Motlawa Waterfront (Dlugie Pobrzeze)

The Motlawa Waterfront, known as Dlugie Pobrzeze, is the riverside promenade of Gdansk's Main Town in Poland's Pomeranian region, running between the Green Gate at its eastern end and the medieval Crane. It is a public embankment open at all hours and free to walk, and it has been the working front of the port for centuries. Today the stretch is lined with restaurants, cafes, amber and souvenir stalls, and the old gates that open from the town streets onto the water, including the Crane, the most recognisable symbol of the city. Boat departures from the quay offer short river cruises and trips along the Motlawa, and on the far bank are the former granaries of Granary Island, which give the waterfront its characteristic skyline of tall brick buildings. Visitors usually walk the length of the embankment in 30 to 45 minutes, stopping at viewpoints and at the gates, and longer if they eat or take a boat trip. The best photographs are taken from the riverbank looking across to the granaries, and from the Crane end looking back towards the Green Gate. Sunset is the most atmospheric time, when the facades and gates are lit and reflected in the water. During the day, especially in summer and on weekends, the promenade is crowded with tour groups and street entertainers, and the area becomes busy late into the evening. Early morning is the quietest period and suits photography. The embankment is flat and paved, so walking is easy, though the surface near the quays can be uneven in places. It connects naturally with the Green Gate, the Crane, Mariacka Street and the SS Soldek museum ship, and is a convenient place to begin or end a walk through the Old Town. There is no admission charge, and the site is open 24 hours.