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Pomerania, Baltic Sea Coast and Kashubia
"Have you ever been to the Long Market in the evening? This is a unique street in Gdansk that
should be seen at just that time. The streetlights are just coming on, tables in the cafes and the
restaurants are just starting to fill and the historic buildings create a fairytale atmosphere. Just
a weekend is enough to fall in love with Gdansk. This city has a great history, it was once part
of the rich trail of the Hanseatic League and it was here that Solidarity was born, the movement
that finally toppled communism in Europe. Freedom can be felt here at every step! "
This region in north-western Poland with its 300 miles of Baltic coastline, the Pomeranian Lake
District and the "Swiss-like" Kaszubian District is among the most attractive tourist regions in
the country. Its territory covers both the West Pomeranian Voivodship, with its capital Szczecin
and the Pomeranian Voivodship having the capital of Gdansk. The Kaszubian lands lay to the
south-east of Gdansk and are inhabited today by more than 200,000 descendants of the Slav
tribe, the "Kashubians", maintaining the traditions of their language and culture.
Important Locations and Historical Monuments
Baltic Coast
Szczecin, with its population of around 420,000, is the capital city of Western Pomerania. It is
located by the River Odra, some 40 miles from the Baltic Coast which can be reached by boat
and sailing through the Bay of Szczecin. Szczecin is a large busy port as well as an important
junction for water and land transportation and a major industrial, educational, scientific and
cultural centre. Its old churches include the Gothic cathedral of St Jacob the Apostle (14th
century), the Gothic Church of St Peter and St Paul (15th century) and the Franciscan church
built between the 13th and 14th centuries. Reconstructed after the damaged sustained during
World War II, the Castle of the Pomeranian Princes with its famous clock tower is now used as a
focal point for cultural and artistic events. The 18th century Harbour Gate, the Gate of Prussian
Homage as well as the Tower of the Seven Cloaks are all that has remained of the former city
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fortifications. The "Waly Chrobrego" is the popular promenade running along the bank of the
River Odra.
Swinoujscie is a port city and health resort. It is located next to the border with Germany,
partly on Uznam Island and partly on Wolin Island. The recreation park here was founded in the
mid 19th century. The Museum of Sea Fishery is situated at Plac Rybaka 1. A lighthouse stands
at the estuary of the River Swina, built in the mid 19th century which now has the distinction of
being the highest on the Polish coast (223 feet).
Wolin Island, with its popular beach resort of Miedzyzdroje and two health resort of
Miedzywodzie and Dziwnow offer, not only 15 miles of coastal sandy beaches but also a
remarkable National Park and a popular golf course with both 9 and 18 hole courses. The Wolin
National Park covers only about one fifth of the island's total area but stretches from the cliff
coast near Miedzyzdroje as far as the Bay of Szczecin. Many hiking trails run across the
moraine landscape dominated by beech forests. A bison reserve within the National park is
worthy of particular attention.
Further east along the coast, there are several small popular tourist destinations with beautiful
sandy beaches. In Lukecin there is also a horse-riding school and a small golf course.
Pobierowo is a quieter resort, especially popular with families with young children. In
Trzesacz there are remains of an old church that, at the beginning of the 20th century, became
engulfed by sea waves penetrating inland during a storm. Rewal is situated on the cliff
shoreline and this is also where the most beautiful beaches can be found. The route of the
narrow gauge railway line starts here, leading through Niechorze to Trzebiatow. The emblem
of the town Niechorze is its lighthouse from 1866. Pogorzelica is a small holiday resort
surrounded by coniferous and mixed forests. Several miles inland there are two further
interesting places to visit. Kamien Pomorski is proud of its historical monuments as well as its
world-renowned church organ. The 295 foot high tower of the Gothic St Mary's church is the
emblem of the town of Trzebiatow.
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Kolobrzeg ranks high among some of the most popular beach resorts. The city, with its more
than 50,000 inhabitants, is the largest Polish health resort. Its microclimate, fresh iodine
infused sea breezes and much exposure to the sun creates the ideal conditions for practicing
natural therapies. Also, the resort has many mineral spring wells as well as pools of therapeutic
mud. The crowded Kolobrzeg promenade leads to the lighthouse by the mouth of the River
Parseta. Among the many valuable monuments in Kolobrzeg, there are the Collegiate Church
from the turn of the 14th century and the Neo-Gothic Town Hall.
Ustronie Morskie can be found to the east of Kolobrzeg. This is a beautiful holiday resort with
a thermal pools filled with seawater. In summer, the long sandy beaches of Mielno, some
designated as nudist beaches, attract thousands of visitors. Beautiful panoramic views can be
enjoyed from the 167 foot tall lighthouse in the neighbouring town of Gaski. Further along the
coast is the town of Darlowo which survived the war relatively intact. Here, it is worthwhile
visiting the castle rebuilt in the 16th century and the magnificent Gothic Church of Our Lady.
Darlowko, situated about a mile away, was renowned as a beach resort as early as the
beginning of the 19th century. Ustka is a significant fishing port and one of the largest biggest
Polish beach resorts.
