Wooden galar from the shipyard
Galar cruise through the shipyard and the Motlawa
★ 4.8 · 3,498 guest ratings
- Opening pricefrom €19
- Time on the water70 min
- Cancel ruleIncluded
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- Free cancelling up to 24 hrs before
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Good to know
What you get, what to bring, what to pay for
Included3
- A live guide speaking English and Polish
- About 70 minutes on the Motlawa and the canals
- A seat on a 12-place wooden boat
Bring3
- A warm layer: the boat is open to the wind
- Your booking on your phone
- Sunglasses or a cap on bright days
Excluded2
- Food and drinks
- A tip for the crew, if you wish
70minutes
afloat on the Motlawa and canals
12seats
on a wooden replica galar
400years
and more: the galar's working life on rivers
3,498reviews
from guests on GetYourGuide
Weigh options
Four city boats on the Motlawa, one table
The same galar at sundown
Gdańsk: Sunset Cruise on a Historic Polish Boat
★ 4.9 · 1,142 guest ratings
- Opening pricefrom €23
- Time on the water1.5 hrs
- Cancel ruleIncluded
Electric eco boat, Old Town loop
Gdańsk: Sightseeing EcoCruise around the Old Town of Gdansk
★ 4.7 · 841 guest ratings
- Opening pricefrom €19
- Time on the water50 min
- Cancel ruleIncluded
Catamaran on the Motlawa
Gdańsk: Motlawa River Sightseeing Catamaran Cruise
★ 4.7 · 337 guest ratings
- Opening pricefrom €19
- Time on the water45 min
- Cancel ruleIncluded
Using this table
Our galar cruise next to three other Gdansk river boats, rated and priced live.
Per-person prices from the booking platform, shown live.
Real reviews
Guest testimonials
4.7
★★★★★3,498 booked-guest reviews
Seeing the city from the river was a treat, and our guide knew so much. He swapped between Polish and English without effort, and we came away knowing far more about the docks and the Old Town.
AgataAugust 2026, with family
A lovely trip around Gdansk and a nice change from walking. The boat ride itself was really enjoyable, and our guide explained the city and its sights very well.
MelissaAugust 2026, with family
For me this was an easy way to discover Gdansk. The length felt just right to unwind on the water, and I liked how much history and how many pictures the guide shared.
SariAugust 2026, traveling solo
We had a lovely time. Our guide was warm and funny, and the facts came in just the right amount, so there was still time to enjoy the views.
VanessaJuly 2026, with friends
Our guide was brilliant, really knowledgeable and kind. It is something you must do in Gdansk, and for the money it is excellent value.
AndyJuly 2026, with family
A lovely tour with a guide who shared plenty of interesting information in very good English. I would happily recommend it.
AliceJuly 2026, with family
the ride in brief
What the galar ride is like
This Gdansk boat trip happens on a small wooden boat rather than a sightseeing ship. The galar seats 12, sits low on the river and stays out for 70 minutes. You see the gables and the brick warehouses from the waterline, the way the city was built to be seen by anyone arriving by river.
A guide rides with you and talks in Polish and English, so the questions you have about a tower or a crane get answered on the spot. The listing has 2 boarding points and 2 landing points, and the option you choose decides which ones are yours. Check the confirmation once, and the rest of the hour takes care of itself.
Booking is relaxed too. A seat can be held today with payment left for later, and a full refund stays possible up to 24 hours before departure. That leaves plenty of room to watch the Baltic weather and to change your mind if a better day appears in the forecast.
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Visit tour pageKeep exploring Gdansk
Browse Gdansk live on GetYourGuide
View Gdansk listingsIn pictures
The river, the cranes and the brick waterfront
Photos from galar cruises on the Motlawa
why from the water
A port city that makes sense from the river
Gdansk has more than 1,000 years of history behind it and is still among the big ports of the Baltic. Its wealth came up and down the water, the grandest buildings still face the river, and a boat is the natural way to read the city.
On the quays of the Main Town, crowds lean on the railings to watch the river while tourist boats slide past, and the riverside is lined with tenements and the rebuilt warehouses of Granary Island. From the galar you trade places with them: you are the one gliding past, with the whole frontage in view at once.
Downstream, the cranes of the shipyard take over the skyline, part of the city's look as much as its church towers. A boat trip from Gdansk's Old Town to that industrial edge shows you both faces of the city in an hour, something no single walk can manage.
