Malbork Castle

Malbork Castle, the seat of the Teutonic Knights' Grand Master and one of the largest brick castles in the world, stands on the Nogat river in Poland's Pomeranian region, about 55 km south-east of Gdansk. Trains from Gdansk Glowny reach Malbork in roughly 35-50 minutes on Polregio or PKP Intercity services, and the castle is a walk of about 15 minutes from the station, which makes public transport the easiest option. Drivers can use the A1 or DK22 and park in the visitor car parks near the walls. The complex is divided into the High Castle, the Middle Castle and the Lower Castle, and the Historical Tour moves through chapels, the Grand Master's palace, the refectories and the defensive courtyards, with an audio guide included in individual tickets. Exhibitions of amber, medieval arms and armour, and the castle's history are housed inside the walls, and the Castle Grounds Route covers the exterior and ramparts for a lower price. A sensible one-day plan is to take an early train so that arrival coincides with the 9:00 opening, spend the morning on the Historical Tour (last entry 16:30 in the 2026 spring-summer season), break for lunch in the old town of Malbork or the cafes near the castle gate, and use the afternoon for the grounds and the riverside view across the Nogat before returning by train in the early evening. The best window is April to September, when opening hours run to 20:00 and the light on the red brick is at its best; weekday mornings and late afternoons are quieter than midday, when tour groups arrive. Prices are 80 PLN for a normal ticket and 60 PLN reduced, with a family option, and Monday offers free admission to the Castle Grounds Route only. Allow four to five hours in total. Food stops are limited inside the complex, so a packed snack and water are useful, and comfortable shoes are needed for cobbled courtyards and many staircases.