Ustka — A port, a lighthouse and a swing bridge A Baltic holiday in the heart of the Amber Land
Ustka is one of the most atmospheric resorts on the Polish coast — a fishing port at the mouth of the Słupia, a historic lighthouse, the famous swing bridge over the harbour channel and wide sandy beaches on either side of the pier. Quieter and more intimate than the big resorts, it combines a seaside holiday with the closeness of Słowiński National Park and its shifting dunes. It makes an excellent base for Rowy, Poddąbie and Orzechowo, and the local spa hotels draw on the town's peat mud and the iodine in the sea air.
What to know before you go
Ustka lies where the river Słupia meets the Baltic, in Pomerania, about 18 km north of Słupsk. The town grew out of an old fishing settlement and has kept its character to this day — wooden fishermen's cottages in the historic quarter, a working fishing port and the swing bridge over the harbour channel, one of the great engineering attractions of the coast.
The emblem of Ustka is its lighthouse of 1892, an octagonal tower on a hill by the harbour entrance, whose gallery opens a panorama of the town, the pier and the open sea. On both sides of the channel run wide sandy beaches — the eastern one with its promenade and holiday accommodation, and the wilder western one, backed by dunes and pine forest.
Ustka is also a spa town — its sanatoria and spa hotels draw on local deposits of peat mud and the iodine-rich sea air. Along the shore stand the Blücher bunkers, relics of a German rocket range from the Second World War, today open to visitors.
Around Ustka lies a dense network of seaside villages — Rowy at the gates of Słowiński National Park with its shifting dunes, Poddąbie and Orzechowo with their picturesque cliffs, and quiet Dębina. It is a region for families, for active holidays and for anyone looking for a less crowded alternative to the biggest resorts.
Places you should not miss
The most important sights of the region, each with its own guide — how to get there, when to go, practical info.
The port and swing bridge in Ustka
A working fishing port at the mouth of the Słupia with the famous swing bridge over the harbour channel.
Read the guide →The Ustka lighthouse
An octagonal lighthouse of 1892 with a viewing gallery over the port, the pier and the open sea.
Read the guide →The beaches of Ustka — east and west
Wide sandy beaches on both sides of the port — the lively eastern one and the wild western one.
Read the guide →The Blücher bunkers
The remains of a German rocket range from the Second World War, today open to visitors.
Read the guide →The Amber Land
A themed exhibition about amber — how it forms, how it is worked and how to look for it on the shore.
Read the guide →The promenade and pier in Ustka
A seafront walkway with restaurants leading to the pier, with views of the port and the open sea.
Read the guide →Rowy and Słowiński National Park
A fishing village at the gates of Słowiński National Park, with shifting dunes and Lake Gardno.
Read the guide →The cliffs at Orzechowo and Poddąbie
Picturesque sea cliffs and wild beaches in quiet villages east of Ustka.
Read the guide →Ustka — spa town
A Baltic seaside spa at the mouth of the Słupia: local brine, healing peat and a promenade over two kilometres long whose park was laid out in 1875.
Read the guide →Do you run a property in Ustka?
List your property. A standard listing with photos costs 250 zł a year, Premium — shown on the home page — 600 zł a year or 1200 zł for 3 years. Guests write to you directly, no commission.
List or submit a property →Ustka in every season
Quiet walks along the pier and the empty beaches, flowering dunes and the first boat trips on the Baltic. The ideal time to visit the lighthouse and the Blücher bunkers without the crowds.
The full bathing season — wide beaches with lifeguarded areas, a lively promenade, evening cruises and harbour festivals. The best time for windsurfing at Rowy and trips to the shifting dunes.
Golden autumn by the sea, storms and the hunt for amber washed up on the shore. The season for spa breaks and treatments in the quiet after the holidays.
The raw charm of the winter Baltic, a frosted pier and a harbour gripped by ice. Wellness hotels offer pools, saunas and mud treatments, and the town slows down.
How to get there and what to know
- Getting there
- On national road 21 from Słupsk (about 18 km); from the Tricity via the S6 and then the DK21 — about 130 km from Gdańsk.
- By train
- Ustka station, with connections via Słupsk; in season long-distance and regional trains run from the larger Polish cities.
- A base for trips
- A convenient starting point for Rowy, Poddąbie, Orzechowo, Słowiński National Park and Słupsk with its Witkacy museums.
- Season
- The main season runs from June to September; the spa and wellness hotels are open all year.
- Sights
- The lighthouse, the harbour swing bridge, the Blücher bunkers, the Amber Land, boat trips and the pier.
- For families
- Wide beaches with a gentle slope into the sea, lifeguarded bathing areas, playgrounds, hotel water parks and cycle paths.
How far to the sights
Approximate straight-line distances from the centre of Ustka — calculated from real coordinates. By road it is often further.
- Ustka — spa town
- ~33 m from the centre Ustka (as the crow flies)
- The Amber Land
- ~579 m from the centre Ustka (as the crow flies)
- The promenade and pier in Ustka
- ~620 m from the centre Ustka (as the crow flies)
- The port and swing bridge in Ustka
- ~641 m from the centre Ustka (as the crow flies)
- The beaches of Ustka — east and west
- ~745 m from the centre Ustka (as the crow flies)
- The Ustka lighthouse
- ~926 m from the centre Ustka (as the crow flies)
- The Blücher bunkers
- ~1,3 km from the centre Ustka (as the crow flies)
- The cliffs at Orzechowo and Poddąbie
- ~6,2 km from the centre Ustka (as the crow flies)
- Rowy and Słowiński National Park
- ~15 km from the centre Ustka (as the crow flies)
Where Ustka is
Frequently asked questions — Ustka
What is worth seeing in Ustka?
Where can you find a place to stay in Ustka?
How much does a place to stay in Ustka cost?
Do you run a property in Ustka?
Add it to the guide and reach people looking for exactly this region — direct contact with the guest, a standard listing with photos costs 250 zł a year, Premium 600 zł a year.