Kolobrzeg attractions - 24 most interesting places
Kolobrzeg, beautifully located at the mouth of the Parsęta River to the Baltic Sea, is much more than a seaside resort, it is also an interesting city with a rich history. So rich, in fact, that taking into account the deed of incorporation, it is older than Krakow, by a whole two years! And, in addition, a seaport for trade, fishing, passengers and war.
Today, it is the largest and most prominent health resort on the Polish Baltic coast, with a very rich tourist infrastructure and a developed accommodation base, along with a luxurious wellness&spa area, so it will be perfect also in the off-season. We have checked it ourselves. See what wonderful Kolobrzeg has to offer you!
Attractions in Kolobrzeg
Kolobrzeg boasts numerous attractions and they are very diverse, every tourist in this city will find a way to have a dream vacation, active or passive. You can also count on Kolobrzeg for entertainment and luxury stays in boutique hotels, i.e. those of a higher standard, catering to sophisticated needs.
We've visited the most popular attractions in Kolobrzeg, though we've also visited the lesser-known ones as well. Read our guide to choose what interests you most. If you want to find an even more detailed description, click on the linked (blue) name of the attraction, which takes you to a detailed description. At the bottom of the article you will find a map of Kolobrzeg with the attractions marked. Discover the best attractions of Kolobrzeg!
1. Seagulls - Mariana Islands in Kolobrzeg
Seagullsin Kolobrzeg are a hit, both the live ones, on the beach or in the harbor, and the cute seagull figurines that have recently decorated the city. I love this kind of attraction - a trail of sculptures associated with a particular city, which is additionally great for activating children. I have something of a child, too, as I always enjoy finding the figurines. In Kolobrzeg, the seagulls were aptly chosen, because we spent a lot of time with them on the beach, in a live version.
These casts are also popular, and they bear a catchy name - Marian! Thus, one Marian stands on the promenade near the basilica, another on a skateboard greets tourists in front of the Kolobrzeg pier, and yet another squats with his family on the promenade. I especially liked this one, because he is a photographer, my countryman 😉
2. Kolobrzeg pier
While in Kolobrzeg, it is essential to visit the pier. It is not wooden and atmospheric, but concrete, but it is still a great attraction. It is over 200 meters long and hides cafes at the end. It allows you to admire the city from the other side. During the season it is paid (V-IX 6 and 3 zloty), from October anyone can enter here without any obstacles.
This is not the only reason I recommend it in autumn, mainly because you can avoid the crowds and enjoy the intimate atmosphere. Nearby stands the famous Monument to the Assumption of the Sea.
3. Lighthouse in Kolobrzeg
The Lighthousein Kolobrzeg is a symbol of the city, as well as an interesting attraction and a beautiful vantage point, available for a fee (8 and 6 zl). It also houses the Mineral Museum inside. The Kolobrzeg Lighthouse is 26 meters high, and its light can be seen from almost 30 kilometers away. It stands by the harbor, not far from Kolobrzeg's pier. The current lighthouse is a structure with a rather short history, as it was built in 1947, after the earlier lighthouse was destroyed by the Germans during the war.
however, the history of the "sailors' light" in Kolobrzeg is much longer. The light for navigation purposes first appeared here in 1666, on a turret in the harbor. Later the light was lit on the breakwater. In 1899, a new building with a 25-meter high tower was built to serve as a lighthouse. The range of this lighthouse was 8 Mm, and the light source was 14 meters above sea level.
In 1909, this lightweight half-timbered building was replaced by a more solid brick structure. The range of the lighthouse increased to 12 Mm, and the gas-powered incandescent light was located at an altitude of 25 m. It was this lighthouse that was blown up by German sappers in 1945, as it provided an excellent landmark for Polish artillerymen during the battle for Kolobrzeg in March 1945.
After the end of hostilities, a new lighthouse was built using the foundations of the fort. It thus serves as a monument to victory over the Germans, with the inscription: "To the heroes fallen in the fight against the Nazi invaders for freedom and independence...".
