Which one is the best Gdansk beach?
Gdansk is situated on the Baltic coast so when you’re here you should take the opportunity to see the beach and the Baltic Sea. Go swimming, sunbathing, watching the sunset or just have a walk on the beach. All that for free – there are no entry fees to enter any of Gdansk beaches. It’s impossible to tell which beach in Gdansk is the best. There are several places you can choose from and each of them has its advantages, but all of them have nice, white sand. Here you can find some tips that will help you decide which beach you should go to. Let’s find the best beach in Gdansk for you.
What are the rules on the beach in Poland?
Before you enter the beach, you should know that although topless sunbathing is not explicitly prohibited in Poland, it is not popular and might be reported as a law violation if you happen to meet fanatic puritans on your way. So if you opt for topless sunbathing in Poland, go to any of the unofficial nude beaches – in Gdansk there is one in Stogi. Also, remember that drinking alcohol in Poland is against the law in public places – including beaches.
All the beaches in Gdansk are equipped with facilities to change into swimsuits and toilets. So please, use them instead of going to the dunes – which is not allowed. It is also not allowed to bring animals to the beach, so if you happen to have your dog in Gdansk, he needs to stay at home.
And one more important notice: before you enter the sea, pay attention to the colour of the flag on the beach. If it is white – there are lifeguards on the beach and you are allowed to go swimming (although if you come from the south of Europe, swimming in the Baltic Sea may be a cold experience). If it is red – you must stay away from the water.
Looking for amber on the Gdansk beach
If you happen to come to Gdansk during bad weather, there is still a reason to go to the beach. Although stormy wind and large waves don’t allow you to enter the water for some time, when the sea calms down people go to the beach to look for amber. The best location to look for the gold of the sea is Sobieszewo Beach.
Plaza Jelitkowo and Plaza Brzezno – Jelitkowo and Brzezno Beach
Jelitkowo and Brzezno are located almost side by side, and they are the most popular beaches in Gdansk. Those Gdansk beaches are not as wide as Beach in Gdansk Stogi, but just next to the beach there are wide pedestrian and bike paths and Ronald Reagan’s Park and Jelitkowo Park. It’s a popular place for runners too. That’s the best beach in Gdansk for those who like lively places and don’t want to go to the remote parts of the city. Along the path, you can find plenty of bars and restaurants. There’s a pier in Brzezno, smaller than in Sopot but with a nice view and free of charge, so you can’t miss it. Usually, these beaches are overcrowded and you may spend awhile finding a place to put your towel.
How to get to Jelitkowo and Brzezno beach?
By public transport
To go to Brzezno Beach you should take tram nr 3 from “Dworzec Glowny” or “Brama Wyzynna” to “Brzezno” (it’s the last stop). The tram goes about 25 minutes and then you have to walk about 1,3 km to the pier.
To go to Jelitkowo Beach you should take tram nr 6 or 8 from “Dworzec Glowny” or “Brama Wyzynna” to “Jelitkowo” (it’s the last stop). The tram goes about 35 minutes and leaves you about 300 meters from the beach.
By car
It takes about 20 minutes to go to Jelitkowo or Brzezno from the centre. To go to Brzezno you can leave your car in parking near the crossroad of Czarny Dwor and Jana Pawla II street (1 kilometre from the beach). You can also park on parking on Blekitna Street or Kapliczna street near Jelitkowo Beach (about 250 m from the beach). All three parking are open for 24 hours and from 9:00 to 17:00 you have to pay 5 PLN for entry.
By bike
It takes about 25-35 minutes (8-10 kilometres). There’s a nice bike path that leads you directly to the beach. Also, you can go by bike from Brzezno to Jelitkowo and further to Sopot. This is the recommended option.
Stogi Plaza – Stogi Beach
Wide beach with fine sand located not so far from the city centre and Westerplatte. In the forest nearby there is the Coastal Fortifications Trail – you can find bunkers and batteries from 1897-1957. Some of them have been destroyed during the construction of the container terminal, but fortunately, some of them have not. You can eat hot snacks and ice-cream in the restaurant and bars near the main entrance. Stogi Beach has good water quality and usually isn’t so crowded. However, it overlooks the container terminal which is not what you expect from the beach. Before the construction of the terminal, it was considered to be the best beach in Gdansk. If you walk around 1,5 km to the right from the main entrance you will reach an unofficial nudist beach, the only one in Gdansk.
Nude beach in Gdansk Stogi
If you walk around 1,5 km to the right from the main entrance you will reach an unofficial nude beach, the only one in Gdansk. If you are there, it’s better to stay on the beach and not go to the dunes – inappropriate behaviour has been reported there.
How to get to Stogi Beach?
