The Best Late-Night Bars in Gdańsk, Poland
Gdańsk is a charmer. This Polish seaside city is historically significant, insatiably pretty, outrageously trendy and instantly lovable. The streets in and around the famous Ulica Długa (Long Lane) are a hive of activity by day. But when the sun sinks over the horizon of the city’s famous shipyard, bubbly Gdańsk also boasts some of the coolest bars in eastern Europe. Work your way through this list for starters…
1. Cafe Szafa
Bar, Pub, Polish
Translating as ‘Wardrobe Café’, the quirky Cafe Szafa is a sublime late night haunt in a highly intriguing building. Once you get inside, you will see skeletons on the wall, an odd selection of mirrors and a hanging bicycle. Work your way through a menu of decent craft beers and party long into the night. The downstairs has a dance floor, and the biggest challenge is finding the secret room. This is your fantasy adventure into an almost Narnia existence, via the wardrobe. Be on the lookout for the lion and the witch.
2. Flisak '76
Bar, Cocktail Bar, Polish
A superb cocktail bar housed in a downstairs basement, this venue will keep you occupied into the early hours. Flisak ’76 has an exquisite and expensive cocktail menu. It’s one for sophisticated folk to pull up a stool and talk history, politics and art. It attracts a lively, well-dressed crowd and a good mix of locals, expatriates and tourists. Staff speak English, and they recently had an evening featuring the best barman in Poland. Can you imagine a cocktail featuring butterscotch and baked potato? At Flisak ’76, it becomes a reality.
3. No to CYK
Bar, Polish
5. Red Light Pub
Bar, Polish
6. Pijalnia Wódki I Piwa
Bar, Restaurant, Polish
The ever-reliable and popular Polish chain Pijalnia Wódki I Piwa (drinking house of vodka and beer) has a venue right in the heart of Gdańsk’s Długi Targ (long market). These are no-frills bars with incredibly low prices and consistent décor. Vintage Polish newspaper reports adorn the walls, and staff serve up 4.5 złotych (1 Euro) beers until dawn.
7. Café Absinthe
Bar, Nightclub, Cocktail Bar, Polish
Situated just outside the main gate (Złota Brama) of Gdańsk, Café Absinthe is both a late-night bar and a lively club. With a range of vodka shots and cocktails, it’s a good option to overindulge and meet some locals. Top DJs spin the tunes until sunrise.
8. Bunkier
Nightclub, Bar, Polish, American
To put it simply – Bunkier could find its way onto many such lists when describing the city of Gdańsk. It’s an iconic building, a reminder of the past and a survival bunker as well as a late-night bar. Yes – this is a former wartime bunker turned into a five-story bar and nightclub complex. Unless someone tells you about it, you might not even know it’s here. Many tourists walk past without knowing. So, step inside and explore. Grey walls protect you from the world outside, windows are non-existent, and there are five pumping floors to lose yourself in on busy weekend nights. Check the opening times as there are some nights when it shuts.
Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.
Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.
Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.
Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.
We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.