Standing at the end of Gdańsk’s long wooden pier, I realize I can see two of the most important sites in 20th-century history: the spit of land where World War II began, and the shipyard where the Cold War started its long and gradual final act. Many people imagine this northern-Poland city to be a wasteland of rusted, smoke-belching shipyards. But visitors are surprised to enjoy a much different experience in what is one of Europe’s most underrated destinations. Gdańsk boasts both an illustrious history and one of the most picturesque old quarters in Eastern Europe—and it shows it off delightfully….