Marking 86 years since the outbreak of World War II, this expertly guided journey provides an exploration of the war’s early days in Gdańsk and the surrounding region. With Tour Manager Damien accompanying you, you’ll visit key historical sites, including the renowned Museum of the Second World War, the Old Polish Post Office, and the site of the Stutthof Concentration Camp.
Comfortable four-star hotels with daily breakfast, seamless transport, and included entry to all locations ensure a comfortable travel experience throughout. Welcome and farewell dinners bookend the tour, providing time to connect with fellow travellers.
Whilst on this tour in 2025, we will be in Gdansk on 1 September for the 86th Anniversary of the outbreak of WWII on the Westerplatte Peninsula.
If your travels in Poland are more time-limited, consider booking a place on one of our WWII Day Tours in Poland. Or, if you’d like to create a completely customised tour with us, simply get in touch.
*Check the Schengen Visa website (https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/who-needs-schengen-visa/) for the Poland Visa entry requirements of your country. Alternatively, please check with the Polish Embassy or Consulate in your country. Poland At War Tours in not responsible for Passport or Visa issues relating to entry to Poland.
WWII In Gdansk
Guided walking tour of Old Town Gdansk with an experienced Polish guide. On the walking
tour, we will visit sites relating to both the ancient history of the city as well as sites relating
to WWII:
Museum of the Second World War in Gdansk
Today we also visit the impressive Museum of the Second World War in Gdansk (Polish: Muzeum II Wojny Światowej). The museum was established in 2008 and is devoted to the Second World War in Europe with Polish highlights. This is a thoroughly spectacular museum not to be missed.
Westerplatte Peninsula & Memorial, Polish Army Barracks, Graves of Polish fighters
We stop by the Westerplatte Peninsular and Memorial where the first shots of WWII were fired on 1 September 1939 by the German Battleship Schleswig-Holstein at the Polish Garrison stationed on the peninsular. See the remains of the Polish bunker as well as the impressive memorial to the battle that raged there. Also pay respects at the cemetery for the 9 Polish Soldiers newly laid to rest on Westerplatte.
Stutthof Concentration Camp
The first Concentration built outside of Germany in WWII. Built initially to house some of the 60,000 Polish Intelligentsia the Germans planned to exterminate in Poland upon invasion, it eventually housed Jews and Poles held for slave labour. There was a small gas chamber built at Stuttof that remains on the camp grounds today as well as crematoria. Stutthof is a place in which there is some credibility to the notion that soap was made here from human fat. Never forget!
Breakfast
63km Travel to Malbork Castle
Tour of Malbork Castle
Lunch
63km Tour of European Solidarity Centre
Free time
Malbork Castle
Join us for a tour of Malbork Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage listed site as well as the largest brick castle, and the largest castle by land area, on Earth. Originally built by the Teutonic Knights to house their Grand Master when he moved from Venice, the castle has been
occupied by Poland for longer than it was ever occupied by the Teutonic Knights. Thoroughly
destroyed in fighting between the Germans and Russians towards the end of WWII, Malbork
Castle has been painstakingly rebuilt and is now open for visitors. Enjoy learning about both
the ancient and more modern history of this mighty castle.
European Solidarity Centre
A museum dedicated to the end of Communism in Europe, especially in Gdansk and
Poland, with a focus on the Solidarity Movement led by Lech Walesa. Also see the
Solidarity Memorial and Gdansk Shipyard.
Helski Museum of Coastal Defence
The Museum of Coastal Defence in Hel was established by the “Friends of Hel” society in buildings formerly occupied by the German “Schleswig-Holstein” 406 mm battery: the B2 gun emplacement and the range-finder tower. The Museum was opened to visitors in May 06. The aim of the museum is to show the military history of Hel & the Polish Navy. A number of exhibitions show the heroism of the defence of Hel in 1939.
The Wolf’s Lair (Wolfsschanze)
Today we will travel to the beautiful Polish region of Mazury where we will visit important
sites related to WWII. We will visit the Wolf’s Lair (Wolfsschanze), Hitler’s eastern most
military HQ during WWII. The Wolf’s Lair was constructed in time for Hitler to take command
of Operation Barbarossa – the German invasion of Russia in 1941. Hitler first arrived at the
Wolf’s Lair on 23 June 1941 and spent a total of 800 days there throughout the war, leaving
for the final time on 20 November 1944. The Wolf’s Lair is the site of the most notable
assassination attempt on Hitler’s life as portrayed in the movie Valkyrie based on the plot by
Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg and his co-conspirators to kill Hitler on 20 July 1944 that
came to be known as the “20 July Plot”. After our visit to the Wolf’s Lair, we will stop for lunch
before making the journey to beautiful Gdansk.
Lehndorff Estate – Nowy Sztynort Resort
The Lehndorff Estate, nestled on the banks of Lake Sztynort, is currently undergoing renovations to make it into an impressive museum. Formerly an aristocratic manor house in East Prussia, the estate was taken over by the German Foreign Ministry in 1941 as part of the overall governmental structure of the Wolf’s Lair. The German Foreign Minister von Ribbentrop, famous for his role in the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, resided here. Join us today whilst we let you in on the secrets of the manor house and how it became part of the 20 July plot (Operation Valkyrie) to assassinate Hitler.
Day 8 is an optional day for everyone.
Option 1:
Depart Gdansk – We bid you a warm farewell and safe travels.
Option 2:
Book an extra night on Saturday 6 September and see more of Gdansk in your own time.
Option 3:
We invite you on a day trip to Kashubia. Kashubia is an ethnocultural region in the Eastern Pomerania region of Northern Poland, west of Gdansk. It is inhabited by the Kashubian Ethnic Group who speak their own language as well as Polish.
Details are outlined on the following page. If you would like to explore Kashubia with us, you will need to book an extra night’s accommodation as well as the day trip.
The Upside-Down House
A visit to the house provides an extraordinary experience for both adults and children. This building is intended to be an allegory of the modern world, in which tradition and value systems have been turned upside down.
The World’s Largest Piano
The instrument is 6.04 m long, 2.52 m wide, 1.87 m high and weighs 1.8 tons. On December 30, 2010, the piano was officially submitted for registration in the Guinness Book of Records.
The World’s Longest Board
In our Center you can see the board that we entered into the Guinness Book of Records. On June 2, 2012, thanks to the hard work of many people, we managed to cut a board 46.53 meters long! See the longest board in the world with your own eyes.
Breakfast & check out of hotel
Depart Gdansk Airport
Departure Day
Sadly, today is the day we must say goodbye. I wish you the very best for your travels back home.
