Where to Stand-up Paddleboard in Gdańsk, Poland

If you were around in the 1980s and paying attention to news and current affairs, you would instantly recognise the name of this small coastal city in the north of Poland. The Gdańsk shipyard was the birthplace of the Solidarity trade union movement in the 1970s and 80s. Led by Lech Wałęsa, the trade union was instrumental in the demise of communism in Poland, which ultimately contributed significantly to the fall of the Iron Curtain. I vividly recall being fascinated with every bulletin from this mysterious and inaccessible corner of Europe as the political makeup changed before the eyes of the world.

Of course, by September 2025, any mystery had long been erased by mass tourism and budget airline flights to this city and many other parts of Poland. I was happy to discover that a possible route home from Copenhagen that month involved a one-night stopover in Gdańsk. Cost-effective flights plus a bargain, comfortable single hostel room sealed the decision for me.

I didn’t have time to get onto the main section of the river to paddle down to the historic shipyard, but fortunately Gdańsk has an extensive network of urban canals which is well worth exploring. Just 10 minutes walk from the hostel, I found a suitable spot to slip onto a very narrow canal branch, sneaking under a gap in a fence. The grass between the fence and the water was flattened, a clear sign that I wasn’t the first paddler to use this ingress point. A short distance later, I ducked and passed under a low bridge and onto the canal proper, which runs through the centre of the city.

Paddling in Gdańsk

A particular highlight was SUPing under the bascule bridge, which conveys pedestrians from the main part of the city to the island of Ołowianka. At busy times, the bridge rises every 30 minutes and, sure enough, I had to wait patiently for it to open, allowing a replica pirate ship to pass. Carving out a lazy figure of eight through the city, I passed an assortment of river traffic, including a troupe of kayakers. I saw no other paddleboarders. And then my adventure was over. It was time to pack away and head to the airport to continue my homeward journey.

I have recently realised that many of my blog posts end with a comment that I didn’t have enough time in the destination and that I would love to return. And this post is no different! If I ever visit Gdańsk again. I will find time to get on the river and visit the shipyard.

Here is the route I took in September 2025:

Where to SUP in Gdańsk, Poland