Pomerania

Pomerania is a 2.3 million people region in the northeastern part of Poland, by the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Gdańsk. It's surrounded by the Polish Voivodeships of West Pomerania, Greater Poland, Kuyavia-Pomerania and Warmia-Mazuria, as well as the Russian oblast of Kaliningrad. The population has a mostly Catholic Christian tradition. The official languages are Polish and Kashubian (spoken by that ethnic minority mainly in the sourthern part of the region; English is spoken by people working for tourism). The main and capital city of Pomerania voivodeship is Gdańsk, with other important cities like Gdynia, Słupsk or Tczew.

What can I visit in the Pomerania?

Here you have a list of places in Pomerania voivodeship that are worth to be seen. Check them out and find out the ones you want to visit:

 

History

Ceramic from the
Pomeranian Culture
 In its early history Pomeranian Voivodeship was the site of the Pomeranian Culture (650-150 BC), the Oksywie culture (150 BC-1 AD) and the Wielbark Culture (AD 1-450, associated with Veneti, Goths, Rugii, Gepids). In the mid-6th century Vidivarii are said to have be settle around the Vistula estuary, with current Pomerelia being settled by West Slavic and Lechitic tribes in the 7th and 8th centuries. In the 10th century, Pomerelia was already settled by West-Slavic Pomeranians, being conquered and incorporated into early medieval Poland by Duke Mieszko I (the first historical Polish ruler), founding Gdańsk to control the mouth of the Vistula. Piast dynasty introduced Christianity to pagan Pomerelia.
Poland under Duke Mieszko I
In the 11th century the region had loosened its close connections with the kingdom of Poland, forming an independent duchy that the Polish kings tried to conquer back until direct control over Pomerelia was reestablished by Bolesław III Wrymouth of Poland. While some regions regained independence quickly (forming the Duchy of Pomerania), Pomerelia remained within the Polish realm. They were administered by governors of a local dynasty, the Samborides. In 1210, king Valdemar II of Denmark invaded Pomerelia, whose princeps Mestwin I became his vassal (although his son Swietopelk II gained full independence in 1227). After Mestwin I's death, the Duchy of Pomerelia was internally divided among his sons and when one of them died, the remaining engaged in a civil war: Sambor II and Ratibor allied with the Teutonic Order and the Duke of Kuyavia against Swietopelk, who in turn allied with the Old Prussians, took Ratibor prisoner and temporarily assumed control over the latter's share,
Swietopelk II of Pomerelia

finished with the Treaty of Christburg in 1249. Swietopelk II, who styled himself dux since 1227, chartered the town of Gdańsk with Lübeck law and invited the Dominican Order. When he died, his sons initiated another civil war, with Mestwin II allying with and pledging allegiance to the Brandenburg margraves, succeeding in the conflict. On February 15, 1282, High Duke of Poland and Wielkopolska Przemysł II and the Duke of Pomerelia Mestwin II, signed the Treaty of Kępno which made the region was again part of Poland. Przemysł II of Poland took control over Pomerelia and was crowned as king of Poland in 1295 but the Polish rule lasted only till 1308.
Pomeralia as part of 
the Teutonic Order
The Margraviate of Brandenburg staked its claim on the territory in 1308, leading Władysław I the Elbow-high to request assistance from the Teutonic Knights, who evicted the Brandenburgers but took the area for themselves, annexing and incorporating it into the Teutonic Order state in 1309. At the same time, Słupsk and Sławno became part of the Duchy of Pomerania (resulting in what was later named Farther Pomerania, also known as Pomerania-Stettin). This event caused a long-lasting dispute between Poland and the Teutonic Order over the control of Gdańsk Pomerania. It resulted in a series of Polish-Teutonic Wars throughout the 14th and 15th centuries.
Duchy of Pomerania, Polish Royal  
Prussia and Duchal Prussia

