Hel - Hel

Hel (German: Hela) is a seaside resort in Poland in the voivodeship Pomerania at the southeast end of the Hel Peninsula at the Polish Baltic coast. The place is located both on the open Baltic Sea in the north and on the Cute bay, Part of Gdańsk Bay in the south.

background

The place is quite small and manageable. It is therefore particularly suitable for tourists who are looking for peace and relaxation on the beach and in nature away from the hustle and bustle. However, it can get quite crowded in the high season in July and August.

The original city of Hel is today due to the shifting of the coastal line on the bottom of the Putziger Bay. The medieval town with two marketplaces, parish church, town hall and harbor was abandoned in the 16th century and relocated to the current location, which was laid out in the 14th century. As early as the 12th century, the place quickly developed into an important trading center. Already in 1266 the place received city rights and competed with Danzig in the Baltic Sea trade. The rivalry ended in 1466 when the Polish king Casimir IV Hel gave Danzig as a fief and Danzig thus took on the pioneering role. The place fell back to the rank of a small fishing town. A renewed upswing as a seaside resort began at the turn of the century before last. During the Second World War, the place gained notoriety when the military base, cut off from the outside world, offered resistance to the attackers for over a month. The bunker systems are still partially preserved.

The beaches with their fine white sand on the Hel Peninsula are particularly beautiful and classy and therefore attract a more upscale clientele. Accordingly, the prices for board and lodging are higher here than at other sections of the Polish Baltic coast. Compared to comparable coastal regions in Western Europe, the prices are nevertheless low and the price-performance ratio is good.

getting there

Hel is over Szczecin and Gdynia reachable.

By plane

• In Danzig there is an international airport (IATA code: GDN), which is also served by numerous providers from German-speaking countries. There are direct connections, among other things Dortmund (Wizzair), Hamburg (Lufthansa), Frankfurt am Main (Lufthansa, LOT) Frankfurt Hahn (Ryanair), Dusseldorf (Ryanair), Cologne-Bonn (Wizzair), Munich (Lufthansa, LOT).
• At Szczecin available in Goleniów an international airport (IATA code: SZZ).
• Longer travel times, around 3 to 4 hours, are from the airports Poses required.
• In the neighboring Jastarnia there is a private airfield.

By train

You can travel by train from Germany via Swinoujscie or over Szczecin respectively. The place itself has a train station, it is the terminus on the route from Gdynia. The Polish rail network is operated by the state railway PKP. Rail travel in Poland is very cheap.

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  railway station

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  Tracks

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  Train on the track

By bus

Numerous bus companies offer bus trips to Słupsk from Germany and Austria, e.g. Sindbad, Eurolines, Touring, Omnia. Inexpensive intercity buses run from Gdynia. In addition to the state bus line PKS, there is a wide range of private providers.

In the street

The road network around Hel is well equipped, the place is at the end of the coastal road 216 Voivodeship Street. The journey from Germany is via Berlin, Szczecin and Gdynia possible.

By boat

The place itself has a seaport on the southern side of the lagoon. If you come with your own or a chartered (sailing) boat, you can moor here.

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  Harbor pier

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  Harbor basin

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  From the church tower

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  Yacht in the harbor

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  Excursion boat to Gdansk

On foot

The long-distance hiking trail European long-distance hiking trail E9 leads to the place on the coast.

bicycle

The Baltic Sea Cycle Route leads to the place on the coast.

mobility

The place can be explored quite well on foot.

Tourist Attractions

The main attraction of the place is the sandy beach.

• The new lighthouse from 1826 was destroyed in the fighting for Hel in 1939 and rebuilt in its present form in 1942. It is about 42 meters high. Its viewing platform is open to tourists. From here there are wide views of the Gdańsk Bay.
• Schwedenberg lighthouse is located on the dunes. Its viewing platform is freely accessible.
• There is a modern Corpus Christi church in the village
• In the village there is a brick-Gothic Petruskirche from the 14th century, which is now used as a fishing museum.
• Numerous old fishermen's houses have been preserved in the village.
• In the inter-war period, numerous bunkers were built on the beach and in the pine forest to secure the coast.

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  lighthouse

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  Corpus Christi Church

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  Schwedenberg lighthouse

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  town hall

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  Petruskirche

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  Fishermen's houses

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  Fishermen's houses

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  Bunker in the forest

activities

The main activity of the place is sunbathing, water sports and swimming. There are marked hiking and cycling trails along the peninsula. Paragliding is at the Cute bay popular.

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  Seal house

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  Seal station

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  Sports on the beach

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  Footpath on the beach

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  Bike on the beach

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  Kite surfing

shop

The shops in town are limited to daily needs and small souvenirs. You should go shopping Gdynia or Danzig because the choice is significantly larger there.

kitchen

Due to the proximity to the open sea, but also to inland waters, marine and freshwater fish are the main components of the regional cuisine.

nightlife

There are nightlife options in the village. Night owls will, however, go to Gdynia, Gdansk or one of the neighboring larger cities.

accommodation

There are numerous places to stay, especially hotels, guest rooms and boarding houses.

Learn

Among other things, you can get a sailing license in the region.

Work

For German-speaking tourists who are looking for a vacation job in the region, there are opportunities in tourism and gastronomy. However, the payment should not correspond to German conditions.

security

The Baltic Sea coast and the Putziger Bay usually fall flat under water and there are hardly any tides or unpredictable currents. Bathing is therefore generally safe for families with children and swimming accidents are rare. When swimming accidents do occur, excessive alcohol or drug consumption is usually involved. However, if you follow the general bathing rules and do not go into the water when the waves are high, you have little to fear.

health

For general questions about (cure) services for those legally insured in Germany or Austria, supply with pharmacies and German-speaking doctors / pharmacists, see article on Poland.

climate

In the region there is a transitional climate between maritime and continental climates. The amount of precipitation is lower and the temperature fluctuations higher (warmer summers, colder winters) than on comparable coasts in Western Europe.

trips

• puck
• Jastarnia
• Treptow coast
• Kashubian coast
• Hel Peninsula

literature

See article on Polish Baltic coast.

Web links