The British Berliner
A lifestyle expat travel blog about culture, history, Brexit, the Royal Family, travels around the world, Europe, and being British in Berlin!
A quick guide to Lake Constance!
©Victoria Ade-Genschow – The British Berliner – Lake Constance / Bodensee – August 2020
A couple of weeks ago, I raved over a splendid part of Germany.
The Southern part of Germany to be exact.
It was my husbands’ idea.
Yes.
I’m with you.
I thought Bavaria, the Rhine, the Black Forest, castles …
Yaaaaaas!
And then he said.
To Bodensee!
To where?
I had no idea what he was talking about.
I was soon to find out …
He whipped out his phone and did a search for the English word for Bodensee and it was …
Drum-roll please …
Of course, I know of Lake Constance
I just hadn’t previously been there!
Duh!
I have now!
It was brilliant!
Now since I wouldn’t want you to go through a fog of ignorance, here’s a quick guide to Lake Constance!
Here we go.
You’re welcome!
Lake Constance / Bodensee!
In my last post, I went into great detail as to what Lake Constance, otherwise known as Bodensee, is all about.
It’s good stuff which you can check out for yourself here!
Lake Constance or Bodensee covers the country borders of Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Liechtenstein, and is shared quite equally by all four (4) nations!
Officially, if you’re on the lake quite frankly, you’re in Germany, Switzerland and Austria!
All three (3) countries at the very same time!
Not only that but you can easily get to Liechtenstein too – Europe’s fourth-smallest country outside of the Vatican City, San Marino & Monaco!
Although you can go only get there by road, not by water as Liechtenstein is only half an hour from Lake Constance by car!
Isn’t that cool?
Give Me The Good Stuff!
©Victoria Ade-Genschow – The British Berliner – Lake Constance / Bodensee – August 2020
Which countries are part of Lake Constance?
Germany
Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg
Austria
Vorarlberg
Switzerland
Thurgau, St. Gallen, Appanzell, Schaffhausen
Liechtenstein
the Principality of Liechtenstein
Languages
The local language spoken around the lake is German, with variations in dialects and accents. However, English is well understood in most places catering to tourists, as well as French & Italian!
Money
Legal tender in both Germany and Austria is the Euro – €
Legal tender in both Switzerland and Liechtenstein is the Swiss Franc – CHF.
You can also pay in Euros for items bought in both Switzerland & Liechtenstein, and pretty much all four countries accept EC cards, Mastercard & Visa credit cards too.
American Express, Diners Club & JCB cards. Not so much!
Oh, and cash is king!
Largest towns on the lake
Germany
Constance: 83,000 people, Friedrichshafen: 59,000 people, Radolfzell: 31,000
Austria
Bregenz: 29,000 people
Switzerland
Kreuzlingen: 21,000 people
Liechtenstein
I’ve not added Liechtenstein here as it isn’t actually on the lake itself, but about half an hour inland by road. But just so you know, 38,749 people live in the Principality of Liechtenstein!
Largest islands
Mainau Island – the Flower Island
We personally went to the Mainau Island, and I can highly recommend it. I was a little concerned because of my allergies and the extremely hot weather at the time, but everything worked out well in the end!
For details, click here!
Reichenau Island
Reichenau Island is a UNESCO World Heritage site with lots of churches and a former monastery
For details, click here!
Lindau Island
Lindau Island is a beautiful medieval town.
This is where we originally wanted to stay but due to the last-minute -ness of our booking, we couldn’t find any accommodation!
In the end, we opted for Überlingen instead.
We were not disappointed!
For details of Lindau Island, click here!
Telephone numbers
Germany
0049
Austria
0043
Switzerland
0041
Liechtenstein
00423
If you live in the EU, the cost of making an international call / data download on your mobile, will be the same as the cost in your home-country. As a result, there will be no extra roaming charges for using your phone in Germany, Austria or Liechtenstein.
PLEASE NOTE!
Switzerland is NOT a part of the EU, so charges might apply.
If you’re a UK mobile customer, as Brexit is almost upon us, please double-check with your provider BEFORE you play around on social media & end up with a hefty telephone bill!
