8 Kolobrzeska, Bydgoszcz, Poland
The Hel Peninsula with the town of Hel at its very peak can be visited by car, bike or ferry.
This small area can be toured around in one day. The bike route Euro Velo no. 10 leads the tourists through the whole Peninsula.
The land that forms the Hel Peninsula is peculiar on the Polish seacoast. It has also a great location, considering Europe and its teritory. Hel delights with its picturesque terrain.
Starting in Władysławowo, a large fishing port, one is at the base of the Hel peninsula that is 34 km long and its with ranges from 150 m to 3 km. On the road guests can visit the beach resorts at the peninsula villages and small towns, Chałupy, Kuźnica, Jastarnia nad Jurata. The final destination is Hel, the old fishing village where Polish land starts. It strongly resisted the German Nazi invasion in 1939 for over a month. Visitors can see here not only beatiful sights but also the Fishing Museum, Navy Museum and a lighthouse.
Władysławowo is a town on the coast of the Baltic Sea near the Puck Bay. It is the best place to start the bike journey to Hel. The loevly Kashubian region in northern Poland attracts many visitors, and the small town of only 15 thousnad inhabitants hosts guests in its plenty housing facilities.
The first place tourists encounter is Chałupy. Here one can visit both the Bay area on one side adn go to see the Baltic on the other side of the Peninsula. This seaside resort is very favorable for windsurfers and there are many places guests can rent the neccessary equipment. Kitesurfing is also popular here. Chałupy has three base spots that can be visited, they all are situated between Władysławowo and Kuźnica.
On the route Euro Velo no. 10 tourists pass the breathtaking area of the Puck Bay. One can make a break in and stoll along the Jurata Pier. Jurata is a seaside resort next to also lovely Jastarnia.
Next and last on the road is the town of Hel at the peak of the peninsula.
The history of Hel area is connected with the Kashubian culture. It started to be an important place of the peninsula in the beginning of the 13-th century as a herring trade area. The ethnic minority traded with the Danes. In the next century the village was overtaken the Teutonic Knights.
At the beginnings of its existance the town of Hel built a small port and a church. Later on a city house and market places were added. The marine erosion made the peninsula shrink and the town had to be moved. In 1417 St Peter's Church was built, St Peter being the patron of the fishermen. Later in time other Kashubian towns were more important in the area, making Hel dependant to the biggest town of the area at that time - Gdańsk. Nowadays Hel is a small town and Gdańsk with the Tri-City area one of the biggest cities in Poland.
Tourists can also take a ferry from Hel to Jurata / Jastarnia, which is situated halfway the Hel peninsula, or to Gdynia / Sopot / Gdańsk. Bikes are very welcome on deck.
The ferry from Hel to Gdańsk takes ca. two and a half hours with magnificent views of the Bay and surfers on the horizon.
All attractions you can book here via Polish Travel Agency ITS-Poalnd.
Author: Magdalena Gniot
Date: 15.10.2020