4. Kolobrzeg beach
Kolobrzeg boastsone of the most beautiful beaches and one of the cleanest bathing areas on our Baltic Sea. On the sandy beaches of Kolobrzeg rest a lot of tourists, in the summer it can be crowded, but the off-season is quite different, magical. Then you can also find amber and inhale more iodine 🙂
Throughout the season bathers are taken care of by lifeguards, besides, you can use all kinds of water equipment. All tourists appreciate the healing climate here, clean air, rich in iodine and sea spray. Those who are bored with sunbathing can take a stroll on the beach, which is 4 km long, well-kept and never boring.
On the beach you will find wooden breakwaters hammered perpendicularly to the coast every few dozen meters, or so-called spurs. I know they tempt you to take pictures on them, they tempted me too, but remember, stay only in the zone above the sand, do not climb them above the water, because the water can be very treacherous and deep in these places. Waves carry away people here every year, who often drown because, the spurs are wet, slippery and sharp, so they are not easy to catch, while the waves cover and carry people away into the depths of the sea.
If you like nice beaches be sure to see our text about Crete and its attractions
5. Boat cruise in Kolobrzeg
An unusual attraction in Kolobrzeg are cruises organized on ships and "historic" sailing vessels. They moor in the harbor on the Parsęta River, just below the Lighthouse, and at first you sail along the river and then out into the open sea, the cruise usually takes about 40 minutes.
We sailed on the Santa Maria ship styled after Christopher Columbus' ship on which he discovered America. It's a great adventure and a chance to see the city from a different perspective.
6. Promenada Wydmowa in Kolobrzeg
The Promenade in Kolobrzeg starts right next to the pier and is full of cafes, fish fryers or catarinarians and players. Here you will experience that amazing atmosphere of the Baltic promenade, which you can hardly find in other countries.
Promenada Wydmowa in Kolobrzeg is a must-see for tourists.
It leads through the seaside park to the amphitheater and is one of the longest and most beautiful avenues at the Polish seaside. It runs along the Spa Park, behind which is located the spa part of the city, it is worth leaving the souvenir stalls for a while and visiting one of the climatic spa streets with historic architecture of the sanatorium centers from the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries.
7. Monument to Poland's Wedding to the Sea in Kolobrzeg
Did you know that the Assumption of Poland with the Sea in Kolobrzeg took place on the day Kolobrzeg was captured? To commemorate this event, in honor of the units that fought for the city in 1945, a monument by Viktor Tolkin was erected here. This large concrete monument is a kind of gateway to the sea and a window to the world.
The monument features a bas-relief of soldiers symbolizing the long tradition of Polish arms in Pomerania. It is said that walking through the window on held breath guarantees the fulfillment of a wish.
8. St. Mary's Basilica in Kolobrzeg
TheBasilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, or the Concathedral in Kolobrzeg, is a monumental, valuable five-nave Gothic building from the turn of the 14th and 15th centuries. It towers above the "old town" and inside it hides many historic furnishings. The most valuable and impressive as a huge seven-branched candlestick from 1327, but attention is also drawn to the oldest oak stalls in Poland from the 15th century, standing in the chancel.
In the middle of the sanctuary hangs a unique wooden candlestick from the 16th century, founded by the Schliffen family, mentioned above. Legend has it that it was created as penance for the beheading of Jacob Adebar. Behind the massive gothic candlestick, which I already mentioned, hangs an interesting painting of the Virtuous Woman on the wall. It's also worth driving up to the temple's observation deck for a fee, where a nice panorama awaits.
9. Town Hall and the "new Old Town" in Kolobrzeg
Beautiful is and monumental neo-Gothic Kolobrzeg City Hall made of red brick. It dates back to the 19th century, is extremely grand and somewhat resembles an old castle. Inside it you will see mock-ups of previous town halls, in addition to the Gallery available here and a small museum in the basement.