Book, no fee to cancelClimate chart
Warmth and rain by the Motlawa, month by month
NOAA averages for 1991 to 2020: rainfall at Elblag-Milejewo, 55 km away; temperatures at Leba, 84 km away, except February, March and December, read at Elblag-Milejewo.
Select a month for its temperatures and rain.
Average day temperature1 dot = 20 mm of rainNOAA 1991 to 2020 · Station Elblag-Milejewo, 55 km away (rainfall all year; temperatures in February, March and December) and Leba, 84 km away (temperatures in the remaining months)
booking terms
Reserve now, pay later, cancel for free
You can book a seat without paying anything today and settle the bill later. For a trip that depends on weather, that flexibility matters more than a small discount would.
Cancelling is free up to 24 hours before the start, with the whole fare refunded. Plans change on any holiday, and the open boat is a different experience in sunshine and in cold drizzle, so watch the forecast and shift the date when the sky turns against you.
Prices start from €19 per person and vary by date, time and option. With just 12 seats the boat can fill, so book a few days ahead in high season and leave same-day booking for quiet weeks.
Book, no fee to cancel
Your seat
Choose a time and take to the river.
Book the galar ride on the Motlawa now and cancel free up to 24 hours before.
the boat
The galar, a river boat with centuries behind it
Your boat copies the galar, a working craft of Polish rivers for over 400 years, rebuilt in wood with 12 seats. Flat and sturdy, boats like this once moved goods along the rivers to the sea, and riding in one gives the old trade route a shape you can feel.
Its size is the point. A galar can squeeze into canals that bigger vessels never enter, and part of your hour is spent on narrow, quiet water away from the main river. The low wooden sides keep you close to the surface, and the city rises above you rather than lying below a high deck.
Wheelchair access is part of the listing, and guests rate the boat and transport at 4.8. If anyone in your party needs help boarding, mention it to the operator before the day.
Book, no fee to cancelOverall score
Scores from 3,498 travelers
4.7
Excellent★★★★★
- 5-star ratings100%
- 4-star ratings0%
- 3-star ratings0%
- 2-star ratings0%
- 1-star ratings0%
Only the 10 newest reviews in our dataset feed the bars, and GetYourGuide shows the highest-rated ones first. For all 3,498 reviews combined, the score is 4.7.
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what guests praise
What reviewers single out
Reviews keep returning to the people on board. The guides are called knowledgeable, funny and kind, and several name their guides and say they learned a great deal about the history of Gdansk. The guiding score sits at 4.8.
The second theme is the mix of language and pace. One reviewer praises a guide who switched between Polish and English with ease, and another likes that the commentary leaves room to simply enjoy the view instead of piling on facts. People also mention learning about the docks as well as the Old Town.
The third is value and variety. Reviewers call it something different from a walking tour, a relaxed way to rest your legs, and good value for money; the value score is 4.7. One guest who had already done a night boat elsewhere still found this one well worth it.
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FAQ
Know more,worry less.
How long is the Gdansk boat tour?
70 minutes on the water.
The galar loops the Old Town waterfront, the islands, the canals and the port in that time.
How much does the galar ride cost?
From €19 per person.
The price depends on date, time and option; you can reserve now and pay later.
Where do I board the boat?
At the point your option names.
There are 2 boarding points and 2 landing points; your booking confirmation says which apply.
Which languages does the guide speak?
Polish and English.
The guide is live on board and switches between them as needed.
How many people fit on the galar?
12 passengers.
It is a small wooden replica, which is what lets it into the narrow canals.
Is the boat wheelchair accessible?
It is listed as accessible.
Tell the operator about any help you need before the day so they can plan your boarding.
Is there a sunset cruise?
Yes, on the same kind of galar.
The sunset ride lasts 1.5 hours and starts from €23.
Is food or drink served on board?
The listing names none.
Eat on the waterfront before or after, and bring water on a warm day.
Can I cancel my booking?
Yes, up to 24 hours before.
Cancel at least 24 hours ahead for a full refund of the fare.
What happens if it rains or the wind is cold?
Dress for it, or move the date.
The galar is an open boat, so bring a waterproof, or use free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
the course
From the old shipyard to the inner port
The listing traces a full loop of the waterfront. It begins in the former shipyard, where submarines for Germany were built during the war, then follows the Motlawa into the Old Town.
