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13 reasons why you should take your next European staycation in Rügen!
OMG!
Rügen was lovely.
In fact, it reminded me of Brighton.
In England!
Well, obviously!
So lovely in fact, that I thought I might share it with you.
You’re welcome!
So let’s get down to the nitty gritty!
Rügen. Where’s that?
Rügen or Ruegen is located off the coast of Pomerania – a region that is split between Germany and Poland, in the Baltic Sea!
Rügen is the Lake District in the German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, otherwise known as Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Mecklenburg-West Pomerania or simply MV, which is great because I have great difficulty pronouncing it!
Rügen is 51.4 km or 31.9 miles long, 42.8 km or 26.6 miles wide and has a span of 976 km2 or 376 sq. miles!
The Rügen coast is characterized by nature and is surrounded by 60 kms of lovely sandy beaches, lagoons, bays, peninsulas, headlands, hills, forests, two national parks and a Biosphere Reserve. Not only that but in 2011, UNESCO awarded Rügen the status of a World Heritage Site due to the beauty and distinction of Jasmund National Park / Nationalpark Jasmund famous for it’s Old Beech Forests or Alte Buchenwälder and it’s chalk cliff known locally as the King’s Chair or Königsstuhl!
In fact, Rügen is the largest island in Germany!
It’s quite difficult to find videos in English that isn’t a decade old, but here’s a blend of both languages. If you can do better, let me know!
Known for it’s quaint little towns such as Bergen, Sassnitz, Putbus and Garz and esteemed for it’s seaside resorts towns such as Prora, Binz, Baabe, Göhren, Sellin and Thiessow.
Rügen is famous for it’s seaside beach resort / spa architecture otherwise known as Bäderarchitektur, Bädervilla or Kurarchitektur – an architectural style that is characteristic of spas and seaside resorts on the German Baltic coast as well as in Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Russia!
This beautiful style was known as Heiligendamm – the oldest seaside spa in continental Europe – founded in 1793, and a reminder of the glory days when this part of the Baltic Sea was one of the playgrounds of Europe’s aristocracy!
it’s probably the reason why I adore Łeba in Poland!
You know how much I love art and architecture.
We went to them all!
Just to be clear, by all, I mean the seaside resorts!
And even though it rained every day.
I was most upset that I hadn’t visited Rügen sooner!
Oops!
13 reasons why you should take your next European staycation in Rügen!
I’m sure I don’t need to convince anyone to go to the seaside but if you insist, here’s 13 reasons why you should!
- Rügen is one of the most attractive beaches in Europe with masses of nature and bio-diversity that includes sandy beaches, water diversity, hills, forests, two national parks, a fascinating chalk coast, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, a nature reserve, and the sea itself – the Baltic Sea – otherwise known as Ostsee!
- In the new world of covid-19, it’s relatively safe and secure
- It’s easy to get to, being a mere 3.5 hours from my beloved Berlin!
- Once you’ve sorted out your transport and hotel, apartment, B&B, or tent, everything else is free of charge!
- With roughly 2,000 hours of sunshine per year, Rügen is one of the sunniest regions in Germany! And even though it rained every day we were there, and usually has more sunshine than you can cope with. I blame global warming for the disappointment!
- Fascinating seaside / spa architecture that inspire a sense of aristocratic pride and thatched houses of historical importance!
- Literally hundreds of Baltic Sea spas, saunas and anything else that gives the body a healthy glow and a relaxing stance
- Hitler’s holiday camp in Prora. Oh dear!
- A treetop path in the sky that is a unique heritage spot which you can access via the 40 m or 130 ft high Eagle’s Nest watch tower in the Naturerbe Zentrum Rügen!
- You can partake in lots of active sport such as hiking, cycling, sailing, surfing, kiting, canoeing, fishing and swimming ‘cos if you’ve got a corona belly, you’re going to need it!
- Really great seafood
- Brisk fresh air
- You’ve not tasted ice-cream, until you’ve had it at the seaside!
