Coastal Trail (Szlak Nadmorski)

The red-marked Coastal Trail follows the entire Polish Baltic coast: from the German border at Świnoujście to Żarnowiec, a distance of 377.8 km. It runs along beaches, dune ridges, clifftops and coastal forest, passing two national parks, eight lighthouses and the ruins of a church that the sea slowly "swallowed" over the centuries. Most people walk it in sections, using one seaside town after another as a base.

One trail, two names, a European route

In West Pomeranian Voivodeship the trail is named after Dr Czesław Piskorski (1915–1987), a Szczecin-based regional explorer, honorary member of the Polish Tourist and Sightseeing Society (PTTK) and member of the Wolin National Park scientific council. In Pomeranian Voivodeship it is known as the Baltic Coastal Trail. The whole route is the Polish start of the E9 European long-distance path, around 4,500 km long and running from Portugal and Spain all the way to Estonia; beyond Żarnowiec the E9 continues via Krokowa, Rozewie and Władysławowo to the Bay of Puck.

Distances at a glance

From the border at Świnoujście it is 27 km to Międzyzdroje, 40.5 km to the Kikut lighthouse, 75 km to Trzęsacz, 144 km to Kołobrzeg, 213.6 km to Darłowo, 269.2 km to Ustka, 328.4 km to Łeba and 346.2 km to the Stilo lighthouse at Osetnik. The route was checked in 2006–2008, so local changes to the waymarking are possible.

What to see along the way

• Wolin National Park – the section from Świnoujście via Międzyzdroje to the Kikut lighthouse.
• The ruined St Nicholas Church in Trzęsacz – the Gothic church originally stood some 1.8–2 km from the sea in the middle of the village; the eroding shore gradually destroyed it.
• Lighthouses at Kikut, Niechorze, Kołobrzeg, Gąski, Darłówko, Jarosławiec, Ustka and Stilo.
• Słowiński National Park – between Rowy and Łeba the trail crosses the park with its shifting dunes; the Łącka and Czołpińska dunes are among its top sights.

Tripto tip

Inside Słowiński National Park the trail is 34.5 km long and an entrance fee applies in season: from 1 May to 30 September a ticket costs PLN 10 (reduced PLN 5) and can be bought online or at kiosks along the trail (as of October 2026). Beach sections are easiest in the morning and when the water is low; after storms the beach can be narrow and the sand soft – expect a slower pace than on a forest path. Plan your stages around towns with accommodation and transport: Międzyzdroje, Dziwnów, Rewal, Kołobrzeg, Mielno, Darłowo, Ustka, Rowy, Łeba. Out of season the beaches are empty, but some facilities may be closed.