Hipodrom Sopot

The Hipodrom is Sopot's racecourse and equestrian centre, set on flat green ground a short way inland from the seafront at ulica Polna 1. It is one of the oldest and most established equestrian venues in Poland, and each summer it hosts international show jumping that draws riders and crowds from across Europe.

This is a different side of Sopot from the beach and the pier. The grounds are open and green, the setting is calm, and during the big summer events the atmosphere is part sport and part social occasion. Even outside the competition dates it is a pleasant place to walk, with stables, riding schools and the old grandstands. It suits anyone after a break from the seafront crowds and anyone who likes horses.

Regular horse racing began here in 1898, and the grandstands and racetrack from that period are still in use. Between the two world wars the Sopot track built a reputation across Europe for flat racing, steeplechase and international equestrian events. Racing stopped during the Second World War and was revived in 1947. Since 2009 the venue has hosted the CSIO, the top-tier international show-jumping competition that a country holds only once a year.

The high point of the year is the summer show-jumping week, when the arena is full and the schedule runs across several days. Race meetings and other events fill out the warmer months. Check the venue's calendar before you go, since what you see depends entirely on the fixture list. On quiet days the grounds are still open to walk.

The Hippodrome is inland, west of the seafront, a walk or a short bus ride up from the centre. From Sopot's SKM station it is roughly a fifteen to twenty-minute walk. The wooded hills of the Tricity Landscape Park rise just behind it. For routes and timetables, see the Sopot guide.

The Hippodrome pairs well with the greener, upper part of town:

• The Tricity Landscape Park, the forested hills and trails just inland.
• The Opera Lesna, the open-air forest amphitheatre in the same wooded belt.
• The pier and seafront, back down toward the bay.

Regular racing started here in 1898, and the original grandstands and track survive, which makes it one of the oldest equestrian venues in Poland.

The main international show-jumping event runs in summer. Since 2009 the venue has hosted the top-level CSIO competition. Check the calendar for the exact dates each year.