With its wide sandy beaches and abundant spas, Sopot is the premier coastal destination in Poland. It's a mishmash of cobbled history, beachside bars, elegant villas, and modern resort town. Located close to Gdansk and Gdynia on the Baltic Sea, it's been a fashionable resort destination since the time of Napoleon.

In many ways, Sopot is the classic summer beach town. The beaches are crowded with Polish and international visitors quaffing ice creams and waffles, flashy nightclubs open through the night, and the long promenade bustles with energy and fashionable crowds. Historically, Sopot was the most glitzy and flamboyant of Baltic destinations and this reputation continues in the 21st century.

Step away from the coast and Sopot has a much more local feel. There's certainly a charm here, notably along the longest and oldest wooden pier in Europe – simply called Wooden Pier – or at the old Sopot Lighthouse, or summer Forest Opera.

Sopot is adjacent to Gdansk and Gdynia, making up a third of the Tri-City conurbation. Regular trains and buses connect these three cities. Most visitors arrive at Gdansk's international airport where buses run directly to Sopot. Trams run through the city but most visitors find that wandering the coastal promenade is the easiest way to get around.

Back in 1823, a doctor from Napoleon’s army popularised the idea of sea-bathing, a precursor of sunbathing as the fashion was to lounge on the beach but avoid the actual sun. Through sea-bathing, Sopot became a destination for the rich and fashionable, something that's been maintained through the decades.