I was captured very much by the huge green doors leading into the City Hall. One of the outer pillars at the back of the City Hall is a 16th century pillory with a carved face. According to legend, this is the unrepentant and thus beheaded alderman Jacob Adebara. Whoever strokes the face is sure to return to Kolobrzeg.
In front of the town hall, on the other hand, in place of the former monument to the Prussian king Friedrich Wilhelm III, now stands an interesting fountain in the form of a globe, rotating on the water. The medieval layout of Kolobrzeg's "Old Town" has been preserved since the 13th century, when Kolobrzeg was granted city rights. The center was founded in the form of a chessboard with a rectangular market square. From the market square there were narrow streets situated at right angles to each other.
The city was founded under German law and was almost entirely walled already in the 15th century. Then it suffered badly during World War II, and when high apartment blocks were put up during the communist era, such a sad sight was seen from under the beautiful city hall.
That's why interesting townhouses were built around it , called "New Old Town" by locals. They are charming, they do not resemble old historic tenements and do not pretend to be them by force, but they are also much more atmospheric than the blocks of flats behind them. Thus, the area around City Hall has become much nicer and the market is a pleasant place for strolls.
10. Merchant House in Kolobrzeg
The Merchant's Tenement House is the oldest Gothic house in Kolobrzeg, standing near the Town Hall, on the promenade. It is a beautiful brick Schliffen tenement, which now houses the Museum of Polish Arms, also with quite an outdoor exhibition on site.
11. Zlota Ulica in Kolobrzeg
Just as Prague has its Golden Street, so does Kolobrzeg. The Golden Lane in Kolobrzeg is Dubois Street; it's not that charming, but it's worth a walk, especially since the Powder Tower stands here, and it's also close to the Basilica. Other old streets nearby are also worth a look - Kamienna or Wąska Streets.
12. Powder Tower in Kolobrzeg
On Dubois Street stands the aforementioned Powder Tower - the only surviving object of the medieval defense system of Kolobrzeg's Old Town
13. Hornbeam bindaż in Kolobrzeg
What is this bindaż? A bindaż is a piece of park architecture, a kind of espalier or charming avenue, planted with hornbeams, the crowns of which form the form of a vault. In Kolobrzeg there is such a historic bindaż, on Towarowa Street leading towards the port. Here you can stroll through a beautiful hornbeam tunnel arranged in the mid-19th century. After 1945 it was forgotten for a long time, only recently it gained the status of a natural monument and underwent a major restoration. Now it is once again beautifully presented as a unique work of garden art, and that's a good thing, because it is a rare attraction in Poland.
14. Spa in Kolobrzeg
As early as the beginning of the 19th century, the spa qualities of Kolobrzeg began to be recognized, but the turning point in the city's history was the decision in 1872 to liquidate the military fortress.
The resort soon became a resort, the expansion of the spa district began, a seaside park was planted, and numerous green spaces were created in the city. Today you will enjoy a wide range of spa services here , not only treatments, but, for example, dancing🙂
15. Rotating Café in Kolobrzeg
Rotating Café is another unique attraction of Kolobrzeg, because do you know another such café in Poland? Eleven Club, for that is its name, is located on the top eleventh floor of the Arka Hotel, in the eastern part of Kolobrzeg. It's a unique place where you not only taste the specialties of the establishment, but also get into the rotating motion, admiring the changing view of the sea while sitting.
It is truly a curiosity. Here you will drink delicious coffee made from an exquisite blend of beans from the best crops of South America and India, and eat a good cake or crème brûlée.