By public transport
From the city centre (“Dworzec Glowny” or “Brama Wyzynna” stop) you should take tram nr 8, 3 or 68 and go to the last stop called „Stogi Plaza”. It takes 20 minutes to get there. “Plaza Stogi” is the last stop but notice that some trams end on „Stogi Pasanil” stop which is 1,7 km far from the beach. If you have time you can walk from “Stogi Pasanil”. There’s a nice path along the lake in the forest.
From Westerplatte you should take bus number 106 to „Sucharskiego” (direction „Dworzec Glowny”), then change to tram number 8, 3 or 68 to „Stogi Plaza” (direction “Stogi Plaza”). The journey takes around 20-30 minutes.
Please note that the tramway is currently undergoing reconstruction and it’s not going to be finished before the Autumn ’20. So you might need to change tram/bus on your way to Stogi Beach from the city centre.
By car
It’s 10 minutes from the city centre (~9 km). There’s a small parking near the main entrance, but often overcrowded (open 24h, from 9:00 to 17:00 costs 5 PLN for entry).
By bike
It’s about 30 minutes from the centre (~9 km). There’s a bike path on most of the route, but you need to use your own/rented bike, as there is no Mevo station close to the beach.
Wyspa Sobieszewska – Gdansk Sobieszewo Island Beach
Sobieszewo island is a district of Gdansk located near the estuary of Vistula river – the longest river in Poland. The beach is really beautiful and extends for about 10 km. There are three main entrances: Gorki Wschodnie, Swibno and Sobieszewo. The last is the easiest to reach by public transport.
There’re also two bird’s reserves: “Bird’s Paradise” (Ptasi Raj) located in the western part of the island and “Seagull’s Old River Bed” (Mewia Lacha) in the eastern part. Sobieszewo Island is a good choice for those who like nature. You can feel there like outside the city.
How to get to Sobieszewo Beach?
By public transport
It takes about 35-45 minutes to go there by bus. You should take bus nr 186 or 112 from “Dworzec Glowny” or “Brama Wyzynna” stop.
If you’d like to go to Gorki Wschodnie and “Bird’s Paradise” Reserve, you should take bus nr 186 to the last stop “Gorki Wschodnie” and then walk about 2 km.
To go to Swibno Beach and “Seagull’s Old River Bed” Reserve take bus nr 112 and get off the bus at “Przystan” stop (”Przegalina” direction). Then you have to walk about 2 kilometres to the beach.
To go to Sobieszewo Beach take bus nr 112 to “Lazurowa” stop (it’s 1 km from the beach).
By car
It takes about 30 minutes to get to Sobieszewo from the city centre. There’s a big parking at the end of Nadwislanska street from which you can go to “Bird’s Paradise” Reserve and Gorki Wschodnie Beach (about 2 kilometres). To go to Sobieszewo Beach you can park along Lazurowa Street (250-500 m from the beach). Both parking are paid.
To go to “Seagull’s Old River Bed” and Swibno Beach you can park your car on Swibniejska Street for free and walk about 2,5-3 km.
By bike
It should take about 1 hour (20 kilometres). It was quite difficult to go there by bike until last year, but now it’s much easier as the brand–new bike path was constructed. Still, it passes by sewage plant and fuel tanks so it’s not necessarily the most pleasant trip, but the big advantage is that you skip the traffic jams that occur here in summer.
Other beaches in Tricity
Beach in Sopot
Going further from Gdansk towards Gdynia from Jelitkowo beach, you arrive in Sopot. The beach here is similar to that in Jelitkowo, but the surrounding differs. There are lots of bars and clubs around, and if you make a few steps more you come across good quality restaurants, too. In the centre of Sopot beach, there is the famous wooden pier. You may walk under it (or enter it for a small entrance fee), but you must not swim nearby. Sheraton and Grand Hotel may be seen from here. Part of the beach may be restricted to its guests, but it is never the part accessing the water. Also, the Gdynia Orlowo Cliff is visible to the north. A walk there should take about 90 minutes.
Beaches in Gdynia
Gdynia has two beaches to offer – small beach in Gdynia Orlowo, and a bit larger, but also limited in size close to the harbour. Orlowo was once very popular among writers and artists. The beach is picturesque and there is a small pier here. In summer, the outdoor theatre stage is prepared here and performances are played in the evenings. You may also walk towards the cliff from here.
The main beach in Gdynia is close to the harbour. There are lots of bars here, and if you are tired of sunbathing you may also go to the Gdynia Aquarium or visit one of the Polish historic ships. There is also a military exhibition close to the Navy Museum.
Those are all beaches in Gdansk, Sopot and Gdynia. But there are more nearby. For kitesurfing and windsurfing consider going to Rewa Cape (Cypel Rewski) or Hel Peninsula (Polwysep Helski).
Conditions on beaches in Gdansk
If you want to check the condition of Gdansk beaches or beaches nearby Gdansk (water temperature, air temperature) check this website. You will also find there information if it is possible to swim (“Kapielisko nieczynne” means you shouldn’t swim)