Cześć! Welcome to Sopot, a trendy Polish seaside town. Since the late 19th century, it has attracted wealthy aristocrats and intellectual elite looking for a magnificent place to relax. Nowadays, Sopot is still a very popular holiday spot, accessible to all. It’s also a great place for a day trip from nearby cities like Gdansk or Gdynia! Famous pier, sandy beaches, spas, beautiful architecture, tasty local dishes, vibrant nightlife, and many cultural events… All of that, and more, is waiting in Sopot. Keep reading and discover great things to do in Sopot, Poland.
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Sopot, Poland FAQ
Sopot is a small seaside resort located in the northern part of Poland in Pomeranian Voivodeship on the Baltic Sea coast. The town is squeezed between two larger cities: Gdansk on the east and Gdynia on the west, with which it forms the Tricity metropolitan area.
Of course, Sopot is worth a visit! It’s a beautiful Polish town attracting travelers thanks to its beauty, charm, and wide choice of various attractions including plenty of wellness options.
Sopot is best known for its beautiful, long wooden pier stretching out into the Bay of Gdansk guaranteeing amazing sea views. It’s also a place where you’ll find spectacular award-winning beaches, as well as many spas and wellness centers.
Things to do in Sopot, Poland
Monciak – Bohaterów Monte Cassino street
Bohaterów Monte Cassino Street, affectionately known as Monciak, is Sopot’s main street that runs through its heart – from the Church of St. George (pl. Kościół św. Jerzego) area up to Zdrojowy Square (pl. Plac Zdrojowy) located close to the pier. Monciak is one of the most popular pedestrian streets in Poland – we felt like we were on a seaside version of Krupówki in Zakopane!
There, you’ll find dozens of beautiful buildings, various restaurants, cafes, shops, and stalls. In the high season, the street is super crowded, filled with an endless stream of tourists. Thankfully, at least no cars are allowed! Either way, walking down Bohaterow Monte Cassino Street is a must-have thing to do in Sopot.
Along Monciak, you’ll also find the famous Crooked House (pl. Krzywy Domek) – an interesting example of bold modern architecture and one of the most photographed places in town. But don’t be fooled by its appearance – this is not the entrance to the world of Alice in Wonderland, it’s just a shopping center.
At the very end of Monciak, you’ll find two squares: Plac Przyjaciół Sopotu and Plac Zdrojowy, with even more restaurants and shops, but also with beautiful buildings including rebuilt 1800s spa house, lighthouse, and some fountains. From this place, it’s a short way to the Sopot pier.
Sopot Tourist Information is located at Plac Zdrojowy.
Note. If you’re looking for a moment of peace, you can move away from Monciak and explore streets like Tadeusza Kościuszki or Jana Haffnera and look for some beautiful old villas. Actually, most of the streets on the side, the non-tourist ones, will give you a better vibe of Sopot. Your other option for a peaceful moment is Jaś Rybak Square, a great spot right next to Monciak if you don’t want to wander too far.
Book now: Gdansk, Sopot and Gdynia Private Full-Day Tour
Sopot Pier
Sopot Pier is the longest wooden pier in Europe – it boasts a length of 511m! The first pier was built in 1827 and back then it was only 31.5 meters long. Over the next years, the pier was extended and rebuilt several times, up to the form we can admire today. Nowadays it’s Sopot’s main attraction and one of the most popular ones in the whole of Tricity.
Pier is a great place for relaxing walks peppered with stunning views over the bay, beaches, and town itself. But if you visit Sopot during the high season, prepare yourself for walking among hundreds of other tourists (which isn’t very relaxing). How to avoid it? Try early morning hours.
At the end of the pier, there’s also a small yacht marina. There we also found… a cute dwarf from Wroclaw! Nice surprise for us!
Entrance to Sopot Pier costs 10zł for a normal ticket and 5zł for a reduced one (November 2024). You can buy tickets either in the ticket office or ticket machines located close to the entrance. For current prices visit molo.sopot.pl website.
Interesting fact. Until October 2024 it also held the title of the longest pier in Europe, but currently, this title belongs to the one 720m long in Prerow in Germany. Thankfully the title of the longest wooden pier still holds!
