Teutonic castles of the Vistula: Gdańsk to Toruń

Route description

Begin at Westerplatte, on the harbour mouth 10 km from central Gdańsk, where the Second World War began on 1 September 1939. Then drive east on the S7 towards Elbląg and on to Frombork on the shore of the Vistula Lagoon, about 100 km in total. Copernicus lived and worked on the fortified cathedral hill, and the bell tower looks out across the lagoon to the Vistula Spit.

From Frombork head south-west to Malbork, around 70 km, the seat of the Teutonic Knights and the largest castle in the world by area. A full visit with the audio guide takes three hours or more, so arrive early. For the classic view, cross the footbridge over the Nogat river in the late afternoon, when the red brick glows in the sun.

Follow route 55 south to Kwidzyn, about 40 km, where the castle is linked to a cathedral and a latrine tower stands far out on a long arched gallery. Continue south along the Vistula to Chełmno, a hilltop town with an almost complete ring of medieval walls and a grid of streets around a Renaissance town hall, a pleasant and quiet overnight stop.

The last 45 km lead to Toruń, Copernicus’s birthplace, a UNESCO-listed old town of Gothic brick churches, merchant houses and gingerbread bakeries. The A1 motorway, which charges tolls between Gdańsk and Toruń, returns you north in about two hours. The roads are flat and easy for motorhomes; use the guarded car parks outside the old towns rather than the narrow centres.