Międzyzdroje impressions

The weather was indeed er... bracing; everything that New.Meteo.pl had led me to expect. Being new to the Polish seaside, one thing that struck me was the architecture - which led to the immediate reflection that before 1939, Poland's Baltic coastline was a mere 140km (85 miles) of which the Hel peninsula was a large portion. The rest was German (plus of course the Free City of Danzig/Gdańsk); hence the Germanic architecture.

Above: Looking up ul. Pomorska from Promenada Gwiazd. Does this not remind readers familiar with England of the bay-windowed gentility of Torquay, Eastbourne or Bournemouth? Before the war, Międzyzdroje was German Misdroy.

The recently built pier extends 350m into the sea; entrance is free, but you must pass an arcade full of fast food and machines that go 'ding'. The beach is admirably sandy and stretches on for ever in both directions. I can recommend two places to eat, the Hotel Slavia (soup, main course and a glass of wine for 15 zlotys - around £3.30) and the Café Melba (coffee, cakes, excellent music - James Brown, Duke Ellington, Gladys Knight, tasteful décor).

Above: no rush for the sun loungers today. Międzyzdroje's Hotel Amber Baltic attracts many German tourists from just across the border. Accommodation ranges from a few posh hotels via some communist-era domy wypoczynkowe such as the Slavia that offer good value for money to a vast number of privately-let rooms and guest houses. However, at this time of year, it's very hard to find something last minute.

No problem in finding somewhere decent to eat - plenty of competition, so shop around before sitting down to lunch or coffee to avoid paying too much. Above: A patisserie (cukiernia) that would not look out of place in Cornwall or North Wales.

Returning to the weather - there are no guarantees of sunshine on the Baltic just because it happens to be summer. Take a warm sweatshirt or two and some waterproofs. And - if you have small children in tow, Plans 'B', 'C' and 'D' are needed in case of prolonged and heavy rainfall during which lazing on the beach is not an option. Kite-surfing is popular on the Polish Baltic when the waves are rough and the wind's high.