PANEK on vacation – the German Baltic Sea, part 1 “Quiet nooks”
During the summer, Baltic beaches are associated with the never-ending festival of screens, the smell of fried fish and waffles, and the crowd on the seaside promenades. It turns out that just beyond our western border, the Baltic Sea coast is changing its face dramatically, showing its virgin, practically wild character. If you want to relax on flour-soft sand away from the hustle and bustle, we invite you to a trip to northern Germany, of course by car from PANEK Rent a Car.
Heringsdorf – the longest pier Right across the Polish-German border, the Baltic beaches are changing beyond recognition. Colorful screens give way to stylish wicker baskets, and there is more space on the sand. It is best seen in the town of Heringsdorf, which directly borders our Świnoujście. The town is somewhat reminiscent of the architecture of Sopot in Poland, and the biggest attraction here is undoubtedly the longest pier in Germany, 508 m long. This present-day, opened in 1995, houses numerous boutiques, restaurants, and even a hotel, and during the season, cruise ships moor to it. However, it should be remembered that the wooden pier in Heringsdorf already existed in 1891 and was then the longest in the Baltic Sea (500 m).
Another interesting attraction is the treetop path. It is a bridge with an educational trail, ended with a 33-meter-high tower set on a 45-meter hill. The whole is 75 m above sea level. and from the upper terrace there is a unique view of the three Imperial Spas: Ahlbeck, Heringsdorf and Bansin.
Greifswald – a cruise on the Ryck River The town captivates with its historic old town, Gothic churches and Hanseatic tenement houses. In addition to walking, you can also admire them from the deck of the MS Stubnitz, which invites you to a cruise on the Ryck River, during which you will sail under a manually raised wooden drawbridge. It is worth visiting the ruins of the Monastery of Eldena, a former Cistercian monastery that became famous thanks to the paintings of Caspar David Friedrich. When visiting Greifswald with children, you can also take advantage of the local water park with slides and a small, but designed with the needs of its residents, zoo in mind. It is also a place to go on a culinary journey in one of the atmospheric restaurants and try local specialties made of fresh Baltic fish.
Peenemünde – V1 and V2 rocket museum The city is known primarily for the huge V1 and V2 ballistic missile factory, which was located here during World War II. It was in Peenemünde that the first rocket in history to cross the threshold of outer space was launched. Today, on the site of the former power plant building and adjacent areas, there is a Historical and Technical Museum, where, in addition to documents, films, photos and original exhibits showing the history of the first rocket, we can see a faithfully recreated and painted in the form of an original rocket V2. Part of the exhibition is devoted to the post-war period – the period of the Cold War, the conquest of space and the first space flights. The museum complex also houses the submarine museum, where one of the biggest attractions is the opportunity to visit the Soviet 651 class submarine, known as Juliett, dating from the 1960s.
Another attraction, which can only be seen from a distance, is Prora, which was to be the flagship holiday center for German workers. It consists of eight monstrous concrete blocks, each of which had six floors. All of them could accommodate 20,000 vacationers in 10,000 double rooms. The 4.5 km long building is still the longest in the world today! After the war, the Soviets moved into the center, the sanatorium was turned into a barracks for the Red Army, and since 1994 the abandoned center has been deteriorating.
Stalsund – city on the UNESCO list It is one of the most charming towns on the Baltic coast of Germany. The city, although small, provides entertainment for a day or weekend trip. One of the highlights of Stralsund is the aquarium, housed in a modern and spacious building that has been designed to make sightseeing even easier. There are 45 aquariums inside, the largest of which has a capacity of 2.6 million liters. To supplement your knowledge, it is worth visiting the Maritime Museum.
In turn, the Old Town has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 2002. This part of the city is distinguished by many historic buildings that have been carefully restored, including over 500 monuments – merchant houses, churches or charming streets. The most impressive is the town hall with an openwork wall and the Church of St. Nicholas with an astronomical clock which is considered the oldest in Europe.