Have you been dreaming of going to the Santa Monica Pier in Los Angeles? Are you living in Europe and can’t afford to go to America? No worries – go to Sopot and there you have a huge pier (without the amusement park). And you can’t but think of the Santa Monica Pier while walking out on the pier. And while walking back – you easily think of Monte Carlo!

The Sopot Pier

Pier in polish is Molo so the real name is Molo w Sopocie. It opened in 1827 and was built as a pleasure pier and as a mooring point for boats. Being 516 meters (one way) the pier in Sopot is the longest wooden pier in Europe. And what’s amazing about this pier is that it’s located really close to the city center. It stretches out into the sea from the middle of Sopot beach and it is a popular place to take a walk.

Unlike the Santa Monica pier, you won’t find an amusement park on the end of the pier. However, you will find a restaurant and a lot of boats and yachts to look at. If you are lucky you might even spot the pirate ship that takes tourist around the bay. Apparently, the concentration of iodine at the tip of the pier is twice as high as on land. And that’s good for you!

Monte Carlo meets Santa Monica Pier

Sometimes there are festivities at the end of the pier and we would love to be there during something special.  To enter the pier you have to pay 5:- zloty (2017). Even if you are booked on a boat trip you still have to pay the entrance fee to enter the pier. It is so funny how we felt while walking on the pier. While walking from shore and out, we both came to think of Santa Monica Pier. While walking in we both came to think of Monte Carlo. Probably it’s because the hotel Sheraton is at the end of the pier.

Sheraton Hotel was built to resemble the casino in Monte Carlo and they nailed it! I mentioned about the Monte Carlo feeling and learned that it was the plan to make it resemble the casino!

Sopot Beach

On both sides of the pier, you see the beach in Sopot. It becomes crowded during the summer and when the weather is good. The Polish summer is during June – August so there is not that much time to spend at the beach. Well at least compared to the Caribbean :). During our visit to the pier, we saw a lot of swans. However, there were not too many people in the water. In all honesty, I don’t think that the water gets over 18 degrees Celsius (not sure just speculating).

Spend your day at the beach and walk the pier up and down to get tanned and breath fresh air!
Not far from the pier you will find The Crooked House

Address to the pier: Plac Zdrojowy 2, 81-723 Sopot, Poland.