Admission to the lighthouse is ticketed and you will buy tickets at the entrance. You sometimes have to wait a while to let people coming down from the top pass – the passage is quite tight and it is difficult to pass each other.
Ustka is an important health resort and a popular town for a holiday on the Baltic Sea. Ustka’s important attractions include its extensive beaches, monuments related to the town’s fishing traditions and beautiful nature.
I have prepared a guide to the most interesting places to see & and things to do in Ustka. I have included beachcombing, unique nature, active recreation and learning about history. Ustka is one of my favourite holiday destinations on the Polish Baltic coast.
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Ustka’s great advantage as a holiday destination is its picturesque location in an estuary and its proximity to the Slowinski National Park – one of Poland’s two national parks on the Baltic Sea. Ustka lies in the estuary of the River Słupia to the sea, along which walking paths lead past the lighthouse and the busy harbour.
The town is a health resort – so it is full of walking trails and places where you can relax in nature. The beaches will suit both lovers of peace and tranquillity and those who enjoy the holiday bustle. Thanks to access to the harbour, you can set sail from Ustka on cruises on the Baltic Sea.
In this article, we will check out many attractions & ideas for what you can do in Ustka. I will also suggest which restaurants to visit and where to sleep in proven hotels.
The estuary of the River Słupia separates Ustka’s coastline into two bathing beaches – the eastern (Plaża Wschodnia) and the western (Plaża Zachodnia). Both are guarded and wide, so you can beach comfortably even with the biggest crowds.
Due to the proximity of cafes and restaurants along the seafront promenade, usually more tourists choose the eastern beach. At the beach area, you will find several water equipment rentals, slides and bouncy castles for children, as well as beach ball pitches.
If you prefer a more secluded atmosphere, I recommend you to go to the western beach. It is wider than the east beach, but is further away from the centre, which means fewer people visit it. On the west beach, you will also find a historical curiosity, the third pier – an unfinished post-German structure that was designed to be as long as 1,700 metres.
pol. latarnia morska
location: 54.5879788, 16.8546076 (check on the Ustka’s attractions map)
The lighthouse in Ustka is not one of the tallest, as it is only 19.5 metres high. From the top, there is a nice view of the ships bobbing in the harbour and the estuary of the Slupia River to the Baltic Sea. If you go there at the right time (preferably 10 minutes before the full hour), you will be able to watch from above the process of turning the famous footbridge (I will tell you more about it).
Admission to the lighthouse is ticketed and you will buy tickets at the entrance. You sometimes have to wait a while to let people coming down from the top pass – the passage is quite tight and it is difficult to pass each other.
The lighthouse looks a bit like a small church with a steeple. It was built in 1892. A particularly noisy ghost is said to live within the walls of the building. The phantom runs up and down the stairs, shuffling and rearranging things. When tourists are present, however, it stays quiet. 😉
The breakwaters are located where the heart of Ustka beats – in the harbour. Both – East and West – extend half a kilometre into the Baltic Sea on both sides of the harbour and also act as a pier. It’s a great place for a walk, where I admired some of the most beautiful sunsets on the Baltic Sea.
You can buy tasty takeaway coffee & original sweets, including Krówka Ustecka, at Cafe Mistral on Kaszubska Street. With these supplies of food and drink, it will be more pleasant to stroll along the breakwaters.
The breakwaters are located right next to the lighthouse and the turning footbridge, and at the entrance to the eastern breakwater the Mermaid of Ustka (Syrenka Ustecka) watches over you. There are stone elevations along the entire length of the structure, where we squatted to watch the ships leaving the harbour.
A stroll along the breakwaters is a good idea at any time of day – especially if you want to make a stop while exploring the city and have a coffee in the fresh air.
pol. Syrenka Ustecka
location: 54.5894689, 16.85308904 (check on the Ustka’s attractions map)
The Ustka Mermaid may not be the most famous one in Poland, but I think tourists love it as much as the Warsaw Mermaid. The statue in Ustka is a must-see when visiting the town and is a symbol of the town, featured in its coat of arms. You will come across the sculpture when walking along the eastern breakwater.
The monument is linked to a local legend about a kind-hearted mermaid, whose kindness helped a distraught sailor’s mother regain her sight. The story is surprisingly positive (most of the legends I know don’t end too well) and the sculpture by George Michael Rosa adds to the atmosphere on the coast.
