Sun and Sea at Sopot

Just north of Gdansk is the seaside resort town of Sopot. It is part of the tri-city that includes Gdansk, Sopot and Gdynia, all coastal towns and very popular during the summer months.

Sopot came about after a doctor in Napoleon's army opened up a spa and bath house. It proved to be very popular and the town slowly grew. It was also the summer home for European aristocracy like Kaiser Wilhelm II. Today the town is a holiday Mecca with beachside promenades, cycle ways and very lavish hotels on the beachfront. It also has Europe's longest jetty at 530m.

The Sofitel Grand Hotel near the jetty with manicured gardens and a private beach

Promenade leading onto the jetty

The jetty has loads of seating and space as well as charter boat cruises and jetboat rides

Looking back on the shoreline with the large hotels - Sheraton and Sofitel

Charter cruises leaving from the pier

Hotel Zhong Hua right on the beach

Clock tower

Formal gardens around the shopping pedestrian mall

Main pedestrian street

One of Sopot's main tourist attractions - Krzywy Domek - The Crooked House

Opening in 2004, it's Polish architects Szotynscy Zaleski won an award for the design which was inspired by fairytale illustrator Jan Marcin Szancer and work by Swedish artist and Sopot resident Dahlberg. The green shingles on the roof look like dragon scales.

Despite its unusual appearance outside, the inside is unremarkable

We decided to have a coffee at Costa's to consider the buildings crookedness

Nearby was some more unusual sculpture of a figure walking a tightrope between buildings carrying a fish

Next door to the car park were tennis players practicing for the Sopot Cup starting a few days. Good to see the Aussies are represented in Europe

Next to the fence was the car of a tennis professional from Germany who passed us on the road heading to Germany an hour later. Don't think he kept to the speed limit.