Gdansk, often called the “city of glowing amber,” has another remarkably restored Old Town. Full of old-world charm, Gdansk’s Old Town looks as if it were built by Walt Disney. During Medieval Times, Gdansk was a mercantile powerhouse and one of the most prosperous port towns in the Hanseatic League. A mix of Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque Era style buildings, Old Town has a strict building code. Even the modern buildings conform to the height and silhouette of the older buildings.
We signed up for a rather offbeat, eclectic excursion. We learned about the history of Baltic amber and how to test to see if a piece is authentic amber or a plastic replica. Next we went to a restaurant, put on aprons and made traditional Polish pierogi. Lastly, we went to another eatery and tasted Goldwasser, a sweet drink created in Gdansk in the 16th century. Made with cardamon, cinnamon, lavender, cloves, thyme and juniper, Gdansk’s festive Goldwasser is an 80 proof syrupy liqueur. Oh, yes, it also has 23 karat gold flakes suspended in it. Gold was once believed to have medicinal properties. What is good for the wallet must be good for the heart!
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