16. Kolobrzeg's fishing port and Maritime Open-Air Museum
The fishing port is still a lively place in Kolobrzeg and important for locals, as it is one of the largest fishing centers in Poland. It's a bit limited for tourists, although you can buy fresh fish here and take a look when there's no fishing traffic. It is worth admiring the vessels that sail here on a daily basis. The seagulls raging over the harbor tell us that fresh fish has arrived 🙂
Nearby is the Maritime Open Air Museum - a branch of the Museum of Polish Arms, an interesting place for lovers of militaria. Here you will see, among other things, two warships - ORP Fala and ORP Wladyslawowo, not only from the outside, because you can go inside them and see how cramped the sailors are. In addition, you will find various equipment, weapons and navigational apparatus. All exhibits are described in detail with information on where the ship, vessel or cutter sailed.
17. Museum of Polish Arms in Kolobrzeg
The Museum of Polish Arms actually consists of three museums. The first headquarters of the Museum is a medieval merchant tenement - the Schlieffen House from the 15th century, on Gierczak Street.
The Museum of Polish Arms in the Merchant Tenement presents a valuable collection of militaria and the history of Polish arms from medieval times to the present. An outdoor exhibition can also be seen next door. The Museum also includes the Maritime Open Air Museum (31 Bałtycka St.) and the Museum of the City of Kolobrzeg in the historic Braunschweig Palace (13 Armii Krajowej St.).
18. Colberg Water Tower and Brewery in Kolobrzeg
The water tower dates from 1885 and was built of red brick in neo-Gothic style. It served as the main drinking water reservoir for the city during the hostilities. Today it houses Kolobrzeg's Colberg Beer Factory, with a restaurant and brewery, where you'll taste several different beers, from a delicious dark one, to a bitter and aromatic Ipa, to a light unfiltered one.
19. Salt Spring in Kolobrzeg
Behind the Salt Inn, on the Salt Island , you'll find a publicly accessible salt spring. A stream of six percent aqueous salt solution flows out of a small puke. If you want, you can taste the gullet-scorching flavor of the brine. For drinking it may be poor, but for pickling cucumbers it is excellent 🙂 The water is also used for bathing in the local treatment facilities.
20. Monument to the Millennium called Carrot in Kolobrzeg
The Millennium Monument stands next to the basilica, it is a magnificent sculpture by Viktor Shostalo, created to commemorate the thousandth anniversary of the establishment of the bishopric in Kolobrzeg. This sculpture of welded and polished stainless steel depicts Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI, with Poland's King Boleslaw the Brave and Germany's Emperor Otto III.
Also appearing here is a torn cross symbolizing Poland's difficult fate and a dove with an olive branch, which is meant to be a symbol of peace. The whole construction is highly eloquent, although it is received by locals with more than a little pomp, for it is called Carrot, and this is because the opening in the monument resembles the shape of this vegetable.
21. Las Kolobrzeski Podczele in Kolobrzeg
Podczele, Las Kolobrzeski is a district of Kolobrzeg where you can relax from the hustle and bustle of the city. You will get here from the center by a beautiful bicycle path 4 km long. Here you will find a wide beach, wild nature, it is also a paradise for lovers of militaria. Podczele is something of an open-air museum of a Russian air base from the Cold War period.
To this day, the reinforced concrete shelter-hangars have been preserved, as well as the red stars on the surrounding buildings. Nowadays, the airport hosts rallies of fast motorcycle enthusiasts and concerts, and there is also an opportunity for air sports.
22. Museum of Wax Figures in Kolobrzeg
The Museum of Wax Figures is an interesting attraction for the whole family. It stands almost next to the pier, in the central part of Kolobrzeg, where souvenir stalls also await. In the museum you will meet perfectly reproduced wax figures of people who have gone down in the cinematic, political and sports history of mankind. There are also fairy tale characters and settings for children, which are just asking for cool family souvenir photos.
23. Tourist Monument in Kolobrzeg
Not far from the Town Hall you can find an interesting statue of a tourist taking a selfie in Kolobrzeg. I don't think I have to write that it evokes a lot of emotions and a lot of people also take a photo with it 🙂
24. Building of the Polish Post Office in Kolobrzeg
The Kolobrzeg Post Office building, standing in the 18th of March Park, is one of the most beautiful buildings in the city. But that's not all, there is a curiosity associated with it, because on its facade squatted dwarves. There are 10 of them and finding them is a fun idea for playing with children. So not only Wroclaw has its dwarves, but also Kolobrzeg.
