Rugen island for a weekend # Travels in Germany

Category: Travels in Germany

Today’s post, written by our contributing author Flor Molla, will unveil the details and share the impressions about the trip to the biggest island in Germany. Surprised there are islands in Germany? We were taken aback as well.

Photos by Flor Molla and Borja Fernández-Blanco

Rugen is the largest island in Germany, which proves ones again how diverse this country is. Mountains on the south, in Bavaria, castles all over the west and a sea at north. Germany is worth exploring, however not a lot of Germans realize it. But would you travel a lot in your home country when everything seems to you all of the same? Same people, similar cities and destinations. As to our opinion, each corner of this beautiful country is worth exploring, and it is not only about Oktoberfest and Berlin.

Flor Molla, contributing author:

Rügen: Welcome to the Baltic Sea.
Saying Rügen that is the biggest island in Germany or the sunniest place in the country would be not enough to convince one to escape the city and spend one weekend in one of the most beautiful beaches in Deutschland. But trust me: if you live in Berlin or around the north of Germany you should definitely visit one of the most lovely landscapes Germany has to offer in less than 3 hours by car.

We stayed in the north west part of the Island, in a small town called Polchow, just 16 min by car from the Jasmund National Park. It is hard for one to estimate the exact atmosphere from the pictures but I promise that I have never seen in my life this color of the water, apart of Caribbean Sea. If you would like to running or hiking, this park is the one of the most famous attractions for footpath lovers in the island.

Sunset over Polchow

Polchow is also a good option to stay because this small town offers some restaurants and bars: the best way to not feel that you are in the middle of nowhere. At least, you have some options to enjoy a fresh fish for dinner after walking through the forest the whole day. We booked a Ferienwohnung here. It is perfect for groups and for couples as well. The place is like a hostel, but every single room has a kitchen and a bathroom.

Apart from the amazing landscape of the world famous chalk cliffs in Jasmund National Park, that remind of the cliffs of Dover, England. The Jasmund National park occupies only 30 square meters and is the smallest national park in Germany. It’s widely known white cliffs, so-called Königsstuhl, which means “King’s chair” sometimes are reaching 160 meters in height. The park is enlisted in UNESCO World Heritage List. We would gladly provide you with some photos from the National Park.

You will also have some others options, like visiting the small towns Binz or Sellin where one can discover ruins of derelict resort compex on Prora beach. The edifices on a beach is a particularly striking example of Third Reich architecture. The huge complex was designed to host 20 000 workers and soldiers and was erected between 1936 and 1939. It served to a lot of different functions, but from 1993 the most of the building blocks were subject to decay and vandalism. The plans of the local authorities include the renovation of some buildings for touristic purposes.

The neglected complex on Prora beach/Wikimedia

Some photos of the beautiful Prora beach

Last tip: If you are going by car – or even by train (DB) – and you feel like making a lunch stop before entering island, Stralsund is the perfect option. It is a Hanseatic city in the federal state of Germany, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Since 2002, Stralsund’s old town with its rich heritage is listed in UNESCO World Heritage. The Strelasund Crossing with its two bridges and several ferry services connect Stralsund with Rügen.