Sopot, So Good: Poland’s North Coast Jewel

a real highlight of the entire three week backpacking trip to poland was getting to the coast, and one of the places i was most excited about was the small beachy resort town of sopot, only about a half-hour train ride from gdansk. but sopot isn’t exactly the sleepy little coastal town you’d think of: this place is happening. sopot’s famous for its history (both marlene dietrich and adolf hitler stayed at the famous resort hotel) and a reputation for a good party. apparently young poles (and others) flock here by the thousands in the summer time to take advantage of the clubbing atmosphere.

but that’s not why i was here. i’m just a girl that wanted a beach.

sopot’s home to the largest pleasure pier in europe! you’ll have to pay a couple bucks to enter but what’s a famous resort town without the boardwalk?

we had a nice beach sit until the skies opened up and threatened to drench us all. can you believe that with what a beautiful day it was only a half hour before? although we always go prepared with rain jackets and an umbrella, this saturating sort of rain was no joke. we scrambled back down to the main tourist boulevard of monte cassino street and quickly ducked under the outdoor umbrellas of e. wedel’s. you might remember my love affair with the famous e. wedel’s chocolatier from warsaw, so of course i was delighted to see that there was a sopot outpost! and why shouldn’t there be? sopot is poland beach glam and its discerning clientele demands tea cups of fine melted chocolate drink.

other things to see in sopot: the crooked house or krzywy domek. the locals say that if this house begins to look normal, you should stop drinking and go home.

and… the birth house (turned restaurant) of legendary german actor, klaus kinski! (the man was insane, bless his soul) he was actually born in sopot when it was under german rule and called zoppot.