Pomerelia was made part of Polish Royal Prussia as the Pomeranian Voivodeship in 1466.  Lauenburg and Bütow Land was a Polish fief ruled by Pomeranian dukes. In early modern times Gdańsk was the biggest city of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, and most of its exports (especially grain) were made through the port. Gdańsk and Żuławy Wiślane were German-Lutheran while most of the region remained Polish-Kashubian Catholic. In the 17th century Pomerelia was attacked and destroyed by a Swedish army in the context of the Polish-Swedish War and after the Brandenburg-Swedish partition of Pomerania, Farther Pomerania became the Brandenburg-Prussian Province of Pomerania (1653–1815) thanks to the signature of the Treaty of Stettin (1630).
Languages in Province of 
West Prussia in 1910
As part of Royal Prussia, Pomerelia was annexed by the Kingdom of Prussia during the 18th century Partitions of Poland, becoming part of the new Province of West Prussia. After World War I (1914–1918), the Treaty of Versailles transferred most of the region from Weimar Germany to the new Second Polish Republic, forming the Pomeranian Voivodeship in the so-called Polish Corridor, mostly inhabited by Kashubians, while Gdańsk with Żuławy became the Free City of Danzig (semi-autonomous city-state inhabitants mostly by Germans that was under League of Nations protection and put into a binding customs union with Poland). In 1939, Pomerelia and Gdańsk were occupied and illegally annexed by Nazi Germany.
After the end of WW2 in 1945, the whole region (including the former Free City of Danzig) was assigned to Poland according to the Potsdam Agreement.
Gdańsk (Danzig) in the 1930s
Although some Germans fled earlier as the Red Army advanced, local Germans and Slovincians were mostly expelled from their home for new Polish settlers to take their place. Before 1999, the Szczecin Voivodeship and its spin-offs Koszalin Voivodeship and Słupsk Voivodeship roughly resembled the area of former Farther Pomerania. While Szczecin and Koszalin Voivodeships were merged in 1999 and now constitute the West Pomeranian Voivodeship, Słupsk Voivodeship was merged into the Pomeranian Voivodeship, together with all Kashubia and Pomerelia.

Unforgettable experiences 

This places and experiences are a must if you want to discover and understand Pomerania. This is my top 5:
  1. Gdańsk
    Gdańsk: as the 6th largest city in Poland and the country's 4th-largest metropolitan area, Gdańsk has a lot of things to offer the visitor: museums, centuries-old buildings and churches or amber markets.  It also has a very interesting mixture of history and cultures, being the cultural capital of Kashubia but also a city with German majority until WW2. Here it was born Solidarity trade union in the 1980s.
  2. Malbork: town that is widely know for its castle, Malbork Castle, a castle built by the Teutonic Order that is considered the largest brick castle in the world. It's placed in UNESCO World Heritage list since 1997. Unlike many others towns that resulted destroyed in WW2, its Old Town wasn't rebuilt.
    Beach in Hel Peninsula

  3. Hel Peninsula: a 35-km long sand bar peninsula whose main highlights are its sandy beaches, full of pine trees, and the possibility of doing outdoors and water sports. Apart from that it can also be seen the remains of its former military importance. It's a popular destination from Gdańsk.
  4. Gdynia: this city is the 12th largest city in the country, part of the TriCity with Sopot and Gdańsk (Trójmiasto), is a primary economic hub since Poland recovered independence and sometimes regarded as the best city to live in Poland. It's a regular stopover on the cruising itinerary of large, luxury passenger ships.
    Kashubian Lanscape Park
  5. Kashubian Landscape Park: park where the visitor can get in touch with the nature, as well as known the Kashubian culture and languages. The landscape park has a nice variety of heritage, with ethnographic museums, churches, trails, lakes... Its main towns are Kartuzy and Kościerzyna.
 

Planning your holidays

These are some possible journeys you may do in Pomerania so visit parts of it or discover it all. The main Pomeranian sightseeing points can't be visited in less than 3 days and a smart fast journey could last 5 days. If you want to get deeper into it and do things with more tranquility, 7 days can be enough for it.

    a) 3 days tour

 This short journey in Pomerania should start and finish in Gdańsk. Here you could stay 1 day, enjoying its buildings, museums and churches as result of an amazing history. In the 2nd day you can go to Malbork and visit its castle, regarded as the largest brick castle in the world and part of UNESCO World Heritage list since 1997. As the town resulted destroyed after WW2 and doesn't have much more to do, it can be visited other places around it like Kwidzyn and, in case of having time, stopping in Sztum or Prabuty. The 3rd day and last day could consist in going to Hel Peninsula, but first exploring the industrial city and main harbour of the country (Gdynia). In the peninsula it can be enjoyed a nice afternoon by the sea and visiting small towns. Moreover a beautiful sunset can be seen here.

   b) 5 days tour

  The possibility of adding 2 more days would increase the places to visit but the tour should still start and finish in Gdańsk. Here you could stay 1 day, enjoying its buildings, museums and churches as result of an amazing history. In the 2nd day you can go to Malbork and visit its castle, regarded as the largest brick castle in the world and part of UNESCO World Heritage list since 1997. As the town resulted destroyed after WW2 and doesn't have much more to do, it can be visited other places around it like Kwidzyn and, in case of having time, stopping in Sztum or Prabuty. For the 3rd day the visitor can explore Gniew and Pelplin to keep learning about the Teutonic Order and enjoy brick Gothic buildings, reaching afterwards Tczew. On the 4th dayt it can be a good idea to get deeper into Kashubian culture by visiting Kashubian Landscape Park. The 5th day and last day could consist in going to Hel Peninsula, but first exploring the industrial city and main harbour of the country (Gdynia). In the peninsula it can be enjoyed a nice afternoon by the sea and visiting small towns. Moreover a beautiful sunset can be seen here.