Take Me There!
Where is the island of Rügen?
Rügen is an island on the Baltic Sea, off the Pomeranian coast, in North-East Germany.
Here’s a map. Please note that you’ll have to squint to see Stahlbrode where the ferry is!
How do you get to Rügen?
Whether by car, train, ferry or bus, there are many ways to get to the Baltic Sea island of Rügen.
Car
If you’re driving and on a budget, it’s cheaper to go via Rügen bridge or Rügenbrücke on the road leading to Stralsund, as there’s no fare and the bridge crossing is toll-free.
From Berlin, take the A11 via the Berliner Ring to the Uckermark junction and then the A 20 towards Stralsund. From there, take the motorway feeder road (B96 n) to the island of Rügen.
From Hamburg, take the A1 via the Lübeck junction to the Baltic Sea motorway A20, exit Stralsund /Insel Rügen and follow the motorway feeder road (B96 n) and the Stralsund bypass until you reach the island of Rügen.
Please note that the Rügen dam or Alter Rügendamm is lifted five times a day (20 minutes) for shipping traffic.
If you’re short on time, take the car ferry from Stahlbrode on the mainland to Glewitz. Note that the ferry is seasonal and only runs from April to October. Check for live times.
Here’s the road route. In English, click here!
Train
If you’re taking the train, you need to take the German Railway or Deutsche Bahn.
From Berlin, take a train going to Stralsund Hbf. From there, regional trains go to Altefähr, Samtens, Bergen, Lietzow and Sassnitz. It takes roughly three (3) hours.
From Hamburg, take the Intercity-Express train to Binz / Ostseebad Binz via Rostock or with a transfer in Stralsund. You can also take the Regional Train with a transfer in Rostock to Sassnitz. It depends where you want to go!
For the Deutsche Bahn train click here
For day tickets by train, click here
For regional tickets by train, click here
Here’s the route planner. In English, click here!
Bus
There are a wide variety of long-distance bus / coach connections from Berlin, Hamburg, Munich and Dresden, with transfers and changes.
Flixbus however, offers the possibility to travel non-stop to Rügen from Rostock – 5 times a week – with stops in Rügen, Binz, Sellin, Baabe and Göhren..
Here’s a bus route planner. For Omio, click here
Anything else?
Obviously, you need to live in the EU at the moment or be one of the lucky nations allowed to send tourists to Germany.
If you’d like to go to the other parts of Germany, please do your research because like everywhere else in the world, things can change. Germany is brilliantly safe but nowhere on earth is by any means guaranteed as due to recent Covid-19 break-outs, some German destinations aren’t always allowing German native tourists either!
p.s If you’re booking hotels, houses and apartments, use this link to save 20% or more, between 5th January and 31st March 2021!
Booking.comAs much as I love train travel, I wouldn’t recommend using public transport at the moment and for goodness sake, try not to fly!
To be candid, the countries that we, as Germans and expat Brits, absolutely CANNOT travel to right now are the Balkan countries (minus Croatia), Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Turkey, Georgia, Moldova. And the rest of the entire world!
As far as the German Federal Office is concerned, the travel warning for the vast majority of the globe will continue until at least August 31st, although it might change and be lifted on a country-by-country basis.
Because as you might have already seen, NOT every country is allowing everyone in.
Some countries request that you self-isolate or entry is restricted or you might be asked to quarantine.
If you’re from the USA or a “third country” outside the EU, quite frankly, you’re buggered right now!
And besides, for most countries, and certainly in Germany, foreign travel isn’t recommended at all!
However if you insist, here’s a list of Europe’s country-by-country travel restrictions explained as well as the very reliable web platform created by the EU!
Obviously, no-one is going to tie you in ropes IF you do go abroad, but if anything goes wrong, you’re on your own!
