Gryfice: Remains of Fortifications and Narrow-Gauge Railway

Gryfice combines remnants of medieval fortifications with the history of the narrow-gauge railway. If you are looking for a hotel in Gryfice, these themes can help you get a sense of the destination: you can weigh up whether your interest lies more with the Old Town, the railways, or both. The following points of reference range from the town’s tourist trail to regional railway and museum history.

Tourist Trail and Medieval Fortifications

The town’s “Dwóch Bram” tourist trail runs through Gryfice’s Old Town and its outskirts and is 2.5 km long. This gives you a concrete measure of the part of your stay you may want to devote to the town. The surviving remains of the medieval town walls include Brama Wysoka, Brama Kamienna and Baszta Prochowa. They are examples of fortifications typical of a medium-sized Pomeranian town. With two gates and a tower, they represent different elements of the historic fortifications—not just remnants of walls alone.

Brama Wysoka and Baszta Prochowa

Brama Wysoka is on the town’s Old Town trail. The gate houses the Muzeum i Galeria Brama and a tourist information office. This makes the building both a cultural institution and a point of reference for visitors. Baszta Prochowa serves a different purpose: after its roof was renovated and a balcony was built at the top, it became an observation tower. The historic fortifications thus serve distinct purposes: culture and information at Brama Wysoka, and views from Baszta Prochowa.

Narrow-Gauge Railway: Present-Day Route and History

The full route of the Nadmorska Kolej Wąskotorowa between Gryfice and Pogorzelica is 39.5 km long. The railway operates tourist train services; seasonal operating times may vary. Check the current timetable before travelling. This present-day route should be distinguished from the historic Gryficka Kolej Dojazdowa, or Greifenberger Kleinbahn AG: its first route ran from Gryfice Wąskotorowe via Karnice to Niechorze and opened on 1 July 1896. The route and date answer two different questions: how far the present-day railway extends, and when the historic first line opened.

Railway History in the Wider Greifenberg Destination

In the wider Greifenberg destination, the open-air exhibition of West Pomeranian narrow-gauge railways in Gryfice displays historic locomotives, carriages and other railway equipment. It is a branch of the National Museum in Szczecin. The exhibition thus complements the route perspective with a look at vehicles and equipment, while the railway section between Gryfice and Pogorzelica describes the full route. If you are interested in railways, you can explore the subject both through a route and through historic technology.

Town and Regional Scale

In the wider Greifenberg destination, the full railway route passes through three municipalities in Gryfice County and connects 14 localities. Cycle Route III connects Gryfice and Płoty over a distance of about 12 km. Together with the town’s 2.5 km tourist trail and the full 39.5 km railway route, these represent three different scales: a route through the Old Town and its outskirts, a cycling connection between two towns, and a longer railway route. This comparison helps you consider Gryfice both as a town with its own history and as part of a wider travel region.

Discover more destinations: Wicimice, Brojce, Rewal, Pobierowo, Trzęsacz, Śliwin, Czaplin Mały, Pustkowo.

For the wider travel guide: Greifenberg.