The city lies on the southern edge of Gdansk Bay (of the Baltic Sea), in a conurbation with the spa town of Sopot, the city of Gdynia and suburban communities, which together form a metropolitan area called the Tricit (Trójmiasto), with a population of over 800,000. Gdansk itself has a population of 458,053 (2006), making it the largest city in the Pomerania region of Northern Poland.

The city was the birthplace of the Solidarity movement which, under the leadership of Gdansk political activist Lech Walesa, played a major role in bringing an end to communist rule across Central Europe.

The city has many fine buildings from the time of the Hanseatic League . Most tourist attractions are located along or near Ulica Długa (Long Street) and Długi Targ (Long Market), a pedestrian thoroughfare surrounded by buildings reconstructed in historical (primarily 17th century) style. Gdańsk has a number of historical churches, among them St Mary (Bazylika Mariacka), a municipal church built during the 15th century, is the largest brick church in the world .

Gdansk is the Polish seaside centre of trade and tourism with numerous banks, ports, hotels, harbours, beautiful, sandy beaches and an airport. In the one-thousand-year-old city of Gdansk, you can find many enchanting places which exemplify the charm of the past. You can also wander along picturesque alleys and take part in many cultural and artistic activities or take pleasure in trying various cuisines, together with the old Gdansk cuisine, in a number of restaurants, pubs and bars.