The fact is that primarily tourists destinations are over-whelmed, and there’s a legitimate and very huge risk that if you DO travel far and wide, your destination might have a sudden increase in outbreak, your friends or family might get infected, you are forced into quarantine for a certain unforeseeable amount of time, and if you’re very unlucky, the borders might close.
Again!
If you’re tired of reading bad news or anything at all about covid19, check out my upbeat and funny posts here instead!
Is this the future?
The stark reality is, there is NO “business as usual.”
How can there be?
Until we get a vaccine, and perhaps, even beyond.
There’s only a “new normal.”
The simple fact is, the COVID-19 isn’t a conspiracy theory, it isn’t the end of time, and the stock market isn’t more important than people’s lives, but given the closeness, speed, reliance and ease in which we connect via global trade or travel, is a real legitimate worry.
Start thinking about a staycation as most regions around the world, are beginning to re-open.
In fact, this might be the time to jump in your car / on your bike, and explore where you live.
Yep!
It’s time to go local and explore!
But remember, no jumping on the nearest plane and causing havoc abroad!
Just ‘cos there’s a relaxation of lockdown doesn’t mean that Covid-19 has disappeared.
It hasn’t.
It’s still very much with us and likely to be around for quite some time!
So if you’re looking for a change of scenery, stay local!
Even better, stay home!
I mean, come on!
Is it just me?
See you next week!
13 reasons why you should take your staycation in Rügen!
Stay on top of things by listening / reading the news, but don’t go mad. Watch or read once, then switch it off!
To be sure, life will NOT be what it was before and you can expect real change about the way we choose to live, and the political leaders you can trust.
©Victoria Ade-Genschow – The British Berliner – Berlin – May 2020
Speaking of trust. As far as travel blogs are concerned, you can trust ME!
I do NOT write about places that I haven’t personally been to.
I do NOT get paid to write on my blog.
All content will continue to remain free of charge but if you feel like buying me a cup of tea, I will graciously accept!
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OMG!
Eek!
Once again if you can, please do stay at home, keep your distance from others, and flatten the curve!
Better to be safe than sorry.
And for goodness sake, SHARE this post!
13 reasons why you should take your next European staycation in Rügen!
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Don’t judge me!
13 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD TAKE YOUR NEXT EUROPEAN STAYCATION IN RÜGEN!
This article is not sponsored, and all thoughts and opinions, are my very own!
A huge thanks goes to all the many doctors, nurses, healthcare staff, keyworkers and volunteers world-wide, who have and are still, putting their lives on the line in order to help others.
Thank you.
August is going to be something most of us have never ever seen in our lifetime before.
See you soon!
Watch this space!
DISCLOSURE!
Please note that The British Berliner is a participant in affiliate programmes designed to provide a means for sites to earn fees by advertising and linking to World Nomads Travel Insurance & Booking.com.
In short, there are two affiliate link companies connected to this post!
Every time one of these services is used, booked, and paid for via my link, I get a little percentage, but at no extra cost to yourself!
A win-win for all!
Note! I never travel without insurance as you never know what might happen.
I learnt my lesson in Spain. And obviously, in countries like Qatar, where technically the risk is higher, I can’t imagine going that far beyond WITHOUT INSURANCE. No siree! You can get yours here, at World Nomads!
So what are you waiting for?
Thanks a million!
Where are you taking your next staycation? Do you think Germany is cool? Let me know in the comments below!
See you in Berlin.
If you have any questions, send me a Tweet, talk to me on Facebook, find me on LinkedIn, make a comment below or send me an Email: victoria@thebritishberliner.com
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4 Comments on “13 reasons why you should take your next European staycation in Rügen!”
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Caspar David Friedrich painted some lovely pictures of the chalk cliffs of Rügen. They’re in Berlin – check them out!
Thanks very much Thomas. I’m glad you liked my post.
I certainly will.
p.s. I’m guessing you mean at the Alte Nationalgalerie / Old National Gallery. I’ve had a quick look but they don’t seem to be on view any more, but I’ll keep looking! 😀
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