The Town That Rekindled My Connection to Family I Never Knew I Had

There are places we choose to visit and places that seem to call to us. For me, Gdańsk, Poland, was the latter.

I’d always known my grandparents were from “somewhere near the Baltic Sea,” but the details were fuzzy, lost between generations. Life, war, and immigration had scattered the branches of our family tree. But when I joined a virtual tour of Gdańsk with Discover Live, I didn’t expect to feel something so immediate. So personal.

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A City Woven with Memory

Gdańsk is a city of stories. With its cobbled lanes, amber-hued buildings, and maritime soul, every corner seemed to whisper a name or echo a tale I half-remembered from childhood. The guide, warm and knowledgeable, led us through the Old Town, explaining how Gdańsk had been both Polish and German, shaped by shifting borders and generations of resilience.

When we paused at the Golden Gate, it hit me: this was the same archway in the old black-and-white photo tucked into my grandmother’s recipe book. The same street, the same spire in the background. Suddenly, the stories she once told had a setting. A place. A heartbeat.

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A Journey of Connection

Through the tour, I learned that Gdańsk was a major port city where thousands of families, like mine, passed through, some leaving, some staying, all leaving traces. The local guide showed us traditional bakeries, the Solidarity monument, and tucked-away courtyards where music drifted through windows. I imagined my family walking these very streets.

What started as curiosity became something deeper: a sense of belonging. Even from across the ocean, I felt rooted.

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Why Gdańsk Matters

• Rich ancestry ties For many with Eastern European heritage, Gdańsk is a key puzzle piece.

• Living history From WWII scars to medieval trade routes, every brick tells a story.

• Unexpected beauty Colorful facades, the Motława River, Gothic churches, and the iconic Neptune Fountain make this one of Europe’s most photogenic cities.

You Don’t Have to Travel Far to Go Home

Not everyone can hop on a plane and retrace their family’s footsteps. But that doesn’t mean you have to miss the experience.

Ancestry and Discover Live’s virtual discovery tours bring places like Gdańsk to life in real time, guided by locals who know the stories, the history, and the heart of each destination. Whether you're tracing family roots, sparking memories for older adults, or just seeking a deeper kind of travel, Discover Live makes it all possible from the comfort of your own community or living room.

Because sometimes, reconnecting with family starts with a single city - and a guide who helps you see it not just with your eyes, but with your heart.