The Slowinski National Park is famous for its unique shifting sand dunes. Formed, as much as
5000 years ago, from the sand carried inland by the sea and winds, the dunes are moving inland
at a speed of about 33 feet a year. The most popular holiday resorts bordering the park on each
side are Rowy (in the west) and Leba (in the east). In the village of Kluki at the south end of
the Park, there is an open-air museum (heritage park), with examples of buildings and folk
clothing worn by the Slowinski Tribe that used to inhabit this region.
Further east is the fishing village of Debki, a favourite with artists and the site of one of the
rare topless beaches in Poland. Krokowa is located several miles away from the coast and
boasts a beautiful 14th century castle. Jastrzebia Gora is the busiest summer resort on the
Kaszubian Coast and well known for its cliff shoreline. The Hel Peninsula is an attractive
centre for summer tourism. Twenty two miles long and in places only as narrow as 656 feet, it
juts out into the Bay of Gdansk. In the village of Hel, located at the south-eastern end of the
peninsula there are many beautiful old fishermen's huts. The fishing village of Jastarnia is also
a popular tourist attraction, as well as the renowned holiday resort of Jurata. The village of
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Chalupy has become known for its topless beaches.
Gdansk, with its population 465,000 inhabitants, is the capital of the Pomeranian Voivodship.
This many-century old city acquired its city charter in 1236 and after a short time became one
of Europe's most important trade centres. Today it is still an important port but it has also
become a major cultural and scientific centre for the region.
Sopot, which once used to be the most fashionable beach resort on the Baltic coast, combines
its great traditions with an interesting cultural and recreational programme. The wooden pier
built in the mid 19th century is now 1680 feet long, which makes it the longest in Europe. It is
also a favourite promenade. On both sides of the pier there are wide sandy beaches. There are
countless shops, cafes and restaurants on both sides of Bohaterow Monte Casino Street. The
well-renowned Sopot Forest Opera has the capacity of around 4500 seats and in the summer
months many performances, musicals and musical festivals are held here. To the east of Gdansk
only a narrow stripe of land separates the Vistula Lagoon from the Baltic Sea. The Vistula
Sandbar belongs in part to Poland and in part to the Kaliningrad District (part of Russia). On
the isthmus there are some truly impressive beaches. The reed beds on its southern side are the
nesting grounds of many rare water bird species. The towns Katy Rybackie and Krynica
Morska are popular summer resorts on this narrow strip of land. Krynica Morska, Elblag and
Frombork are connected by sightseeing ship routes traversing the Vistula Lagoon.
Pomeranian Lake District
The Pomeranian Lake District is made up of almost 200 partially interlinked lakes can be found
in the region spreading to the south of the city of Koszalin. This picturesque landscape has not
yet been fully discovered by tourists and thus it is ideal for all of those who wish to shy away
from large crowds and noise. It offers spectacular facilities for water sports. Unfortunately, the
region is quite far from the main tourist areas and subsequently there is a shortage of private
accommodation. Szczecinek, with its 40,000 inhabitants, is an important tourist destination in
this region with some well developed tourist accommodation facilities. There are remains of a
castle in the city which was once the property of Pomeranian Princes. Its oldest fragments date
back to the 14th century. Today, a regional museum can be found in the Gothic tower at 6
Krolowa Elzbieta Street. The town Bialy Bor lies to the east of Szczecinek. It is renowned for its
stud farm and offers horse-riding as well as horse-riding lessons. The town of Czaplinek lies on
the southern peninsula of Lake Drawsko, one of the largest and deepest lakes in this region.
Polczyn Zdroj is a traditional health resort located on the northern boundary of the Lake
District.
The "Swiss-like" Kaszubian Region
Kaszubia comprises of the part of coastline to the northwest of Gdansk and also the picturesque
lakes of the "Swiss-like" Kaszubian region. In this characteristic post-glacial landscape with hills
rising up to 656 feet above sea level, there are almost 250 lakes. At the same time, it is also one
of the largest forest areas in Poland. The whole region is rather scarcely populated. The narrow,
rarely used roads run close to the rural farms and through well-maintained villages. Bytow has
got an old castle built by the Teutonic Knights as well as the Western-Kaszubian Museum. Part
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of the Teutonic Knights' castle, built around 1400, has been converted for use as a hotel.
Chmielno is a popular summer resort, renowned for its pottery and is also the site of the
Museum of Kaszubian Pottery. Kartuzy is a main town of the "Swiss-like" Kaszubian region and
a major tourist centre. In the Kaszubian Museum at 1 Koscielna Street, traditional ware and
artistic handicrafts craft are exhibited. At the outskirt of the town there is an old monastery
with a church built in the 14th century and are both worth a visit. Wdzydze Kiszewskie is a
small holiday resort by a lake, with an open-air museum of old traditional Kaszubian
architecture.
Regional tourist portal
Gdańsk tourist portal
Tri-city tourist portal
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