Travel tips Ahlbeck
Great holidays – a dream island in the Baltic Sea for holidaymakers, families and weekend guests
Fine sandy beaches, glamorous seaside resort architecture – the Baltic Sea island Usedom is relaxing, inspiring and entertaining. Germany's sunniest island in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania is ideal for a family holiday, a wellness weekend at the sea or a relaxation or cultural trip. Long walks on the beach, bathing and beach holiday, concerts, sport activities and wellness treatments – Usedom offers something for everyone.
The fertile landscape with its low-rising hills and woods is excellently suited to hikes and bike tours as far as Poland. Usedom's glamorous seaside resorts line the beaches of the Baltic Sea island. One of the most attractive is Kaiserbad Ahlbeck with the oldest pier in Europe, its restaurants and cafés, traditional shops, small beach shops and the unrivalled beauty of the promenade – ideal for a stroll and a browse.
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Cultural tips on Usedom: Fine arts for literature fans, art lovers and music maniacs
Culinary, musical and cultural events take place on Usedom all year round. In March, for example, the Usedomer Heringswochen (Usedom Herring Weeks) are on the programme on the island, the delicacy caught fresh just off the coast of Usedom. As part of the Usedomer Musikfestival (Usedom Music Festival), numerous concerts in the three "Kaiserbad" resorts on Usedom ensure atmospheric entertainment.
The Usedomer Literaturtage are a cultural highlight – after all, guests such as Thomas Mann, Theodor Fontane and Maxim Gorki spent their summers on the island. The Historisch Technische Informationszentrum (HTT) Peenemünde (Historical Technical Museum Peenemünde) is probably the most well-known excursion destination on the Baltic Sea island of Usedom. Art fans find the first art print from Lyonel Feininger in the Kunst-Kabinett Usedom and in Lüttenort, Otto Niemeyer Holstein's studio, you come close to the symbiosis of art and nature.
Sightseeing tips on Usedom: Usedom for pier walkers and local museum visitors
The Kaiserbad Ahlbeck resort offers a wealth of interesting and charming attractions. Probably one of the most well-known is the 280-metre long pier dating back to Wilhelmian times, which is also the oldest in continental Europe. By the way: The pier is probably Usedom's most-photographed motif. Pleasure boats to the other resorts and to Poland regularly dock at the pier.
Along the beach promenade, you can admire the impressive villas in the style of Baltic Sea architecture. The impressive Meeresmuseum (Sea Museum) in the nearby Hanseatic city of Stralsund is one of the most visited museums in the region. Heimatmuseum in Zinnowitz reveals interesting details about the history of the Baltic Sea island and the vegetation.
And in Peenemünde you can find the Heeresversuchsanstalt (Army Research Centre), in which the V1 and V2, that were later used in space rocket technology, were developed. The former military base has been a museum since 1990 and houses, for example, the U-Boot- und Phänomensmuseum (Submarine and Phenomena Museum) and the Historisch-Technische Informationszentrum (Historical and Technical Information Centre). For nature fans, the Naturschutzzentrum in Karlshagen (Nature Protection Centre) provides interesting facts about the regions flora and fauna.
Restaurants tips on Usedom: Usedom for connoisseurs and fish fans
Small cosy fish bars, elegant restaurants and uncomplicated fish stores – Ahlbeck and the surrounding area offer a large selection of bars and restaurants. An absolute must is of course the freshly-caught fish from the Baltic Sea – that is mainly code, herring, plaice and eel. Whether smoked, or as a fillet served with parsley butter potatoes – you should definitely try the fish specialities on Usedom during your Baltic Sea holiday!
Popular fish restaurants on the Baltic Sea island Usedom include Frischfischlokal zum Smutje and Restaurant 1900 and the fish bar Uwe-Krüger in Ahlbeck. The La Mer panorama restaurant in TRYP by Wyndham Ahlbeck Strandhotel is the highest restaurant on the island and impresses its guests with a spectacular view of the baltic Sea and the three Kaiserbad resorts and fine regional cuisine.
Shopping hints for Usedom: Usedom for souvenir shopping and border crossers
Ahlbeck has a small but superior selection of shops and boutiques, a fashion gallery and a wine store with great choice. The beautiful beach promenade is lined with small shops and souvenir stores. That makes is really easy to combine a relaxing walk along the beach with a shopping trip.
There is also nothing to stop you taking a quick trip to Poland – the Grenzmarkt, the popular bazaar in Swinemünde (Świnoujście), is just half a kilometre across the border. The bazaar is home to a wealth of stalls selling speciality cold meats, clothes, embroidery and arts and crafts – an absolute must for visitors to Usedom! If you don't want to carry back your purchases, take the "Bäderbahn" resort train, horse-drawn carriage or simply a taxi back to the hotel.
Wellness tips on Usedom: Usedom for wellness travellers and water sport fans
Beautiful nature, fine sandy beaches and the mild, healthy climate – the island of Usedom is the perfect destination for a wellness weekend by the sea. Modern spa facilities such as the Ostseetherme in Heringsdorf, with their pool complex, offer a broad spectrum of therapeutic offers. The Ostseetherme is not just one of the most attractive pools on Usedom, from the viewing platform you can enjoy the beautiful panorama of the Baltic Sea to the full.
The cycle path which runs parallel to the beach and the green areas inland with its blue lakes are ideal for cycling, hiking or if you simply fancy a walk. Usedom offers various water sports such as sailing, diving, wind and kite surfing and water skiing. You can relax especially well on Usedom with a spot of fishing – calm bays, the open sea and clear lakes provide the perfect conditions. The tourist fishing licence that you can buy on the island is particularly good for beginners.