Museums
a Gothic castle on an island with a tower, Lubinus's map of Pomerania and a collection of Oriental art
Lighthouses and ports
a low brick lighthouse from 1885 at the mouth of the Wieprza, flooded by storms
Lakes
a shallow, slightly brackish lake behind a spit, a breeding ground for birds and a place for windsurfing
Churches and monasteries
a Gothic church with the sarcophagi of the Dukes of Pomerania and an oak from 1817 next to it
Churches and monasteries
a former cemetery chapel on a hexagonal plan with a twelve-sided ambulatory and polychromes
Historic sites
the only surviving one of Darłowo's four town gates, brick with four storeys
Historic sites
Baroque town hall of 1725 with a stone portal from its predecessor and a fountain with a fisherman
Historic sites
a shipowners' house with a gable decorated with bas-reliefs and a plaque with a cog on the side wall
Churches and monasteries
late Gothic church of the 15th century, the former church of two Darłowo hospitals
pool with a bowling alley and saunas at the Jan hotel in Darłówko
a campervan stopover by the aquapark with go-karts, bicycles and a children's quad track
Things to do in Darłowo: the Castle of the Pomeranian Dukes, the High Gate, the Darłówko lighthouse and Lake Kopań. Eleven places.
Darłowo has two faces: a historic old town on the Wieprza river with a castle on an island, and Darłówko, a seaside district with a harbour, a lighthouse and rainy-day options. Everything is close, so one day can combine both.
Start with the castle, St Mary church and Kościuszko Square with the town hall. The three stand within minutes of each other and tell the story of the town of the Pomeranian dukes.
The Castle of the Pomeranian Dukes is a Gothic brick stronghold from the 14th century, raised on an artificial island between the Wieprza and the Mill Canal. Since 1930 it has been a museum whose rooms hold oriental art, sculpture and a historical map of the Pomeranian lands, which makes it a good rainy-day choice. Its building and alterations are described in an article on Gothic on the Wieprza. St Mary church on ul. Franciszkańska has a brick body from the 14th century and sarcophagi of Pomeranian dukes, and is run by Franciscans. One of those dukes, who ruled three kingdoms, is the subject of an article on Eric of Pomerania.
The town hall at Plac Kościuszki 9 occupies former market halls raised in 1725. It kept a Renaissance portal from its predecessor, and in front stands a fountain from 1919. Other town halls of the region are compared in an article on town halls of the eastern part of the region.
The old town has a medieval layout with a market in the middle and a few monuments easily linked into an hour-long walk. Of four former gates only one still stands.
The High Gate, also called the Stone Gate, is a square brick structure from the 14th century about 120 metres from the market. It cannot be entered, because it is privately owned. The Hemptenmacher House at Powstańców Warszawskich 51 bears the date 1604 on its gable and a plaque with a cog on the side wall. Two smaller churches are St Gertrude Church at Ojca Damiana Tynieckiego 20, a brick former cemetery chapel on a plan close to a rotunda, and St George Church from the 15th century on the former Wieprza suburb. Together they form a route described in an article on the old town of Darłowo.
Darłówko is the seaside district with the lighthouse, a water park and places for families. Lake Kopań lies a few kilometres further and is calmer, a place for birds and wind.
The Darłowo Lighthouse at ul. Wschodnia 14 stands by the mouth of the Wieprza. It is a low brick building with a tower from 1885, raised in 1927 and open to visitors. The JAN Water Park at the Jan hotel has a pool, saunas, a bowling alley and a swimming school, an option for bad weather listed on the page Darłowo in the rain. For travellers with campervans there is the Darłówko Camper Park on ul. Północna, with go-kart and bike hire. Kopań is a shallow coastal lake of about 790 ha, valued by birds and windsurfers. Pools and other water places in the region are compared in an article on aquaparks and swimming pools.
Yes. Spend the morning in the old town with the castle, St Mary church and the town hall, and the afternoon in Darłówko by the lighthouse and the sea. Lake Kopań needs extra hours.
The castle museum, the JAN Water Park and church interiors work well. The full list is on the page Darłowo in the rain.
Yes: a Gothic castle, brick churches, a gate, a 17th-century house and a town hall. The selection is on the page architecture in Darłowo.
Yes, most monuments are seen without a guide. See the list Darłowo solo.