   c) 7 days tour

  Once chosen this possibility the visitor will be able to enjoy Pomerania Voivodeship with much more calm and get deeper into their culture. The tour should still start and finish in Gdańsk. Here you could stay 1 day, enjoying its buildings, museums and churches as result of an amazing history. In the 2nd day you can go to Malbork and visit its castle, regarded as the largest brick castle in the world and part of UNESCO World Heritage list since 1997. As the town resulted destroyed after WW2 and doesn't have much more to do, it can be visited other places around it like Kwidzyn and, in case of having time, stopping in Sztum or Prabuty. For the 3rd day the visitor can explore Gniew and Pelplin to keep learning about the Teutonic Order and enjoy brick Gothic buildings, reaching afterwards Tczew. On the 4th dayt it can be a good idea to get deeper into Kashubian culture by visiting Kashubian Landscape Park. The 5th day could consist in going to Hel Peninsula, but first exploring the industrial city and main harbour of the country (Gdynia). In the peninsula it can be enjoyed a nice afternoon by the sea and visiting small towns. For the 6th day it can be cool to go west and discover Słowiński National Park, full of moving dunes and sand beaches. Lastly, on the 7th day, it can be nice to stop at Słupsk to explore the town and the area between Szczecin and Gdańsk.
 

How can I arrive and move within Pomerania?

  Pomerania Voivodeship is well communicated with neightbouring voivodeships via Gdańsk. Gdańsk and Gdynia are connected with most of the important destinations in Poland and even neighbouring countries. The best mean of transport to move in the country are trains to move to large cities and the bus to smaller destinations (or other destinations at unusual times).
  • Train lines in Pomeranian voivodeship, Poland
    Plane    :     there are international flights to Gdańsk International Airport (one of the busiest in Poland) from many European cities (and even intercontinental flights).
  • Boat: there are passenger/car ferries to Gdynia from countries like Sweden, Finland, Germany and Kaliningrad, Russia (slow and expensive). 
  • Train: Poland's railway system is wide, cheap but a bit old, making delays something rather often. Between large cities the network is much newer and is an excellent idea. The railway system connects Gdańsk and Gdynia with places like Warsaw,  Krakow, Szczecin, Poznań or Białystok, among others. There are also trains to international destinations like to Berlin. 
  • Bus: Poland has a very well developed network of private charter bus companies (specially popular for trips under 100 km). There are frequent buses from Gdańsk to all the main cities and towns of Pomeranian Voivodeship and there are also connections among them (although less frequent). There are buses that connect Gdańsk and Gdynia with places such as Elbląg, Bydgoszcz, Olsztyn, Toruń, Poznań, Szczecin, Warsaw or Krakow. The offer of bus trips in Gdańsk is larger, including destinations like Berlin, Kaliningrad, Vilnius or Kyiv.
  • Car: this is almost always the most comfortable way of moving for the lack of timetables to follow. It's required to have a green card (International Insurance Card). Most of the roads in Lithuania are in very good conditions and driving in the country is easy. 

What can I eat and drink in Pomerania?

Brzadowô zupa
Pomerania region does not have a great culinary tradition but in Kashubia there are some typical dishes, with obvious Polish and German influence. Some of them are brzadowô zupa (soup with dried fruit prepared with dumplings, with the addition of milk or cream), czarwina (Kashubian version of the soup czernina), plińce (potato pancakes), ferkase (traditional chicken stew with rice in a white sauce, with the addition of gooseberries or raisins), prażnica (scrambled eggs with wãdzonégò wãgòrza)
 

Learn some Kashubian

   Kashubian is a co-oficial language in some communes of Pomeranian Voivodeship, together with Polish, and is currently spoken by 108,000 people aprox. Kashubian language is quite similar to Polish (with influence from Low German and the extinct Polabian and Old Prussian), so visitors who speak that language won't have problems of communication. Currently it's recognised as regional language in the following municipalities (most of them located in Kartuzy County): Linia, Luzino, Sierakowice, Parchowo and Żukowo (probably in the future this list will be extended with other municipalities).
These are some basic words in Kashubian:
 
Kashubian
English
Kashubian
English
Witce
Hello
Proszä
Please
Cëz je czëc?
How are you?
Dzãczi
Thanks
Do ùzdrzeniô!
Goodbye
Jo
Yes
Dobri noce!
Good night
Nié
No
Wëbaczë
Excuse me
Gôdósz Gôdajã pò Kaszëbsczi
I don’t speak Kashubian

Useful links

 In case you want to look for more information about Pomerania (https://pomorskie.travel/en; http://www.visitpomerania.eu/) or its cities, towns and places, here there's a list with some pages to get it:

 
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