Hostel Review: My Inspiring Stay at Hostel Cycle On in Gdańsk

My return to Poland for my fourth visit meant a first time arrival in Gdańsk and a new place to live. It was unexpected to many including myself. I honestly never meant to move to Poland, nor Gdansk! However perhaps it was fate, this was a city that interested me through the years for many reasons. Firstly, back at Ards Tech. as a student I studied the history of it all, secondly my love for Micronations and Unusual Republics – as this was once the “Free City of Danzig” and thirdly I had made two friends from here on my backpacking journeys (Ola and Karolina) so it was a good chance to see them again too and they invited me here to show me their city. I chose to backpack it in a textbook way – a bed in the cheapest and biggest dorm at the excellent Hostel Cycle On. At the time, I had no idea I would end up staying here and living in Poland, I booked in for just three nights initially!

Hostel Review: Hostel Cycle On in Gdańsk

I spent a long time here in Gdańsk, and will linger a bit longer too, I have so far also toured Leba and Slowinski National Park, Gydnia, Sopot and Starogard Gdański. I have done a food tour in Gydnia and visited the place where World War II began. Here are five top reasons to make the Hostel Cycle On your backpacking base while touring Gdańsk and around.

Taiwanese Sex bomb Mika, and I touring Gdansk…

1.Cycling!
The title says it all and I have now been cycling a few times in Poland if you read my Slowinski tour. I went on a day tour with the lovely Mika from Mika on the Road, which you can read about here. Hostel Cycle On has bikes for hire for 35 zloty per day. Mika, on my journey was a girl who I was immediately attracted to, and she knew it. I still call her a “sex bomb” and I still think she made one of the best videos I have ever been in (click on it!). As the Polish lads might say to Mika, “zrobisz mi loda” (make me an ice cream).

Taiwanese Sex bomb Mika, and I touring Gdansk…

Taiwanese Sex bomb Mika, and I touring Gdansk by bicycle

2.Breakfast Included
An all you can eat breakfast is included here from 8 – 10 am. You get good quality cheese, a range of breads and cereals. Lots of jams and spreads and of course tea and coffee. Aside from this, tea and coffee is free 24/7, a great hostel and a textbook style from my 14 year backpacking journey.

Daily breakfast in the kitchen here at Hostel Cycle On.

3.Cool Staff
On arrival I was greeted by Piotr and Pawel with smiles – the two main guys, keen cyclists and they also tried to help with my early days of learning Polish. I was looked after by Ola, Jedrek and Julia too while staying at this hostel.

Piotr i Pawel at Hostel Cycle On, Gdansk

Mika in Gdansk at Hostel Cycle On

The friendly and pretty Ola in Gdansk’s Hostel Cycle On

4.Excellent Location
Just across the bridge from the Old Town entrance gate (the Green Gate) means that the Hostel Cycle On is a perfect spot for your backpacking through Gdansk. I loved my time in this city and you probably read about my nights on the rip, my studying Polish and some of the German war tours.

Nightfall in Gdansk – Stare Miasto. Piekny Miasto.

Dining out at Kubicki, Gdansk’s Oldest Restaurant

Asshole Austrian and his German Army backpack through Gdansk

On the rip with the lads

A good night out in the Kaszubian capital

5.Socialising
The Hostel Cycle On is a great place to meet new people. I made lots and lots of new friends here including Mika (from Taiwan), Marek, Kasia and Julia (from Poland), Marina (from Catalonia), Jack (from Italy), Dewan (from India), Lillia and Ludmila (from Ukraine) and Jessika (from Quebec).