop, then on foot along Abrahama street to the Samborowo Valley (Dolina Samborowo); or by tram no. 6 and 12 to Oliwa, then on foot along Kwietna street to the Valley of  Joy  (Dolina Radości);  by  car  to-wards Strzyża and Oliwa.

Adam Mickiewicz Oliwa Park

Surrounds  the  Abbots’  Palace  (Pałac Opatów)  and  presents  the  old  beauty  of garden art and the wealth of tree spe-cies. The original creators of the monastic garden from the turn of the 12th and 13th centuries were the Cistercians. The south-ern part of the park, also known as the French part, has not changed much since

the  rule  of  abbot  Jacek  Rybiński  (second half of the 17th century). Well-cut avenues of trees with a linden lane called the Road to  Eternity  (Droga  do Wieczności),  sym-metric  shrubs  and  flower  beds  contrast the northern part and its irregular clus-ters of trees and bushes. A beautiful rock garden  (rockery),  dating  back  to  around 1910, features several hundred plant spe-cies.  The  adjoining  botanic  garden  with an abundant collection of flora was devel-oped between 1952 and 1956. The former orangery, where oranges, lemons and grapevines used to be cultivated, was con-verted to a palm house in the 1950s. It is now the home of exotic plants. The Oliwa Stream  (Oliwski  Potok),  with  a  waterfall and cascades, adds to its charm.

Arrival  from the Gdańsk Główny PKP  railway station:  by  Fast  City  Train  (SKM)  to  Gdańsk Oliwa station (bound for Wejherowo), then on foot  towards  Grunwaldzka  avenue;  by  tram no. 6 (bound for Jelitkowo) and 12 (bound for Zaspa); by car towards Oliwa.

Pachołek Hill (100.8 m above sea level) 

Overlooks  the Old Oliwa  (Stara Oliwa)  in the  Tri-City  Landscape  Park  (Trójmiejski Park  Krajobrazowy)  and  is  located  at  the junction of Opacka and Spacerowa streets. The  hill  can  be  reached  via  the  Kartuzy trail. The observation deck (15 m) provides a wide  panorama  of Gdańsk,  the Gdańsk Bay  (Zatoka Gdańska) and  the Oliwa For-ests (Lasy Oliwskie) with the Valley of Joy (Dolina  Radości),  the Valley  of  Solemnity (Dolina Powagi), the Valley of Clean Water (Dolina Czystej Wody), the Springs in Eve’s Valley  (Źródliska w Dolinie Ewy),  the Val-ley of Forest Mill (Dolina Leśnego Młyna), and  the  Valley  of  Oliwa  Stream  (Dolina Oliwskiego Potoku). This part of Oliwa is a perfect location for hikes.

Arrival  from the Gdańsk Główny PKP  railway station:  by  Fast  City  Train  (SKM)  to  Gdańsk Oliwa station (bound for Wejherowo), then on foot towards Spacerowa street; by tram no. 6 (bound  for Jelitkowo) and 12  (bound  for Zas-pa),  then  on  foot  towards Spacerowa  street; by car towards Oliwa.

J. J. Haffner Brzeźno Park and beach in Brzeźno

This seaside park was named after a doc-tor  who  built  the  first  bathing  beach  in Gdańsk.  Between  1840  and  1842  the seaside forest was converted to a park, then a place where the customers of the nearby bathing beach and spa could rest. Nowadays its green paths are roamed by the locals and tourists. The remains of old fortifications are surrounded by trees such as gray and black alder, ash, white willow, pine, sycamore, silver birch and elm. One attraction in Brzeźno is the 130 m pier built in a place which was referred to as Saint Peter  (Święty  Piotr)  in  the  18th  century. The Brzeźno beach  is  separated  from the forest by a pedestrian/ bicycle promenade. During  the  summer  season  the  beach  is guarded. Arrival  from the Gdańsk Główny PKP  railway station: by tram no. 13 (bound for Brzeźno); by car towards Brzeźno.

Jelitkowo Park and beach in Jelitkowo

Visited by locals and tourists all-year-long. The park was established in 1875 as a spa park at the mouth of the Oliwa Stream (Oliwski Potok) near  the Gdańsk Bay  (Za-toka Gdańska). A pedestrian/ bicycle prom-enade and a protected sand dune area are located nearby. The beginning of the 20th century saw the opening of the Spa House (Dom Zdrojowy)  (still  there  today)  and  a pier  (unfortunately,  nothing  remained). Numerous  cultural  events  are  organized in this part of Gdańsk. During the summer season the beach is guarded.

Arrival  from the Gdańsk Główny PKP  railway station: by tram no. 2, 6 and 8 (bound for Jelit-kowo); by car towards Jelitkowo.

President Ronald Reagan’s Park

The youngest park in the city and the third largest seaside park in Gdańsk, whose area covers  55.5  ha. This  is  a must  for  anyone seeking rest or a place for some quality time with family or friends. The day passes pleasantly among the forests, meadows, ponds  and  alleys  for  pedestrians.  Those who like to spend leisure time actively can go cycling or enjoy the skatepark. The park is separated from the beach by a bicycle lane and a protected sand dune area.

Arrival  from the Gdańsk Główny PKP  railway station:  by  tram  no.  2,  6  and  8  (bound  for Jelitkowo) and 13 (bound for Brzeźno); by car towards Jelitkowo and Brzeźno.

