A Day At The Baltic Sea In Sopot, Poland.

It was Easter Sunday. Sunny, cold and windy. Shops, restaurants and tourist attractions were closed. I was sick with a bad cold, a plague that just wouldn’t leave me. And I was completely alone in Gdansk, Poland.

While part of me wanted to stay in bed all day and re-watch Season 1 of the Game of Thrones (and the urge was quite strong), I was very determined to enjoy my getaway weekend to Gdansk to the fullest and not let my circumstances bring me down.

So I headed off to nearby Sopot for the day. A city known for having the longest wooden pier in Europe at 515 meters and an Unvertical House that looks like it was put together by a drunken sailer, who wouldn’t want to pay a visit?

Although looking at these pictures may make you cold (grab a blanket and wrap it tight to keep warm), you’ll soon understand why it’s so easy to love Sopot.

You begin at the boardwalk which is full of unusual looking trees and pretty buildings filled with shops and food stands.

I wondered what this charming little scene would like in summer. I was later informed that everyone comes here to hang out  – locals and tourists – and at night the trees are lit up with hundreds of tiny white lights. It must be so pretty!

I walked through the trees and caught my very first glimpse of the Polish Baltic Sea.

To others walking by, I may have seemed like a crazy woman but I shouted in complete and utter delight. It was surreal to be taking in all that beauty and clean sea air.

I hadn’t expected much from Sopot but in this moment, I fell in love (again) … perhaps my fair Budapest has found itself a rival for my affection?

The famous pier stood off into the distance.

Then there I was, walking on Europe’s longest wooden pier on a spring day that should have been warm but instead was absolutely freezing! Despite the cold temperatures, I couldn’t help but be amazed, inspired, awed.

Not sure why, but it seems I had a fascination for benches on this day!

Oh, be sure not to dive off the pier.

These men braved the cold to sit outside and entertain crowds with their music. RESPECT!

Finally, I made my way back to shore.

I’d earlier observed people feeding seagulls and thought “Oh, how nice!” and then came across this …

Swans! Yes, there were random swans at the Baltic Sea just chilling like they belonged there. You can only imagine how insane people thought I was when I once again squealed aloud in delight.

Sopot is also renowned for being a spa and wellness town. To top off my already perfect my day there, I concluded my walk and headed over to the  Sheraton Sopot Hotel to enjoy their water therapies and a Swedish massage.

While nothing like Club Med all inclusive holidays, this was surely the best spa experience I’ve had to date. And best of all, it only costs about 20 euros for the water therapies which includes access to an indoor heated pool, saunas, jacuzzi and relaxation area.

So if you’re ever in Sopot, you absolutely must enjoy the spa at the Sheraton! You’ll understand why after you’ve completed your experience …

While my Easter holiday may not have gone exactly as planned, I wouldn’t have wanted this day to be any different. My stress melted away and I was ready to return to Berlin … or was I?

Stay tuned for an upcoming blog post about how I got stranded in Poland!