Don’t forget to touch the Mermaid’s left breast for good luck! It’s said that since she’s half a fish, she can grant one and a half wishes – half of what magical goldfish can do. 😉
pol. Promenada Nadmorska
location: 54.588647, 16.8654898 (check on the Ustka’s attractions map)
The Seaside Promenade is one of the best walking routes for those visiting Ustka. The route takes you past the Spa Park (Park Zdrojowy) – the heart of life in Ustka’s spa town. At the promenade, you will find an interesting monument and a bench dedicated to the actress loved by Poles.
You will find Irena Kwiatkowska’s bench in Spa Park, whose alleys the actress once strolled. Irena Kwiatkowska was a frequent visitor to Ustka, so it was decided to honour her memory after her death. The bench is shaped like a filmstrip.
If you want to get to know a bit of Polish culture and see Irena Kwiatkowska “in action”, you may be interested in the legendary series “Czterdziestolatek” (eng. Being Forty) from the communist era. There, Irena plays a “Working Woman” who “is not afraid of any job”. A great series!
Irena Kwiatkowska was an actress and cabaret artist associated with the Polish Radio. During the war, she became a soldier in the National Army and acted as a liaison officer during the Warsaw Uprising. I really liked the way her memory was honoured in Ustka.
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Ustka has a wide range of cruises on Baltic Sea. The harbour in Ustka is home to sizable pirate galleons such as the Dragon and Unicus, but also smaller vessels – passenger yachts and motorboats for hire. Fishing trips also depart from the fishing port on the western bank of the River Słupia.
See the website for information on the passenger galleons moored in Ustka Harbour. If you spend your holiday with children, I particularly recommend a cruise on the Dragon, at which time is made more attractive by a pirate crew.
While strolling along the harbour boulevard, look at the buildings of the former Ustka shipyard, which was opened in 1945. It was decommissioned after 56 years, but the former hangars still tower over the waters of the Słupia River. There is also a kayak stand near the old shipyard, and the nearest rental (na-kajakach.pl) is 450 m away.
pol. Starówka Rybacka
location: 54.586093, 16.8549969 (check on the Ustka’s attractions map)
The Old Fisherman’s Town in Ustka is a testimony to the history of the town, which began as a tiny settlement for fishermen. It’s hard to imagine this when walking around today’s Ustka… unless you wander into Czerwonych Kosynierów and Marynarki Polskiej streets. Here, you will discover huts in their original medieval layout and feel like time has stood still.
The Old Fisherman’s Settlement is the oldest part of Ustka, where it’s worth taking a walk to see a piece of history with your own eyes. The restoration of the Old Fisherman’s Settlement in Ustka has really taken care. This medieval district has a unique atmosphere thanks to its well-preserved cottages.
After strolling through the Old Fisherman’s Settlement streets, you can head to the nearby Weranda Restaurant. We had a delicious breakfast there, but they also had an extensive lunch menu. As the name suggests (eng. veranda), I recommend sitting at a table on the flower-planted veranda. 😉
I was particularly impressed by Kapitan’s Bay (Zaułek Kapitański), a square formerly used as a marketplace in the settlement, where there is now a square overgrown with old lime trees, a model of former buildings and a stone mill wheel.
pol. Bunkry Blüchera
location: 54.58712173, 16.84878546 (check on the Ustka’s attractions map)
The Blücher Bunkers is a military complex on the western bank of the Słupia River and one of my favourite attractions in Ustka. Apart from its historical value, the bunkers are interestingly organised in terms of sightseeing – part of the exhibition is interactive and three-dimensional, and the wealth of exhibits is impressive.
In the underground museum, you will see, among other things, a reconstruction of the bombing raid on Ustka and an exhibition of bunker uniforms and equipment.
The Blücher Bunkers are open to visitors all year round, but part of the exhibition is outside, so it is not a good option for rainy days. Check ticket prices and opening times on the website.
The Blücher Bunkers, in my opinion, are best visited with a guide… but a real one, not an audio one. 😉 There is no difference in price between the two options, but the attraction’s staff are the real mine of historical knowledge. Look in the field kitchen for an even more military feel and try the soldier’s pea soup (pol. zupa grochowa – legend!). There is also a shooting range in the bunkers (extra charge).
