Swinemünde (Świnoujście)

Bansin, Heringsdorf, and Ahlbeck have formed the municipality of Ostseebad Heringsdorf, known as the Kaiserbäder (Imperial Spas), since 2006. Villas, hotels, and guesthouses in distinctive spa architecture characterize these resorts. The oldest preserved building is the Weiße Schloss (White Castle), dating from 1825 and built to plans by Karl Friedrich Schinkel.A twelve-kilometer promenade connects the three resorts with Swinemünde, backed by an average 40-meter-wide sandy beach. Three piers extend into the sea: Heringsdorf boasts Germany's longest at 508 meters, while Ahlbeck features the oldest.

Stettin (Szczecin) is situated on the Oder River, just before it flows into the Szczecin Lagoon, and with almost 390,000 inhabitants, it is Poland's seventh-largest city and the capital of the West Pomeranian Voivodeship. Since 1278, the city has been part of the Hanseatic League, and its port remains one of the largest on the Baltic Sea. North of the center, the Oder widens into Lake Dąbie (Jezioro Dąbie). The Old Town, with the Ducal Castle and St. James' Cathedral, is located on the west bank, above which is the Hakenterrasse with views of the river. Opposite, between the arms of the Oder, are the islands of Lastadie (Łasztownia) and Silberwiese. Adjacent is the New Town, whose wide avenues, modeled on Parisian designs, converge on star-shaped squares like Plac Grunwaldzki. From Berlin, Stettin is easily accessible by train and is perfect for a long weekend. If you have more time, combine your visit with the coast around Swinemünde or Kolberg.

At 926 square kilometers, Rügen is Germany's largest and most populous island. It connects to Stralsund via the Rügendamm and the Rügen Bridge (opened 2007); its Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2002. On the Jasmund peninsula, Königsstuhl towers 118 meters above the Baltic Sea; the National Park's ancient beech forests are a World Natural Heritage site since 2011.Along the east coast are seaside resorts like Binz, Sellin, and Göhren, with spa architecture and long sandy beaches. Further east on Usedom, a twelve-kilometer promenade connects the Imperial Spas Bansin, Heringsdorf, and Ahlbeck with Swinemünde, Poland.

Binz is the largest seaside resort on Rügen. Late 19th-century villa-style guesthouses line the promenade, in front of which stretches a sandy beach approximately five kilometers long and up to 50 meters wide. The 1908 Kurhaus and the 370-meter-long pier from 1994 form the center.In the Granitz forest stands Jagdschloss Granitz, its tower offering panoramic views as far as Usedom. Approximately five kilometers north, the Koloss von Prora serves as a reminder of the plans for a KdF seaside resort. You can reach neighboring towns with the Rasender Roland, the narrow-gauge railway between Putbus and Göhren.

Jasmund National Park in northeastern Rügen, at 3,003 hectares, is Germany's smallest national park. It was established on September 12, 1990, and since June 2011, parts of its beech forest have been a UNESCO World Natural Heritage site. The chalk cliffs of the steep coast are approximately 70 million years old; Caspar David Friedrich painted them in 1818.Its most famous point is the 118-meter-high Königsstuhl, home to the National Park Centre, where a skywalk has extended over the edge since 2023. A panoramic trail runs for about eleven to twelve kilometers along the high cliff coast from Sassnitz to Lohme, or you can take a shuttle bus from the Hagen car park.