Emergency Services
Germany
police, fire brigade and ambulance service, call 112
Austria
Police 133 | Fire brigade 122 | Ambulance service 144
Switzerland
Police 117 | Fire brigade 118 | Ambulance service 144
Liechtenstein
Police 117 | Fire brigade 118 | Ambulance service 144
European Emergency services
Call 112
Health Insurance
EU / Schengen
Within the EU and in Switzerland, health emergencies are treated free of charge upon presentation of the European health insurance card. Any higher costs that might be incurred due to different tariffs in Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein & Switzerland, must be paid for by the traveller.
UK / Brexit
If you’re from the UK, you will be expected to cough up for treatment after 2020.
USA
If you’re from the US, well, health treatment will probably be cheaper than at home!
Health Risks
Travel within the four countries is perfectly safe. However, since we’re in the period of a global pandemic, health and travel insurance is an absolute must.
You should also protect yourself against sun burn, heat exhaustion, etc as the weather in the lake region is Mediterranean.
In fact, I fell into a bit of heat exhaustion myself and ran out of water as local shops were closed, and my face was dark red and quite flushed!
Tick bites around the lake can also be a bit of bother as Lake Constance is a tick-borne encephalitis risk area and Lyme disease could be contracted as a result.
Within the EU and in Switzerland, health emergencies are treated free of charge upon presentation of the European health insurance card. Any higher costs that might be incurred due to different tariffs in Germany, Austria and Switzerland must be paid for by the traveller.
Travel Insurance
Travel within the four countries is perfectly safe. However, since we’re in a global pandemic, health and travel insurance is an absolute must.
Here’s the official website of the European Union as well as a list of Europe’s country-by-country travel restrictions explained!
Either way, make sure you have health and / or travel insurance. I use World Nomads!
Visa / Country Border Entry Requirements
If you’re from the EU or a country-member of the Schengen Treaty, ignore this part!
If not, please do your research as to which countries you’re allowed to visit and the various conditions required.
Germany
EU citizens and country-members of the Schengen Treaty, don’t require a visa to enter Germany. In principle, everybody else requires a visa or permission to enter. By law, all visitors must keep their passport or I.D card at hand.
Austria
EU citizens and country-members of the Schengen Treaty, as well as citizens of Australia, Israel, Japan, Canada, New Zealand, the US, etc. generally do not require a visa to enter Austria. Citizens of all other counties require a visa.
Switzerland
EU citizens and country-members of the Schengen Treaty, don’t require a visa to enter Switzerland. By law, all visitors must be in possession of a valid passport. For stays of more than 3 months, a visa is required. For stays of less than 3 months, a valid passport is sufficient.
Visitors from the EU can enter the country using their national ID cards.
Liechtenstein
There are no border controls between Switzerland and Liechtenstein.
EU citizens and country-members of the Schengen Treaty, don’t require a visa to enter Liechtenstein. By law, all visitors must be in possession of a valid passport. For stays of more than 3 months, a visa is required. For stays of less than 3 months, a valid passport is sufficient.
Visitors from the EU can enter the country using their national ID cards.
Here’s the official website of the European Union as well as a list of Europe’s country-by-country travel restrictions explained!
Prices
Prices in the Lake Constance region aren’t exactly cheap, but neither are they over the top!
If you’re eating or drinking lakeside, prepare to pay a premium for the very exquisite view!
Ditto re-accommodation. Use the link below to get a bit of a discount.
p.s If you’re booking hotels, houses and apartments, use this link to get 15% discount or more, between now and 4 January 2021!
Please note that the currency in Germany and Austria is Euros – € and the currency in Switzerland and Liechtenstein is in fact, the Swiss franc – CHF!
Having said that though, if you forget and haven’t got any of the local dosh, most tourist-friendly establishments will accept Euros!
Generally, prices in Switzerland and Liechtenstein are far higher than they are in Germany and Austria.
Gulp!
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 get 15% discount or more, between now and 4 January 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 September 30th, 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 the official website of the European Union as well as a list of Europe’s country-by-country travel restrictions explained!
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 soon!
A quick guide to Lake Constance!
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!
Buy Me A Cup of Tea!
Make A Donation Donate so that I can continue to write hilarious stories and create amazing content! Thanks so much!
€1.00
If you want to do the same and write your own blog, here’s my link to a $25 discount in credit with any paid plan with WordPress. Don’t say that I don’t give you anything!
Here’s the link again: http://wordpress.com/refer-a-friend/qyyjJjnfWBnRGPVRj0V
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!
