This is my fourth (or maybe even fifth) trip to Gdansk in northern Poland. I am pretty sure most people have an image of the city that includes shipyards and the striking workers from the late 1980s.

It is true that the shipyards make up part of the city. There is now a huge museum that is dedicated to the birth of 'Solidarity', the union that effectively ended communism in Poland and eastern Europe, which was led by Lech Walesa who also become the president of the country. In the UK we re-built Coventry into a concrete jungle in Gdansk the war torn historic city centre has been painstakingly re-built as it was - what a shame we did not have the same foresight in the UK!

The old town area of Gdansk is stunning. Every time I have been I am literally blown away by what a great place this is to visit. The photographs will speak for themselves and if you have a spare weekend you can do far, far worse than have a trip to Gdansk.

The Cheeky Boys had travelled on the Friday afternoon from Bydgoszcz by train to Gdansk Glowny, the main station. Our three star hotel on the riverside (less than £40.00 per night room only) was however located about a twenty five minute walk - or a short taxi ride - from the station. The walk however does enable you to get a sense of the city whereas a taxi will take you around the historic pedestrianised core. I was glad to walk.

Compared to Bydgoszcz then it is fair to say that Gdansk is more of a tourist hot spot. Prices are higher and there are restaurant jockeys trying to get you to choose their dining over that available next door - although step back a street or so from the main square and it is much more relaxed. There is no shortage of bars, restaurants and establishments to provide refreshments, so it makes for a great place for the Cheeky Boys, or if honest anyone else to visit.

As well as visiting the old town area we made a visit to the shipyard area (about a thirty minute walk from the city) that allowed to see the old gates that were familiar from the TV in the 1980s but also visit the European Solidarity Centre. This massive museum and exhibition was well worth paying the entrance fee for and provided a huge amount of recent historical context about Poland.

There are plenty of other historical museums in Gdansk too, one that would be worth visiting (although we did not have time) would be the 'Free City of Danzig' museum that provides the background to when the city, between 1920 and 1939, was an autonomous state following the Treaty of Versailles at the end of world war one. There is so much history here to learn about!

If you have time and want to explore more widely then the nearby seaside cities of Sopot and Gydinia are worth a visit too. Both can be reached by train from the main station on the commuter network of railways.

The end of our trip saw us heading to the airport at Gdansk for our flight back to Birmingham again with Ryanair and again for less than £25.00 each. It can probably be as cheap to fly to Poland for the weekend, have a decent hotel, some nice food and drink as it would to do a similar weekend away in the UK. So why not give it a try as you will not be disappointed!