Motława River Cruise in Gdansk: Historic Boat, Sunset Trip or Kayak?
4 min read
The most-reviewed river trip in Gdansk is the 70-minute cruise on a replica of a historic Polish boat: 4,009 reviews, rated 4.8/5, from €18.18 per person. It is not the only way onto the Motława, and the alternatives differ more than their titles suggest.
The historic boat, by day or at sunset
The city cruise on the historic boat starts at Dokowa 1 on the former Gdansk Shipyard grounds and lasts 70 minutes. The operator describes a wooden replica of a Polish river boat used for over 400 years, which can go where larger vessels cannot. The route runs along the Motława in the Old Town past the ruins of the Teutonic castle, the water gates and the 15th-century wooden crane, then past Ołowianka and Granary Island, shipyard cranes and the inner quay of the port. Guides speak Polish and English. The booking page lists a guide, a blanket and a life jacket among the inclusions and marks the trip as wheelchair accessible.
The sunset cruise uses the same type of boat from the same Dokowa 1 start, lasts 1.5 hours and costs €21.59. It follows a similar route with the shipyard cranes as the backdrop. You pick a departure slot when you check availability, so look at the dates you are travelling. Evenings on the water can be cold, and blankets are on the list of inclusions.
Small electric boats
Boat & Bike runs two trips in boats for up to 8 people. The EcoCruise around the Old Town takes about 50 minutes, costs €16.16 and departs near the Green Bridge. The boat is electric, there is an audio guide in English and Polish, and the route passes the water gates, the crane, the Sołdek museum ship and the Imperial Shipyard. Drinks from the mini-bar on board cost extra. The night cruise with prosecco lasts one hour, costs €19.43 and includes one glass of prosecco.
A 1975 passenger ship
The river cruise on a 1975 passenger ship lasts 45 minutes and costs €12.07. It departs from Targ Rybny 1. Some options include an appetizer or dessert or a glass of Prosecco, others neither, so check which option you have chosen. A guide is not included, and the page lists wheelchair users and people prone to seasickness as not suitable.
By kayak
The guided sunset kayak tour takes 2.5 hours and costs €42.96. It is described as beginner-friendly, includes a safety briefing, life jackets and a waterproof bag, and passes Granary Island, Ołowianka Island, the crane and the shipyard. The page lists as not suitable: children under 12, people with back problems or mobility impairments, wheelchair users, non-swimmers and anyone over 110 kg. The other guided kayak tour costs €38.41, also runs 2.5 hours and excludes children under 12, people with heart problems, wheelchair users, non-swimmers and anyone over 110 kg. Both are in English.
| Option | Length | Starts at |
|---|---|---|
| Historic boat city cruise | 70 minutes | Dokowa 1 |
| Sunset cruise | 1.5 hours | Dokowa 1 |
| EcoCruise | 50 minutes | Near the Green Bridge |
| Sunset kayak tour | 2.5 hours | Dokowa 1 |
Our recommendation
For most visitors the historic boat cruise is the right start: it is short, it has the most reviews of the trips compared here, and it fits any group. Choose the sunset version for the light, and the kayak tour only if everyone in your group is able to paddle for 2.5 hours and meets the listed limits. The full range is under boat cruises, and the Westerplatte trip is covered in our Westerplatte guide.