In the centre you glide by the remains of the Teutonic Knights' castle, the gates that once let goods into the city, the 15th century crane and long rows of tenements, before turning round Olowianka and Granary Island. The Crane alone repays the trip: it was the biggest port crane in medieval Europe and is now part of a museum.
Then the boat heads for the working harbour, where specialist ships lie under the port cranes along the harbour's inner wharf. The exact order depends on where you board, but every option covers the same mix of medieval town and modern port.
Book, no fee to cancel6metres
Inside the Crane
The Crane's lifting gear was built with 6-metre treadwheels.
Men walking inside those wheels once raised cargo and ship masts on the Motlawa. The museum dates the building's form to the mid-15th century, when it served as both a city gate and a port crane.
at sundown
The same galar, timed for sunset
There is a sunset version of the cruise on the same kind of boat. This one runs for 1.5 hours, opens at €23 and holds an average of 4.8 from 1,142 reviews.
It is timed so the sun sets behind the shipyard cranes, turning the steel frames into black outlines against an orange sky, after a run past the Old Town, the Crane and the islands. Evening light suits Gdansk: the brick of the granaries and gables glows copper for a few minutes before the quays light up.
Choose the daytime ride for clear views and a shorter outing, the sunset one for colour and atmosphere. Our sunset guide shows how daylight changes through the year, which helps you pick the right departure.
Book, no fee to cancelThe ride in brief
Board a galar.Glide past the Crane.Reach the port.
Our Gdansk boat tour spends 70 minutes on the water in a wooden galar with 12 seats, guided live in Polish and English. It starts from €19 and has been reviewed by 3,498 guests on GetYourGuide.
Free to cancel until 24 hours before
what to wear
Dressing for an open boat on the Baltic
With nothing overhead but sky, treat the trip like a walk by the sea rather than a stroll down a shopping street. Even in July the average low on our climate record is 12.6 °C, and the river always feels a little cooler than the town.
In spring and autumn bring a hat and a warm jacket; in October highs average 12.7 °C and lows only 5.2 °C. A thin waterproof is worth carrying in any month, and sunglasses and a cap help on bright summer days, when there is little shade on deck.
Wear flat, comfortable shoes for stepping on and off, and keep bags small enough to hold on your lap. Eat beforehand: the listing names no food or drink on board, and the waterfront has plenty of places for a meal before or after.
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other boats
The rest of the river fleet
The galar is not the only way onto the Motlawa. An electric eco boat takes up to 8 for 50 minutes, the catamaran offers 45 minutes with a German-language option among its commentaries, and a guided kayak tour keeps you paddling for 2.5 hours.
For a group of your own there are skippered electric boats, party yachts with heating and music, and self-drive boats that need no licence. Our comparison and private boat guides set them side by side with their lengths, group sizes and opening prices.
Galleon-style ships also sail from the Motlawa to Westerplatte and around the bay, and the scheduled white ships of Zegluga Gdanska leave the Old Town waterfront for Westerplatte, Sopot and Hel. They make a fine second outing, but for the city itself the small boats see more.
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after you land
Ashore: the Crane, the Soldek and the view from above
Many of the sights you pass can be visited afterwards. The Crane belongs to the National Maritime Museum, and a regular ticket costs PLN 23, with free entry on Wednesdays. For now the wooden lifting gear is off limits to visitors, and a reduced ticket applies.
Across the river the Soldek, a steam-powered ore freighter that made 1479 voyages between 1949 and 1981, is moored as a museum ship, with regular tickets at PLN 23. It is a chance to walk the decks of a working ship from the post-war years.
For an overview of the shipyard you sailed past, the observation deck of the European Solidarity Centre looks over the former yard, its cranes and its channel, and admission to the deck is free. Seeing from above what you saw from the water a few hours earlier rounds off the day.
Book, no fee to cancelwho it suits
Who the galar suits, and who should look elsewhere
The galar suits first-time visitors who want the city explained, couples who like a calm hour on the water, and families who need a break from walking. Its small size and live guide make it feel personal, and the 70 minute length fits easily into a day.
It is a poorer fit for anyone after a closed deck, food on board or a party. In those cases look at the port yacht with its closed deck, the pierogi and live music cruises, or a private yacht. People who would rather steer themselves can rent a self-drive boat with no licence.
The honest caveat is weather. An open wooden boat is lovely in sun and fine in light rain, but in cold wind you will feel every gust. Dress warmly, remember that plans can still change until a day ahead, and the galar is a safe bet for an hour of your Gdansk stay.
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