Gdansk, verdict by verdict

Gdansk is one of northern Europe's most satisfying short breaks: a Baltic port rebuilt almost from scratch after 1945, with a Main Town so handsome it is hard to believe most of it is younger than its visitors' grandparents. The Long Market, St. Mary's Basilica and the medieval crane on the Motlawa sit within a fifteen-minute walk of each other, and the shipyard story that helped end communism gets a world-class telling at the European Solidarity Centre.

The catch is weather and crowds. July and August pack the Long Market shoulder to shoulder, November through March is grey, windy and cold, and the Baltic stays bracing outside June to September, so the beach window is short and the cobbles and stairs are a real factor. Anyone wanting a crowd-free midsummer break should look elsewhere; travelers weighing Gdansk against Krakow should pick this side for sea air.

Two to three days covers the Main Town, Westerplatte and the Solidarity Centre; add a fourth for the beach at Sopot twenty minutes away by commuter rail or for Malbork Castle, the best excursion of the trip. Late May to early September brings long days and outdoor tables, December is quiet and lit up for Christmas. Amber, maritime heritage and shipbuilding stories give the trip its spine.