A quick guide to Lake Constance!
Tweet
If you want to keep up with reliable news on what’s going on around the world, you can follow me here.
Don’t forget.
Click here!
And book your luxury hotel for 2021 right here!
Don’t judge me!
A QUICK GUIDE TO LAKE CONSTANCE!
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.
October 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 the Amazon EU Associates programme, an affiliate programme designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon, Amazon UK & Amazon Germany.
In short, there are four 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!
Would you like to visit Lake Constance? Have you learnt something new? 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
If you like this post, please Share it! Tweet it! Or Like it!
Bodensee – Where’s that?
©Victoria Ade-Genschow – The British Berliner – Bodensee Lake Constance – August 2020
Honestly speaking, Germany is a country with a bunch of surprises.
Who would have thought it?
Geeeeeermany!
Omigosh!
Now you all know that we recently went to Rügen.
On the Baltic Sea
And it was grand!
You might have thought that we stopped there.
As if!
We took a second holiday and went to another part of Germany!
What?!
Don’t look at me like that.
These are terrible times!
Anyhoo!
My husband – The Music Producer – made a suggestion to go to Southern Germany.
Yes.
I’m with you.
Bavaria, the Rhine, the Black Forest, castles …
Yaaaaaas!
To Bodensee!
To where?
I had no idea what he was talking about.
The Music Producer looked at me in fear and awe.
You don’t know where Bodensee is?
He whipped out his phone and did a search for the English word for Bodensee and it was …
Drum-roll please …
Of course, I know of Lake Constance
I just hadn’t previously been there!
Duh!
©Victoria Ade-Genschow – The British Berliner – Bodensee / Lake Constance – August 2020
©Victoria Ade-Genschow – The British Berliner – Bodensee / Lake Constance – August 2020
I have now!
It was fantastic!
So fantastic in fact, that I thought I might share it with you.
You’re welcome!
So let’s get down to the nitty gritty!
Bodensee. Where’s that?
©Victoria Ade-Genschow – The British Berliner – Bodensee / Lake Constance – August 2020
©Victoria Ade-Genschow – The British Berliner – Bodensee / Lake Constance – August 2020
Bodensee, otherwise known as Lake Constance is a lake that stretches over three bodies of 539 km2 or 208 sq. miles and is 395 m or 1,296 ft above sea level at the Northern foot of the Alp mountains.
Its greatest depth is 252 metres or 827 ft exactly in the middle of the Upper Lake. It’s volume is about 48 km3 or 12 cubic miles, It is 63 km or 39 miles long and nearly 14 km or 8.7 miles at its widest point.
The three (3) bodies of water are known as Obersee or Upper Lake Constance, Untersee or Lower Lake Constance, and Seerhein or Lake Rhine.
In fact, Seerhein or Lake Rhine is so out of the way that geographically, some experts consider it to be a river rather than part of the lake!
Bodensee or Lake Constance covers the country borders of Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Liechtenstein, and is shared quite equally by all four (4) nations!
Officially, if you’re on the lake quite frankly, you’re in Germany, Switzerland and Austria!
All three (3) countries at the very same time!
Not only that but you can easily get to Liechtenstein too!
By road. Not by water!
As Liechtenstein is only half an hour from Bodensee or Lake Constance by car!
In fact, Bodensee or Lake Constance is the third (3rd) largest freshwater inland lake in Central and Western Europe and is an important drinking water source for South-West Germany!
Wow!
Here’s a few videos to whet your appetite!
Take Me There!
©Victoria Ade-Genschow – The British Berliner – Bodensee / Lake Constance – August 2020
Where is Bodensee or Lake Constance?
Bodensee or Lake Constance is a lake that stretches over three (3) bodies of water known as Obersee or Upper Lake Constance, Untersee or Lower Lake Constance, and Seerhein or Lake Rhine
It’s located at the Northern foot of the Alp mountains, covers the country borders of Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and Liechtenstein, and is shared quite equally by all four (4) nations!
Here’s an interactive map
How do you get to Bodensee or Lake Constance?
Whether by car, train, ferry or bus, there are many ways to get to the lakes of Bodensee or Lake Constance
Car
Depending on where you’re coming from and which road you use, it can take up to 10-12 hours!
If you’re not in a rush, take Germany’s version of Route 66, otherwise known as the Black Forest Panoramic Route or the Schwarzwald-Panoramastraße, rather than the autobahn!