Book now: Sopot Yacht Cruise Around the Bay
Beach in Sopot
On both sides of the pier stretch long, wide, and sandy Sopot beach. During summer months they attract thousands of sun, sand, and sea lovers. And it doesn’t surprise us at all!
The beach in Sopot is truly beautiful and was even included in the prestigious ranking of the 100 best beaches in the world, Golden Beach Awards 2024, prepared by the Beach Atlas portal! Could there be anything better than sunbathing on an award-winning beach?!
Along the beach, you’ll also find many restaurants and bars, as well as some water sports and sunbed rentals.
Lighthouse
For the best views of Sopot, you need to climb the lighthouse. It’s a historic building dating back to the early 1900s located right next to the pier. Originally, it was built as a fancy-looking chimney for a balneological facility with a lamp at the top.
Only many years later, in 1977, it was granted full status as a lighthouse when the range of the lamp was extended to 31.5km. Currently, the light reaches only 13 km and the building officially is no longer listed as a lighthouse. But it still gives light at night, indicating the position of Sopot to ships.
Nowadays, you can get to the top of this 30-meter-high tower by climbing spiral stairs. From the observation deck, you can admire the panorama of Sopot, and a big part of the Gdansk Bay. Visiting the lighthouse is a great, yet often overlooked, thing to do in Sopot.
Entrance to Sopot lighthouse costs 10zł for a normal ticket and 8zł for a reduced one. Opening hours vary depending on the season. For current prices and opening hours visit latarniamorskasopot.pl website.
Discover: Accommodation options in Sopot
Grand Hotel
Grand Hotel is one of the most impressive buildings in Sopot, located just a few steps from the pier and right on the beach. It was built in the 1920s and is a great example of the architectural style found in Sopot before World War II. Before the war it was the most expensive and luxurious hotel in the area, attracting the high class. Over the years, the hotel has hosted hundreds of well-known people from the worlds of culture, politics, and science.
Today the Grand Hotel is still one of the best places to stay in Sopot! If you fancy staying there, book your room here.
Forest Opera
Forest Opera (pl. Opera Leśna) is a covered amphitheater located in a forest surrounding Sopot. Thanks to its amazing acoustics it’s named as one of the most outstanding musical venues in Europe. There you can take part in one of many events, explore the amphitheater (solo or with a guide), or spend some relaxing time in the forest.
Exploring Forest Opera is seasonally paid (May to mid-October), the rest of the year is free. For current prices and opening hours visit operalesna.pl website.
Museums in Sopot
If you’re interested in learning more about Sopot history you should visit the Sopot Museum. It’s located in a beautiful, early 20th-century beachside villa, Villa Claaszena, right next to the beach. On the ground floor, you can see how the villa looked when it was a family home, and the upper floor is home to various exhibitions, both permanent and temporary.
Entrance to Sopot Museum costs 15zł for a normal ticket and 7zł for a reduced one (November 2024). For current prices and opening hours visit muzeumsopotu.pl website.
The second place worth mentioning is the Grodzisko Fort. It’s an open-air museum recreating an 8th-10th century fortified settlement, with a small display of relics. It must be a fun place to visit in Sopot with kids but we cannot confirm, unfortunately!
Entrance to Grodzisko Fort costs 15zł for a normal ticket and 12zł for a reduced one. On Tuesdays, entrance is free (November 2024). For current prices and opening hours visit archeologia.pl website.
Explore local attractions
How to get to Sopot, Poland?
Sopot is located about 10km from Gdańsk or Gdynia, 350km from Warsaw, and 330km from Poznan. The most convenient way to get to Sopot is by train, car, or bus.
Airports near Sopot
The closest airport to Sopot is located in Gdansk, only 20km away. The easiest way to get from the airport to the town center is to take a train or bus number 122. You can also take a taxi or rent a car. To learn more about connections that might interest you visit rome2rio.com website.
Where to park in Sopot?
If you choose to travel by car you can leave a car in one of the underground parking lots, like Parking Sopot Centrum or Parking Podziemny (but in high season is super expensive), or try to find a place along the streets and pay in a parking meter. Also, we advise you against traveling by car in the high season, and if you must – arrive early in the morning.
