British Expert Calls Sopot the ‘Barcelona of Eastern Europe’

The news in Polish

1. piaszczysty
   Pokryty piaskiem lub zrobiony z piasku. ↩︎
2. plaża  (f.)
   Pas piasku lub kamieni nad brzegiem morza, jeziora lub rzeki. ↩︎
3. lot  (m.)
   Podróż samolotem z jednego miejsca do drugiego. ↩︎
4. temperatura  (f.)
   Miara tego, jak ciepło lub zimno jest w danym miejscu. ↩︎
5. wynosić
   Być równym określonej wartości lub ilości. ↩︎
6. wakacje  (f.)
   Okres wolny od pracy lub szkoły, często spędzany na podróżowaniu lub wypoczynku. ↩︎

Translation

Text comprehension

Question 1: What did the British expert call Sopot?

Question 2: What is the summer temperature in Sopot?

Vocabulary

Polish	English
piaszczysty	sandy
plaża  (f.)	beach
lot  (m.)	flight
temperatura  (f.)	temperature
wynosić	to amount to
wakacje  (f.)	holiday

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A British tourism expert has praised the Polish coastal resort of Sopot, calling it the “Barcelona of Eastern Europe” and predicting it could become one of the most popular destinations on the continent in the coming years.

Rob Brooks, who works for travel agency On the Beach and has nearly 160,000 followers on TikTok, said he spotted a significant rise in searches for the Baltic resort before sharing his recommendation with his audience. “I’ve just found the Barcelona of Eastern Europe and you’ve definitely not heard of it,” he told viewers.

Brooks highlighted several key advantages for tourists, including low costs, short and accessible flights, and good facilities for families. “It can feel genuinely luxurious if you plan the trip well. And it’s not Spain, Portugal, Turkey, Italy, or France,” he said.

The expert admitted he was initially sceptical about a holiday on the Baltic coast, but said he changed his mind completely after seeing photographs of the resort. He described Sopot as having a large golden sand beach, numerous bars and restaurants along the seafront, colourful streets, beautiful architecture, luxury hotels, and an impressive pier stretching directly into the sea.

Brooks said he “perfectly understands the comparisons to Barcelona,” but noted that Sopot has neither the same crowds nor the same high prices. “You can spend a morning on the beach, walk through historic streets in the afternoon, and eat very well in the evening — all without spending a fortune. Because money goes further here, the experience feels far more luxurious than the actual costs would suggest,” he explained.

He also noted that summer temperatures in Sopot reach around 26°C, making it, in his words, “ideal for people who like sunshine but don’t want to melt in the heat.”