Motława Channel

Just 1.5 km from the downtown, between the  Dolne  Miasto  and Olszynka  districts, there is an old moat surrounding the bas-tions of St. Gertrude (Św. Gertrudy), Bison (Żubr), Wolf  (Wilk),  Jump  (Wyskok),  Bear (Miś) and Rabbit (Królik) – former fortifica-tions that protected the city from the side of  the Vistula Plain  (Żuławy Wiślane). The picturesque  landscape  of Opływ Motławy encourages to hiking, cycling and canoeing along a beautiful trail. Nature lovers can find water and waterside plants, shoals of little fish, water and waterside birds as well as  insects. The  nearby  places  worth  see-ing include: the Stone Sluice (Śluza Kami-enna), the Lowland Gate (Brama Nizinna), former Rifle Factory (Fabryka Karabinów), and the Milk Vats (Stągwie Mleczne).

Arrival  from the Gdańsk Główny PKP  railway station: by bus no.  121  (bound  for Dolne Mi-asto)  and  123  (bound  for  Równa);  by  car  to-wards Dolne Miasto and Olszynka.

Orunia Park

The  second  largest  (11  ha)  city  park  in Gdańsk,  located  near  the  Radunia  Ca-nal  (Kanal  Raduni)  in  the Valley  of Oliwa 

Stream  (Dolina  Oliwskiego  Potoku).  A perfect place for rest in the bosom of na-ture, away from the big city noise, dating back to the 16th century. Its enchanting features include a picturesque lane of 40 linden trees from the 19th century, the upper and the lower pond with weeping willows, a waterfall and a historic manor house from the 19th century (currently a kindergarten). The nearby legendary Hill of Five Brothers (Wzgórze Pięciu Braci) (42 m above  sea  level) boasts historic  trees and two age-old boulders on the peak. Inside the hill there is a historic ice house, where ice blocks used to be stored all-year-long. The other side of the pond and the stream boasts the second hill (54 m above sea lev-el), called the Mountain of Tears (Góra Łez) or  the Mountain  of Crying  (Góra  Płaczu). The botanic wealth of the park comprises old  trees:  a  huge  oak  (with  a  trunk  cir-cumference  of  5.30  m),  beautiful  copper beeches in front of the manor house, and more than 200 years old beeches near the upper pond. Arrival  from the Gdańsk Główny PKP  railway station: by bus no. 151, 205, 207, 209 and 210 (Gościnna stop); by car towards Orunia.

Sobieszewo Island

A natural oasis surrounded by the Bold Vistula  (Śmiała  Wisła),  the  Dead  Vistula (Martwa Wisła) and the Gdańsk Bay (Zato-ka Gdańska).  In 1994 it was classified as a Protected Landscape Area (Obszar Chron-ionego  Krajobrazu).  The  island  features nature  reserves classified as  the NATURA 2000  areas:  the  Bird  Paradise  (Ptasi  Raj), and  the  Gull  Sandbank  (Mewia  Łacha). Its seashore, sand dune forests, rushes and riverside meadows are a true delight. The  longest  (11 km) beach  in Gdańsk and the  bathing  beaches  in  Sobieszewo  and Orle encourage to sunbathing during the summer.  Those  who  follow  the  natural/educational trail in the Bird Paradise (Ptasi Raj) nature reserve can find flocks of gulls, terns, ducks, plovers and swans. The beauty and charm of the island is revealed during hiking and cycling via the trail from

Sobieszewo to Świbno. Places worth see-ing include the island’s only natural monu-ment – a 450-year-old oak in Wieniec, the  Wincenty  Pol  Exhibition  Room  (Izba Pamięci Wincentego Pola), historic manor houses,  sluices  in Przegalina and wooden thatched cottages. Attention! Access to the Gull  Sandbank  (Mewia  Łacha)  is  lim-ited during the breeding season.

Arrival  from the Gdańsk Główny PKP  railway station: by bus no. 112 (bound for Przegalina) and 186 (bound for Górki Wschodnie); by night bus no. N7 (bound for Sobieszewo Wyspa) and N9 (bound for Przegalina); by car from Gdańsk – via the Dead Vistula (Martwa Wisła) pontoon bridge (open 24/7/365).

Grodzisko Fort and Gradowa Mountain19th century city forts surrounded by greenery in the very heart of the city. The 27 ha park features: ca. 300 plant species, over 150 insect species, 5 snail species, 3 amphibian species, 1 reptile species, ca. 60 bird species, and 13 mammal species. Those who follow the natural  tail  can see ecological sites, natural monuments, houses for birds and bats as well as the park’s only body of water – the Wet Moat (Fosa  Mokra).  This  unique  park  presents an opportunity to learn about the fasci-nating  history  of  the  forts while  enjoying recreational  leisure  time  activities.  The Gradowa Mountain (Góra Gradowa) (46 m) provides a panorama of the downtown and the shipyard area and its peak features the Millennium Cross  (Krzyż Milenijny),  com-memorating 2000 years of Christianity and 1000 years of Gdańsk. This place is a must for those who follow the Tri-City trail.

Arrival  from the Gdańsk Główny PKP  railway station:  on  foot,  above  the  PKS  bus  station, via alleys for pedestrians.