For great car rental deals visit Rentalcars website.
To Sopot by bus
You can get to Sopot by bus. For example, the trip from Gdańsk will take 25 min (€1), 20min from Gdynia (€3-5), and 5h from Poznan (€26-40). To learn more about bus connections that might interest you visit rome2rio.com or the Flixbus website.
To Sopot by train
You can also easily get to Sopot by train. For example, a trip from Gdansk will take about 15min (€16-23), 3h20min from Poznan (€11-19), and 2h45min from Warsaw (€50-70). To learn more about connections that might interest you visit rozklad-pkp.pl or rome2rio.com website.
For great train ticket deals visit Trainline website.
To Sopot with guided tour
If you don’t want to put too much effort into planning, you can always take advantage of the guided tours and let someone else take care of all the details. You can for example choose this popular Gdansk Sopot and Gdynia 3 Cities Private Full-Day Tour or this Best of Gdańsk, Gdynia and Sopot in 1-Day Private Car Tour.
For a wide selection and well-reviewed tour options GetYourGuide and Viator websites.
Things to do in Sopot, Poland – Summing up
Now you know what Spot is all about and why you shouldn’t skip it during your time near Gdansk. It’s a charming and picturesque place with stunning sea views, a great pier, amazing beaches, and peaceful green spaces. It’s a great place for a longer holiday by the Baltic Sea and a great spot for day trips from nearby Gdansk or Gdynia. Enjoy your time in Sopot!
Our video from Sopot
Our opinion about Sopot
For us, a visit to Sopot was a half-day trip from Gdansk where we stayed for a few days. We visited in mid-September and we were shocked by the number of people out there – both Poles and foreigners. We know it was a warm day but we didn’t expect such huge crowds. And if Sopot looks like that on a warm, off-season day we suspect that in high season there might be some kind of an armageddon happening.
Overall we think Sopot is a charming place, but for us, it was quite hard to enjoy it to the fullest. What did we like most? Spending golden hour on Sopot pier and marina, and relaxing on the sandy beach. We also found a charming cafe on the outskirts, Kawiarnia Blisko, where we enjoyed food and drinks in peace. We think that out of all Tricity towns, we’d put Sopot in second place (but mostly because it’s more beautiful than Gdynia).
Oh, one more thing! No more than 10 km away from Sopot we also visited two other piers – Orłowo Pier near Gdynia, and Brzeźno Pier near Gdansk. They are like smaller versions of one in Sopot but less crowded and free. You might also want to check them out!
Book now: Best of Gdańsk, Gdynia and Sopot in 1-Day Private Car Tour
Restaurants, accommodations, and map
Check out various recommended places below.
Where to eat in Things to do in Sopot?
Here are your best, high-rated options in Things to do in Sopot:
Where to sleep in Things to do in Sopot?
Sheraton Sopot Hotel
Sheraton Sopot Hotel is a luxurious beachfront accommodation located steps away from the famous Sopot Pier and the Baltic Sea. The hotel offers elegant rooms and suites with modern amenities, many featuring stunning sea views. Guests can indulge in a world-class spa, fine dining restaurants, and exceptional service, making it an ideal destination for relaxation and sophistication in the heart of Sopot.
My Story Sopot Apartments
My Story Sopot Apartments offers stylish and modern accommodation just a short walk from the sandy beaches of Sopot. These well-appointed apartments feature contemporary interiors, fully equipped kitchens, and private balconies or terraces for a comfortable stay. With its prime location near local attractions, shops, and restaurants, it’s an excellent choice for travelers.
Hotel Zhong Hua
Hotel Zhong Hua is a unique beachfront accommodation in Sopot, offering a blend of Asian-inspired design and a prime location right by the Baltic Sea. Guests can enjoy direct access to the sandy beach, comfortable rooms with sea views, and a tranquil atmosphere. Its central location near the iconic Sopot Pier and lively attractions makes it an excellent choice for a relaxing yet vibrant seaside getaway.
Accommodations photos source: booking.com
