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Dubbed "the Cow's Tail" by local fishermen, Hel Peninsula is Poland's longest peninsula. The 34km-long spit, its width ranging from 200 m to 3 km at the tip, separates the gulfs of Gdańsk and Puck from the open sea. Discovered by vacationers during the interwar period, it has retained its popularity until today. In summer, flocks of beach-bound tourists invade the tiny fishing villages. Apart from gorgeous sand, the peninsula offers many rentals of aquatic-sports equipment and windsurfing schools.
Władysławowo
At the base of the peninsula lies Władysławowo, the popular resorts of Jastrzębia Góra and Cetniewo and, further east, Chałupy.
West of Władysławowo is the rugged Cape Rozewie, Poland's northernmost tip dominated by two lighthouses; the oldest one, dating back to the second half of the 19th century, is now defunct, while its slightly younger sibling from the early 20th century houses a fascinating museum. Below the cliffs stretches a narrow beach strewn with rocks.
Chałupy
The fishing village of Chałupy is known for the most dazzling beaches on the Baltic. However, the most precious jewel among Poland's seaside resorts is Jurata, hidden in an old forest and boasting a lovely pier jutting into the gulf.
Jastarnia
Halfway along the peninsula, Jastarnia is a pleasant little town which seems never to sleep in summer. Its main promenade, Sychty Street, is crowded with tourists, strolling at their leisure from one bar or eatery to another. The street leads to a sizeable port, in which you can admire the brightly painted fishing boats or take a cruise around the gulf. A half-timbered 1881 house in the center of town has a collection of 19th-century furniture and religious paintings. You can also visit a small private maritime museum called the Thatched Room.
Jastarnia is an important spa with many sanatoria that treat people with rheumatism, circulatory problems and allergies.
Hel
Perched at the tip of the peninsula, Hel is a charming town with a history going back to the early Middle Ages. Alluring as its beaches are (both on the open-sea and gulf sides), leave them from time to time to have a walk along Wiejska, the main street, and look at its assortment of prewar architecture. Half-timbered and low stone houses, the oldest of them dating from the first half of the 19th century, are now occupied by souvenir shops, taverns and cafes. You can enjoy yourself just by strolling and calling into an array of amiable establishments such as the famous Maszoperia
The decomissioned Gothic church of Saints Peter and Paul from the 15th century now houses a small Fishing Museum. Among old boats and other fishing paraphernalia, you can discern the merki, or signs used by fishermen for marking their nets and boats. No two were alike and every maszoperia (community) had its own. The wooden tower on the roof, added after the war, enjoys a superb view of the town, beaches and the sea.
On the Gulf of Puck side runs a pretty promenade, linking the naval port with the marina, at which pleasure boats moor. Nearby is a conservatory run by the University of Gdańsk, providing shelter for grey seals. Well fed and cared for, they frolic in the water and delight visitors, but the station's main goal is to breed them, as they are threatened with extinction.
OTHER SIGHTS
- Museum of Marine Armaments in Hel - for all navy aficionados.
- Big Beach in Hel?stretching on the open-sea side it is among the most scenic beaches on the Baltic, lined with pale sand and offering a splendid marine view.
- Lighthouse - an octagonal brick construction at the end of Bałtycka Street in Hel, buit in 1942.
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