It’s popular with motorcyclists who delight in riding hard and performing high-risk stunts on sharp edgy mountain corners, so take care while driving or motorcycling!
This picturesque route is a mountain route that curves along the peaks and hilltops of the Black Forest, the Rhine Valley, the Voges Mountains, and the Alps.
It has an altitude of 1000 metres, spirals on a stretching road that is almost 70 km long with stunning views. On a clear day you can actually see the Black Forest and the Alps!
Take the B500 road.
We took this route on the way back to Berlin. I highly recommend it!
Here’s the road route, click here!
Here’s the official website, click here!
Ship
If you’re going by ship, there’s so many ferries that sail between waterside harbours along the lake and between Germany, Austria & Switzerland.
The agency that connects most, if not all sailing vessels on Bodensee or Lake Constance is BSB – Die Bodensee-Schifffahrt. You need to have your ticket before you sail. Tickets are available at mini BSB offices on location along the lake.
We used this agency, and they are most efficient.
Don’t forget your face mask. You will not be allowed in their offices or on the boats, without it!
For more info, click here
Here’s the ferry time-table. For the pdf version, click here
Please note that due to covid-19, there might be changes not reflected on the time-table. I suggest you double-check. Here’s the online daily updated sailing schedule, click here
For the high-speed catamaran between Konstanz and Friedrichshafen, click here
We used the the car ferry that travels between Konstanz and Meersburg and Friedrichshafen and Romanshorn. For daily schedules, click here
In English, click here!
For weather and sailing conditions, click here!
Train
If you’re taking the train, you need to take the German Railway or Deutsche Bahn
From Germany, take a train to Bodensee or Lake Constance via Karlsruhe, Munich or Stuttgart. For the Deutsche Bahn, train click here
For day tickets by train, click here
For regional tickets by train, click here
From Switzerland, take a train to Bodensee or Lake Constance via Zurich. For the Swiss train, click here
From Austria, take a train to Bodensee or Lake Constance via Innsbruck. For the Austrian train, click here
Bus
There are a wide variety of long-distance bus / coach connections throughout Germany and many other European cities. Many bus / coach lines have direct connections to Konstanz, Friedrichshafen, Lindau, Bregenz and St.Gallen.
For Flixbus, click here
For Eurolines, click here
Here’s a bus route planner. For Omio, click here
Local Public Transport
If you are a tourist or visitor to the Bodensee Region, you are entitled to an inclusive guest pass which will be provided to you by your hotel, apartment owner or host. This guest pass depends on the local region that you are visiting and offers free travel on the public transport network, as well as reduced prices or discounts in local businesses, restaurants and tourist activities!
If you don’t feel like driving, you can purchase a Bodensee Ticket. This ticket enables you to travel via bus, train or ferry and is valid in all Bodensee or Lake Constance border countries: Germany, Austria & Switzerland!
For free / inclusive guest passes, click here
For the Bodensee Ticket, click here
For the Bodensee Card PLUS, click here
For the Swiss Travel Pass, 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 get 15% discount or more, between now and 4 January 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 September 30th, 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 soon!
Bodensee – Where’s that?
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!
Buy Me A Cup of Tea!
Make A Donation Donate so that I can continue to write hilarious stories and create amazing content! Thanks so much!
€1.00
If you want to do the same and write your own blog, here’s my link to a $25 discount in credit with any paid plan with WordPress. Don’t say that I don’t give you anything!
Here’s the link again: http://wordpress.com/refer-a-friend/qyyjJjnfWBnRGPVRj0V
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!
Bodensee – Where’s that?
Tweet
If you want to keep up with reliable news on what’s going on around the world, you can follow me here.
Don’t forget.
Click here!
And book your luxury hotel for 2021 right here!
Don’t judge me!
BODENSEE – WHERE’S THAT?
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.
September 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 the Amazon EU Associates programme, an affiliate programme designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon, Amazon UK & Amazon Germany.
In short, there are four 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!
Have you ever heard of Bodensee? Do you like lakes? 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
If you like this post, please Share it! Tweet it! Or Like it!
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 get 15% discount or more, between now and 4 January 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.
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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 the Amazon EU Associates programme, an affiliate programme designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon, Amazon UK & Amazon Germany.
In short, there are four 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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