The footbridge is quite an attraction and attracts visitors all year round. If you want to get from the town centre to the western beach area, walking across the footbridge will be unavoidable. The River Słupia cuts Ustka almost in half, and there is no other bridge near the harbour.
You’ll need to keep an eye on your watch, as the pedestrian crossing is only open for 20 minutes at total hours, from 7 am to midnight during the June-August season. Entry to the footbridge is free. Once you have crossed the bridge, watch it rotate 90° up close.
Then you have to… make good use of the 40 minutes before you can return to the other side. 😉 Walking over the footbridge after dark made an even bigger impression on us – the bridge was illuminated, and the waters of the Slupia River rippled under our feet.
pol. Stawek Upiorów
location: 54.5791842, 16.84291713 (check on the Ustka’s attractions map)
The name may not sound too inviting, but I can assure you that the Phantom Pond (Stawek Upiorów) is charming during the day. We took a break from the tourist hustle and walked along the pond’s edge. It’s quiet and peaceful all around (except maybe for the splashing of frogs in the water). There is also a fire pit on the shore, so you can confidently organise a lazy afternoon by the water.
The Phantom Pond is the easiest to get to from the Ustka Uroczysko railway station. You can either take the train one station from the main station in Ustka or walk from the centre (about 30 minutes). Follow the path along the tracks from the station, which will take you to the Pond in 5 minutes.
After dusk, when the imagination kicks in, the Phantom Pond can cause a slight shiver. There are many local legends associated with this place. They all agree that the Phantom Pond has no bottom and is inhabited by various creatures that drown lost wanderers. Once, there is talk of miscreants and sometimes even the devil himself.
pol. tężnia solankowa
location: 54.5807814, 16.86157291 (check on the Ustka’s attractions map)
The graduation tower in Ustka is located in a wooden summerhouse in the Shipbuilders’ Park, not far from the Church of the Holy Saviour. The properties of the brine coming from the local spring influence our general condition and strengthen our immunity.
The brine graduation tower is open from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. You can go inside for free. The interior has been adapted for wheelchair users. It is worth spending at least a few dozen minutes in it, as the aerosols are great for the respiratory system. 😉
The graduation tower works on the principle of inhaling the brine aerosol that forms on the walls lined with bundles of blackthorn. Relaxing in this place is … a matter of sitting on a bench and breathing. The amount of iodine that enters the body during an hour’s rest in the graduation tower is comparable to as much as three days spent at the beach! I think such a stop is a good idea for a temporary change of environment during a holiday in Ustka.
pol. Muzeum Chleba
location: 54.5848351, 16.8557173 (check on the Ustka’s attractions map)
The Bread Museum in Ustka is a place not only for gourmets. It is worth going there to experience a journey in time and learn about the culinary everyday life of people from long ago. It is the only museum in Pomerania (a coastal region of Poland) where you can see unique exhibits, including one of the first refrigerators, requiring no electricity, and a 17th-century table for making gingerbread dough.
Admission to the Bread Museum is ticketed, and tickets can be bought at the entrance. The attraction is open from Monday to Saturday between 11:00 and 17:00 during the holiday season.
The museum is in the heart of Ustka, in the attic of a charming townhouse on Marynarki Polskiej Street. Adding to the atmosphere is the fact that downstairs is the family-run Cake Bakery Brzóska, founded in 1945. It is a place with tradition, where you will taste aromatic bread and pastries. The smell of fresh bread wafts throughout the building, making a visit very pleasant.
pol. Muzeum Bursztynu
location: 54.5837725, 16.8567805 (check on the Ustka’s attractions map)
The Amber Museum is an interesting place to see in Ustka and is quite popular. The tour here is guided, so you will learn much more than during an individual tour (unfortunately, only in Polish, but even without understanding the guide, you can have a good time here).
The exhibition is interestingly arranged in several rooms, including one room full of insects submerged in amber. You will also see an amber model of a ship.
You can check the ticket prices for the Amber Museum in Ustka on the website. You do not need to buy them in advance – the ticket office is located right at the entrance.
In another part of the exhibition, you will learn a lot about the mineral’s health properties, and in a shop with local products, you can buy cosmetics with amber in their composition. It is also hard to take your eyes off the intricately made jewellery and sculptures.
