TRAVEL TIPS FOR USEDOM

Ahlbeck is one of the three Imperial baths on the island of Usedom. The other two are the neighbouring towns of Heringsdorf and Bansin. Europe's longest promenade connects the three seaside resorts to Swinemünde in Poland. Enjoy extensive walks on 12 km along the seaside.

Along the promenade and "Dünenstraße", you will have the chance to admire the impressive villas in the style of the Baltic seaside resort architecture. These are one of the many reasons why Ahlbeck is known for its beauty, luxury and exclusiveness.

The most iconic and most-photographed sight of Usedom is the Wilhelminian pier. Did you know that the pier served as a backdrop for Loriot’s famous film “Pappa ante portas”? The pier was built in 1899 and is 280 m long.

Heringsdorf's pier is the longest pier in Germany with 508 m. It features a variety of shops and restaurants. Use the chance to take a photo of the XXL beach chair at Heringsdorf beach promenade during a break.

There is a diving gondola at the end of Zinnowitz pier that lets you dive down to the ground of the Baltic Sea without getting wet. Marvel at the colourful variety of fish, jellyfish, crabs, shells and many other sea creatures and learn more about the Baltic Sea flora from the experienced crew.

A regular boat service operates between the seaside resorts and Poland.

Usedom’s main highlight are of course the 42 km of sandy beaches. There you can relax in a beach chair, go swimming, take a walk or play beach volleyball. In autumn, you will see many children flying their kites there.

Not only the bike path running parallel to the beach, but also the green hinterlands are ideal for cycling and hiking tours. During summer, the forests provide shade and shelter from the scorching sun. In autumn, they are the perfect spot to pick mushrooms. Europe's first spa forest is located in Heringsdorf.

Usedom is a watersport mecca. Activities like sailing, diving, windsurfing, kitesufing or water skiing are on offer. Thanks to its quiet bays, the open sea and clear lakes, the island is particularly suitable for fishing. Beginners can acquire a tourist fishing license for the island.

You can even enjoy water fun on rainy days: The Ostseetherme spa is open all year round.

Ahlbeck offers public events and festivals all year round. The early months of the year are the host of some events to help you embrace the tranquillity of nature on cold days such as the winter beach chair festival, winter swimming, Baltic lights & husky race, and the literature days. In summer, many concerts and sports events take place at the beach. In autumn, you can watch impressive fireworks at the beach or visit the Usedom music festival. It gets cosy around Christmas time with smaller events by the sea and a Christmas market.

Baltic Lights and Husky Race is the highlight from the month of March in Kaiserbädern (Imperial Spas) on Usedom. It attracts tourists and visitors from around the world to exciting sled dog races on the beach, traditional & crackling Biike beach fires, entertaining live music, and breathtaking light shows.

Get more insider tips for Usedom and Ahlbeck at our reception desk.

Getting bored of beach life? You will find that Usedom offers a lot of alternatives for old and young.

If you are interested in railways, we recommend you to visit Heringsdorf's railway museum or the historical trains at Ahlbeck station.

Learn more about the use and development of technology throughout history at the Historical Technical Museum Peenemünde that is located in an old power station. Its main topic is the history of the army testing facility and the air force testing station where the V1 and V2 rockets and other military weapons were developed. You even get the chance to explore a submarine's interior.

Children are especially fascinated by the nearby Phänomenta, an exhibition of physical phenomena, and the Toy Museum.

Other child-friendly places are the butterfly farm and the Wildlife Usedom, an exhibition of live and stuffed animals, in Trassenheide. A peculiar sight there is the upside-down house.

For nature lovers, the Nature Conservation Center in Karlshagen offers interesting facts about the region's flora and fauna. The Heimatmuseum in Zinnowitz displays interesting details about local history and vegetation.

If you just cannot get enough of the beach, we recommend the Usedom Sand Sculpture Exhibition. You will find it at Ahlbeck's border crossing parking lot (Parkplatz Grenzübergang Ahlbeck). On 4,000 m² of covered space, you will be able to admire huge sculptures with filigrane details, built solely of sand and water.

Ahlbeck is only 2 km away from the Polish border. Get to Świnoujście (German: Swinemünde) in no time by car, train, bus or on foot. Although Poland's currency is the Zloty, payment in Euro is widely accepted thanks to tourism and the proximity to the German border.  Apart from various interesting sights, the beautiful beach and good restaurants and cafés, the main tourist attraction is the so-called Polish market right behind the border that always has many bargains on offer.