Day 2 (June 17, 2018)   Malbork

Before   

   We’ll leave Gdansk as soon as possible to visit Malbork Castle. After this, we’ll drive directly to Mikolajki, the main touristic town for the Masurian Lakes District.

Route Gdansk - Mikolajki

After

   We’ve got a lot of sleep and we’re totally recovered and full of energy, but we’re awaken quite early. Breakfast is at 9 AM, so we make some time with a walk by these empty streets at this time of a Sunday’s morning.
Gdansk
   After breakfast, we leave Gdansk easily and drive about one hour to Malbork. We soon can see the castle at the left of the bridge, but miss the exit, so we leave the road after the bridge to turn around and get the river side, across the castle, with the best views and parking places.
Malbork Town viewsMalbork Town views
   It’s 24 zlotys for 4 hours of parking. From there, a wooden bridge is the access to the castle across the river, with magnificent views in the way. At the other side, we’re welcomed by multiple stands and restaurants, all of them with a medieval atmosphere.
Malbork Castle
   The access to the castle is by this side, but tickets office is in the back side and out of the walls. It is crowded but I can get our tickets soon by 39.50 zlotys each.

Around Malbork CastleAround Malbork Castle
Malbork Castle ticket office
  As tickets include audio-guide, we take them and go to the bridge over the moat which is the entrance. What we’ve seen of the castle from outside is already fantastic.
Malbork Castle entranceView of MAlbork castle's moat
   Across the bridge we get into the big courtyard of the Middle Castle, with multiple doors all around it.
Courtyard in Middle CastleCourtyard in Middle Castle
   Audio-guide is always pointing the itinerary through the multiple halls whish we access using all those doors.

Amber HallPolish nobles protraits
  ArmoryHall of dresses The highlight of this part of the castle is the Grand Master’s Palace.

Great refectory in Grand Master's PalaceRooms in Grand Master's Palace
Rooms in Grand Master's PalaceSummer refectory in Grand Master's Palace   In the High Castle we enjoy a walk through the gardens surrounding the area before accessing the halls.

Malbork Castle gardensMalbork Castle gardens
View of Grand Master's PalaceCourtyard in High Castle   There, a small courtyard is the hub to the different areas to visit which are occupying two floors here. We follow audio-guide indications to go through all of them. Highlights are the chapel and the monastery.

High Castle's toiletsGreen gate in High Castle
MAin Chapel in High CastleMonk dinning room in High Castle   It’s after three hours that we’re back in the car to start our way to Masurian lakes. We plan to stop for lunch somewhere in the way. We finally do it in Elblag. We order dumplings again, along with seafood chowder and prawns with salad, in a pub in the center and pay 71 zlotys in total.
ElblagMikolajki's bridge
   Then, I drive for some hours through high forests until reaching Mikolajki, at 8 PM. A quick walk after getting the room makes us see this town by night and we could see where to go for cruises tomorrow. It’s all close to us.
Mikolajki by night