FRESH FROM GDANSK /

Many people visiting Gdansk in the summer season want to make a perfect beach day part of their itinerary. There can only be one thing to ruin those plans - the weather… Well, we can’t influence the weather gods (yet), but on days when they are in a good mood, we can help you with everything else to plan a perfect beach day in Gdansk.

Gdansk beach experience - Choose your perfect beach in Gdansk and get there easily

In Gdansk there are four major beach destinations in the districts of Jelitkowo, Brzeźno, Stogi and Sobieszewska Island (Wyspa Sobieszewska). From the Gdansk city center / Main Town they are all easy to reach by public transport in about 25-40 minutes.

From the last week of June until the end of August the beaches are officially open for the swimming season and designated parts (seven in total) are protected by lifeguards between 9.30 a.m. and 5.30 p.m. Their water quality is tested regularly and declared good or excellent. Sobieszewo always ranks best due to its more secluded location between two nature reserves. The beaches are cleaned daily and have medical assistance points.

Here is a list of the guarded parts of the beaches (from north to south):

• Jelitkowo beach – great for families. Tram line 6 or 8 (direction Jelitkowo, last stop) will bring you there from the city center; located close to where Sopot starts in the south.
• Jelitkowo Klipper beach – a 10-15 minute walk south from the above, for a slightly less crowded beach experience.
• Brzeźno Pier and beach – get there from the city center with tram line 3 (direction Brzeźno, last stop). It's the most popular and lively beach area in Gdansk. Close to Reagan's Park.
• Brzeźno Dom Zdrojowy – 500 meters south-east from Brzeźno Pier. It's another guarded, 100 meter long stretch of sand.
• Stogi beach – north-east from the Old Town, with modern infrastructure; tram line 8 gets you there directly from the city center (direction Stogi Plaża, last stop).
• Sobieszewo Island – Sobieszewo beach – for a peaceful and quiet beach experience, with a bird sanctuary in close proximity. Take bus line 112 from Gdansk main train station to stop Falowa.
• Sobieszewo Island – Orle beach – secluded and even less crowded than the Sobieszewo beach. Bus line 112 or 212 go in front of the Gdansk main train station. Get off at stop Lazurowa.

Gdansk beach experience - Visiting the beach in Gdansk with kids

In order to make it very easy for you to navigate, below we've listed all the attractions, for younger and older kids, on each of the beaches:

• Jelitkowo – wading pools and water slides, volleyball court (free, subject to availibility), beach and sports equipment rental, open air gym.
• Jelitkowo Klipper - beach and sports equipment rental, play areas for kids.
• Brzeźno Pier – volleyball court (free, subject to availibility), water slide, inflatable slide, trampolines, playground areas; there's also a large playground and a ropes course at the beginning of the promenade leading to the pier.
• Brzeźno Dom Zdrojowy – a lovely park behind the beach.
• Stogi – kids playground, volleyball court, football field, skimboard track.
• Sobieszewo Island – Sobieszewo – a lot of space compared to the other beaches, a small playground, sports courts, beach equipment rental. The bird sanctuary 'Ptasi Raj' (west from the beach) is where you can spot 200 bird species in their natural habitat.
• Sobieszewo Island – Orle – a walk east along the beach will bring you to Mewia Łacha where seals can be spotted.

Gdansk beach experience - Where and what to eat while on the beach in Gdansk?

Fish and chips is arguably the most popular meal tourists and locals go for, for obvious reasons. Most restaurants and beach bars offer several kinds of fresh fish daily, while fried cod remains to be the favourite choice. Another typical local delight are waffles served with whipped cream, various fruits and other additions.

• Jelitkowo – one restaurant and a few bars around a small square in Jelitkowski Park in the back of the beach.
• Jelitkowo Klipper – several beach bars directly on the beach and behind.
• Brzeźno Pier – Gruba Ryba restaurant at the beginning of the pier and several food stalls.
• Somewhere in the middle between Brzeźno Pier and Brzeźno Dom Zdrojowy, where Hallera Street touches the coast, is the biggest concentration of various eateries.
• Stogi – there are quite a few restaurants and bars in the back, nothing directly on the beach
• Sobieszewo Island - all eateries are a fair distance from the beach, so bring your own snacks and drinks.

Gdansk beach experience - Pack all the essentials for a perfect beach day in Gdansk

• Towels / blankets – there are very few places along the Gdansk coast, where you can use a sunchair, so unless you bring your own, prepare for setting up directly on the sand.
• Water – yes, everybody knows that, but staying hydrated is worth a reminder.
• Footwerar – if the weather is very warm and the sun is in full action, better not to try walking barefoot on the sand, as it can get extremely hot and burn your feet.

Gdansk beach experience - And other stories...

In case you forgot to pack a swimsuit for your Gdansk trip, don't give up on the idea of a day on the beach. You can pay a quick visit to one of the shopping malls in Gdansk, where you will find trendy and affordable swimmwear easily.

For a bit more beach fun during the day - as in sipping on cocktails in fancy beach bars, listening to DJ music in the background and spotting hot people - head to Sopot.

Last but not least, please remember to be mindful and leave your beach spot free of any waste. Garbage bins are usually easy to locate, and if not, there's one around the corner for sure.

Happy beach bumming in Gdansk!