Vorpommern-Rügen: Islands, Nature and Culture

Vorpommern-Rügen brings together a variety of coastal, nature and cultural experiences. The district includes the island of Rügen as well as Hiddensee and Ummanz; the Fischland-Darß-Zingst peninsula chain is also part of it. When planning your holiday, it makes a difference whether you want to focus on beaches and water sports, wildlife watching, or art and urban history. These interests can guide your choice of holiday destination and apartment—without having to fit every experience into a single itinerary.

Beaches and water sports on Fischland-Darß-Zingst

The Fischland-Darß-Zingst peninsula has more than 60 kilometres of fine, white, gently sloping sandy beaches. It is a destination for family beach holidays as well as kitesurfing and windsurfing. If you are mainly looking for beach days and time on the water, this is a clear starting point for your holiday-apartment search. If nature and activity matter more than a day spent solely swimming, the peninsula offers other ways to explore: the unspoilt landing area can also be discovered on trips aboard traditional Zeesboot sailing boats. The Darßer Ort circular trail in Vorpommersche Boddenlandschaft National Park is four kilometres long. The beach, a boat trip and the walking trail are different ways to experience the coastal landscape.

Rügen: forests, beaches and a historic narrow-gauge railway

Rügen has two national parks and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The beech forests in Jasmund National Park form part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site “Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions of Europe”; the landscape is complemented by kilometres of Baltic Sea beaches. This means nature and coastal experiences can be considered as separate priorities when planning your trip. The historic narrow-gauge railway “Rasender Roland” is also part of the Rügen travel experience: it is considered Germany’s oldest historic narrow-gauge railway and connects the southeastern Baltic Sea resorts. Check the current timetable before planning a specific journey if the train is to be a fixed part of your day.

Cranes and the Bodden landscape

The time of year can be important for wildlife watching: more than 70,000 cranes stop to rest twice a year in Vorpommersche Boddenlandschaft National Park. This is a different travel focus from a beach holiday or a Zeesboot trip, so it can be included in your plans as an interest in its own right. If you are weighing up different nature experiences, you could consider the seasonal crane roost, the four-kilometre circular trail at Darßer Ort and Zeesboot trips as distinct options.

Brick architecture and art

In the Hanseatic city of Stralsund, the old town is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site “Historic Centres of Stralsund and Wismar”. Its many surviving brick buildings from the Hanseatic era shape the city’s historic character. The OZEANEUM opened in 2008 and was named “European Museum of the Year”. It features exhibitions, the “Sea for Children” experience area and 50 aquariums offering an underwater journey through the northern seas. This gives visitors a choice of distinct cultural and discovery themes: urban history and marine life.

The galleries also offer insights into a variety of collections. The Galerie im Kloster in Ribnitz-Damgarten mainly displays contemporary regional art, along with a permanent exhibition of prints by Lyonel Feininger. The district’s art collection is also preserved, cared for and administered there. It comprises around 500 works in painting, prints, sculpture, ceramics, silk painting and textile design, spanning the period from the late 19th century to the present day. Temporary exhibitions feature works from the collection. Check the current visitor arrangements before your visit.

In Putbus, the gallery in the Orangery presents up to eight exhibitions a year and hosts readings and concerts. The historic building is in the heart of Putbus, a town of art and culture. Traditionally, at the end of each year, the gallery presents an exhibition of works from the collection of the Kulturstiftung Rügen, which comprises more than 1,500 exhibits. The Störtebeker Festival is another cultural event for which Vorpommern-Rügen is known. For specific dates and current programmes, check the event listings.

Use your holiday priorities to choose accommodation

Whether you want to focus your stay on beaches and water sports, Rügen’s nature, the crane roost, or art and brick architecture, your priorities can help structure your search for a holiday apartment in Vorpommern-Rügen. First decide which experiences matter most to your trip, then take them into account when choosing where to stay.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Grimmen, Süderholz, Amt Altenpleen, Amt Barth, Zingst, Binz, Putbus, Sassnitz, Stralsund, Marlow, Amt Bergen Auf Rügen, Amt Darß/Fischland, Amt Franzburg-Richtenberg, Amt Miltzow, Amt Mönchgut-Granitz, Amt Niepars, Amt Nord-Rügen, Amt Recknitz-Trebeltal, Amt Ribnitz-Damgarten, Amt West-Rügen.

Go to the regional travel overview: Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.