Gdansk (Danzig in German) is a port city on the Baltic coast of Poland. At the center of its Main Town, reconstructed after WWII, are the colorful facades of Long Market, now home to shops and restaurants. Nearby is Neptune Fountain, a 17th-century symbol of the city topped by a bronze statue of the sea god. Gdansk is also a center for the world’s amber trade; boutiques throughout the city sell the ossified resin.

Like a ministate all to itself, Gdansk has a unique feel that sets it apart from other cities in Poland. Centuries of maritime ebb and flow as a major Baltic port; streets of distinctively un-Polish architecture influenced by a united nations of wealthy merchants who shaped the city’s past; the toing and froing of Danzig/Gdansk between Teutonic Prussia and Slavic Poland; and the destruction wrought by WWII have all bequeathed a special atmosphere that makes Gdansk an increasingly popular destination.

Visitors throng in ever greater numbers to wander historical thoroughfares lined with grand, elegantly proportioned buildings, and to enjoy a treasure trove of characterful bars and cafes, seafood restaurants, amber shops and intriguing museums, not to mention pleasure-boat cruises along the river and a wealth of maritime history to soak up in between brews at dockside beer gardens.