Sopot Lighthouse

Sopot Lighthouse is a slender 30 m tower on Spa Square in Sopot, right next to the entrance to the famous wooden pier. Its story is one of the quirkiest on the Polish Baltic coast: the "lighthouse" is really a decorative chimney built for a spa bathhouse. Today it is a viewing tower open year-round – climb 136 steps for views over the pier, the beach, the Bay of Gdańsk and the whole Tricity.

A chimney in disguise

Sopot (say "SO-pot") sits between Gdańsk and Gdynia and has been a seaside spa since 1823. In 1903–1904 the town built a balneological institute – a bathhouse offering therapeutic baths – which needed a boiler room. The designers did not want a plain smokestack spoiling the elegant resort center, so they wrapped it in an ornamental tower with a viewing gallery. The original flue still runs up the middle and vents the boiler room of the rheumatology hospital that took over the building after World War II.

A navigation light was installed at the top. According to the operator, the tower gained full lighthouse status in 1977, when upgraded optics gave the light a range of more than 17 nautical miles. The range was later cut to 7 nautical miles, which under current rules makes it just a navigation light – but everyone still calls it the lighthouse. It flashes every 4 seconds.

What you will see from the top

136 steps lead to the gallery, where you can see:

• the pier and the marina at its tip;
• the beach in both directions, with the 1920s Grand Hotel to the north;
• Spa Square, the Spa House and the rooftops of lower Sopot, including St. George's Church;
• on a clear day, Gdańsk and Gdynia at either end of the bay.

Every visitor can get a souvenir certificate for the climb.

Opening hours and tickets

As of October 2026, according to the operator's website:

• October–December: 10 a.m.–4 p.m.;
• January–February: 11 a.m.–4 p.m.;
• March–April 10 a.m.–6 p.m., May 10 a.m.–7 p.m., June 9 a.m.–8 p.m., July–August 9 a.m.–9 p.m., September 10 a.m.–7 p.m.

Hours are indicative and may change in bad weather, so in winter it is worth calling ahead (+48 505 723 069 or +48 504 090 710). Group and individual time slots can be booked.

Tickets: regular 10 PLN, reduced 8 PLN, groups of 15 or more 6 PLN per person (PLN = Polish złoty).

Is it worth it? Time needed and tips

Yes, for the price it is one of the best viewpoints in Sopot, and it fits neatly into a walk down Monciak and along the pier. Allow 20–30 minutes. Kids usually enjoy the climb, though the narrow stairwell can be tiring, and the tower is not accessible for wheelchair users. Late afternoon light is best – but in winter the tower closes at 4 p.m., so come early.

How to get there

The lighthouse stands at Plac Zdrojowy 3, at the bottom of the Monciak promenade. From SKM Sopot station it is a 10–15 minute walk downhill toward the sea. SKM commuter trains from Gdańsk Główny take about 20 minutes; Gdańsk Lech Wałęsa Airport is the nearest airport. Parking in central Sopot is scarce, so the train is the easier option.

Nearby

• Sopot Pier – a few dozen meters away;
• State Art Gallery (PGS) in the Spa House across the square;
• Monciak promenade and the Crooked House;
• Sopot Beach and the timber Łazienki Południowe bathhouse south of the pier.