Map of Kolobrzeg's attractions
Below you will find a map of Kolobrzeg with marked attractions I mentioned in the article. There are also marked figures of the Marian Seagulls. I think it will come in handy during your visit to this beautiful city.
Film about Kolobrzeg
Enjoy our film Kolobrzeg Top 5 🙂
Where to eat in Kolobrzeg?
The offer of Kolobrzeg in this regard is extremely rich. In the city you will find plenty of pubs and elegant restaurants, where you will eat well or even very well, moreover, the city is full of accommodation of different standards, including the highest, where you will also find restaurants and cafes.
Not far from the port squats the atmospheric Salt Inn, with a nice farmyard and decor. Here you'll eat tasty fish and traditional dishes. Right next door you will taste the famous Kolobrzeg brine, directly from the salt spring, completely free of charge, but you won't drink much, the water is really salty. It is said to be good for upper respiratory tract and rheumatic problems. It is used in local bathing facilities.
Well, and after the salty brine, a tasty Colberg beer in the local water tower will be as good as found. Delicious is the dark one, healthy is the light unfiltered one, strongly bitter is the aromatic Ipa, but it's still not all of them, so try for yourself which one you like best. There is also a restaurant on site.
Delicious sweets and coffee await at the Rotary Café in the Arka Hotel.
Accommodation in Kolobrzeg
We slept at the spacious Seaside Park Hotel, right on the beach in Kolobrzeg. The place is amazing, if you don't want to, you don't even have to go out on the town, because here you will find a lot of entertainment for the whole day - bike rental, fitness, gym, wellness&spa with pool and sauna, a huge TV, play areas for toddlers, animators for them and a climbing wall, plus cafes and restaurants, incidentally very tasty. Each room has its own balcony, some are with a sea view. Well, and such an interesting fact, you can come with your pet, we even met a few doggies here. The property has 4 stars and is not isolated in Kolobrzeg in this.
Right next door is the much larger Arka Hotel, which can accommodate 1,600 guests at a time. It is here that the famous revolving cafe is located. These facilities fit perfectly into Kolobrzeg's main slogan - Re:generation!
If you prefer direct contact with the host then you can also search for accommodation in Kolobrzeg on e-wczasy.pl
Getting to Kolobrzeg
- By car - to Kolobrzeg, for example, from Silesia and Lower Silesia, it is best to go initially on the A4 highway to Legnica, then north on the convenient S3 road as far as Szczecin. After Goleniow, we turn off to the S6 and follow it almost all the way to Kolobrzeg, only for the last section we turn off to the road No. 163, in the village of Niekanin.
- By bus - you will get here, for example, by flixbus, there are connections, for example, from Katowice, Warsaw, Wroclaw or Bydgoszcz. The stop is located at 6 Kolejowa Street in Kolobrzeg.
- By train - very good access, we tried it on ourselves. From Katowice there is a very good connection via Poznań. From almost all major cities in Poland you will get by train to the station in Kolobrzeg (Kolejowa Avenue 3). Among others from Koszalin, Szczecin, Gdansk, Lodz, Poznan, Wroclaw, Warsaw or Krakow. There are even high-speed Pendolino-type trains running here.
Entertainment in Kolobrzeg
And finally, there's a little more entertainment, after all, the nightlife in Kolobrzeg is booming. We found this out at the Aquarius Club, in the hotel of the same name. Here you can dance, have a great time and enjoy trendy drinks. You can choose between the main dance floor or the more intimate dance floor at the lodges. This is not our daily pastime and we rarely go to such clubs and discos, so it was all the more fun to take advantage and experience something new. The fun here lasts until morning, we didn't last that long 😉
