Although summer is still ongoing and the second half of August tempts with warmth and long days, the promise of change is increasingly felt in the air. Mornings are already a bit cooler, the sun sets earlier in the evening, and the thought of autumn doesn't seem so distant. This is the perfect moment to plan your time for discovering Gdańsk in September and October – a city that can enchant just as much in this season as it does in summer.
Gdańsk in autumn is the same city you know but wrapped in a more intimate atmosphere. The rustle of leaves underfoot, warm light falling on old cobblestones, and evenings filled with culture and closeness. It's an invitation to slow down, pause the rush of new trends, and return to simple pleasures – walking, conversation, or music in the dim light. It's worth coming here to feel with your own skin that Gdańsk breathes autumn – full of history, greenery, and moments that stay in memory.
Jaśkowa Dolina Park and a walk through Upper Wrzeszcz
And since autumn in Gdańsk tempts with calmness and subtlety, it's worth starting with a walk that lets you feel the city's rhythm differently than in summer. You don't have to head straight to the sea – just turn your steps toward the green corners of Upper Wrzeszcz. There, where leaves rustle beneath your feet and tenement houses tell their stories, autumn is especially joyful. Jaśkowa Dolina Park and the surrounding streets become the perfect backdrop for unhurried discovery of details often unnoticed in summer.
Entering Jaśkowa Dolina Park is like stepping into another world: right next to the streets, yet completely separate from the urban hustle. Old avenues, clearings, and wooded hills – well known since the early 19th century – form the setting for an autumn walk. Warm gold and rust of the leaves, tranquility and gentleness – nature knows how to soothe the senses.
Among charming buildings on Jaśkowa Dolina Street, one draws special attention – the former “Forsthaus” restaurant designed by Paul Puchmüller. Delicately crafted wood carvings harmoniously blend with the park surroundings, right at its entrance.
Leaving the park, you arrive in Upper Wrzeszcz – a district that has preserved the spirit of old Gdańsk. Tenement houses, including those on Matejki Street, have kept architectural details, effortless charm, and the breath of the past. You cannot pass indifferently by Pawłowski Street – its atmosphere transports you back in time, and some villas look like they come out of a fairy tale. The Henkenhaf Villa from the late 19th century stands on a hill at the forest's edge, featuring a distinctive turret and roof like a children's illustration.
The villa on Grunwaldzka Street, Miniatura Theatre, and Patschke Villa quietly tell stories of old rhythms of life. They intersect with the “modernity” of the Olimp tower, known as the Dollar Building – a symbol of an era that also had its moment, its taste of longing for «something more». Regardless of aesthetic opinions, this building has been a legendary landmark of the district for years.
All About Freedom Festival — the art of reflection
When the sun slowly leaves the park alleys and cool air begins to pleasantly caress your cheeks, the city doesn’t fall asleep. Upper Wrzeszcz and its tenement houses quietly sink into a golden half-darkness, and autumn evenings invite experiences beyond just a walk.
This is the perfect moment to immerse yourself in the culture of cinema and art – a place where images and stories not only entertain but stay in the memory. The October All About Freedom Festival at the European Solidarity Center allows you to feel that Gdańsk also lives to the rhythm of reflection, discussion, and cinematic emotions.
Autumn evenings are made for cinema. The festival is not only film screenings but a celebration of film with history, debate, and art as present as the image on the screen. The program usually includes documentaries and feature films; premieres, meetings with creators – because every screening is the beginning of a conversation.
The festival fits perfectly into the autumnal Gdańsk space – it does not shout or persuade. It gives a moment to stop and feel the presence of culture without ostentation, to see the world through someone else's eyes, and then quietly reflect – so that you are left with a feeling that something inside you has changed.
Polish Baltic Philharmonic – music with Gdańsk as a backdrop
After cinematic emotions and conversations about the world, it’s worth diving even deeper into the cultural layer – into music that comforts and soothes. Autumn evenings in Gdańsk favor this subtle change of rhythm. The Baltic Philharmonic, overlooking the calm Motława River, becomes a place where sounds fill the city's space, and every tone resonates with the color of leaves and street lamp light.
In autumn, the Baltic Philharmonic invites you into its space with sound and sight. There is something special here: closeness to the heart of the city and the building in lamplight – inside, the best musical experiences. The repertoire includes – the Siesta Festival (world sounds, jazz journeys), thematic concerts like “James Bond” or “Viennese Czardas”, and the “Gdańsk Pianist Autumn” – a perfect set for cooler evenings.
And then – unhurried – a walk back through the city streets wrapped in unique autumn twilight.
Gdańsk in autumn – experience it, don’t just see it
Autumnal Gdańsk is an invitation – for walks that hide many stories; for cinema that leaves questions; for music that warms hearts. In these moments, you can feel the spirit of the city. Gently, but enduringly.
We invite you to Grano Hotels to create your own memories.
Author of the post: Daria Bałdyga
Photos come from the following websites:
- https://dziennikbaltycki.pl/gdzie-na-jesienny-spacer-w-gdansku-park-lesny-przy-jaskowej-dolinie-w-czerwieni-wprost-zachwyca/ar/c7-14594039