Not far from Ustka, you will find several other places worth seeing. You don’t have to limit yourself to just one town – after all, a holiday by the Baltic Sea is a great opportunity to explore the surrounding area. Below, you will find my suggestions for attractions near Ustka that are worth visiting.
pol. Słowiński Park Narodowy
I was impressed by the unique nature of the Slowinski National Park, which stretches from the borders of Leba (just over an hour by car from Ustka) to Lake Gardno. My best memories are of a walk along Europe’s largest moving dunes, with Łącka Góra at the forefront, and a trip to the Sunken Forest on the very shore of the Baltic Sea.
These are the remains of a prehistoric primaeval forest that emerged from storm waves in 2016. Also worth a visit is the Great Swamp next to Lake Lebsko, where, with binoculars, you can watch cranes in their natural habitat.
pol. Jezioro Gardno
A trip to Lake Gardno is a good alternative to swimming in the Baltic Sea, especially if you are not a fan of water temperatures below 20°C. Gardno is Poland’s second largest coastal lake, where water sports are popular during the season.
Lovers of sailing or windsurfing can use water equipment rentals, such as SurfCamp Gardno in Retowo (about 30 minutes by car from Ustka). Lake Gardno is located within the boundaries of the Slovinski National Park, so I would also encourage you to take a walk in the surrounding forests.
pol. latarnia morska Czołpino
Czołpino Lighthouse overlooks the forests in the heart of the Slovinski National Park. It is located 1 km from the coast – away from the village, so it is peaceful. The tower is about 25 metres high, and from the top, you will have a good view of the moving dunes, including the highest of them, Łącka Góra.
If you choose to go by car (from the centre of Ustka, it is about a 40-minute drive), I recommend leaving it at the paid Czołpino Leśny car park. A kilometre of the blue trail will lead you to the lighthouse – it leads slightly uphill, but there are wide wooden steps on the route, so it is a pleasant walk.
BALTIC SEA COAST ATTRACTIONS ON YOUR PHONE
Looking for exciting places to see on the Baltic Sea coast in Poland? Want to save time on planning?
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Ustka offers accommodation of varying standards and price ranges, so you can easily find something to suit your needs. The further away from the coast, the cheaper, but even along the harbour channel, it is possible to find guesthouses at an affordable price.
The larger resorts are located on the eastern bank of the Slupia River, away from the centre (behind the Spa Park). Along Wczasowa Street, parallel to the coast, you will find the Royal Baltic Luxury Boutique Hotel and the Jantar Hotel. Several hotels and modern flats are along Port Boulevard (kanał portowy).
Look for accommodation in advance – before the facilities close to the beach are sold out.Below are three suggestions for tried-and-tested accommodation with good guest reviews. You should enjoy them.
You can easily reach Ustka by train from Słupsk and other larger cities (also in low season). In the summer season, there is a special train from Słupsk, departing every hour, as well as long-distance Intercity trains, including those from Warsaw (via Tricity) and Kraków (via Katowice, Wrocław and Poznań). Ustka and Słupsk form a so-called bi-city and are well connected – PKS Słupsk buses regularly stop there.
The main railway station in Ustka (called “Ustka”) is a 6-minute walk from the Church of the Holy Saviour. Najświętszego Zbawiciela Church, but trains from Słupsk also stop at Ustka Uroczysko station on the other side of the river. From there, it’s a 5-minute walk to the Phantom Pond.
You can check train timetables on the Portal Pasażera (Passenger Portal) and bus timetables on e-podroznik.pl. It’s possible to buy tickets for some connections via these websites – next to it you’ll find a button to purchase).
A bus station is next to the railway station, where various carriers from large cities, including Wrocław, Olsztyn and Warsaw, stop. We set off by car, which allowed us to visit other Baltic cities at our own pace. We had no problem getting to Ustka – the provincial road No. 203 from Koszalin and the national road No. 21 run through the town.
Renting a car at the airport is a good idea if you want to be flexible in your sightseeing, see a lot of interesting attractions and not depend on buses and trains (which do not get to all the interesting places anyway).
I recommend spending at least part of your stay in Poland using a car. It will be most convenient to rent a car at the airport, to get to the hotel and start sightseeing. Below is a list of several cheap car models from a rental company we have checked out.
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