The nine municipalities of Amt Landhagen, together with the university and Hanseatic city of Greifswald, form the heart of the region. The area is shaped by its Baltic Sea surroundings and rural landscapes. When choosing accommodation, it helps to first decide what you want to focus on during your stay: cycling routes, historic religious buildings, wildlife watching, or culture and the harbor in the wider destination of Greifswald. The places and activities offer different highlights, from digital insights into historic buildings to trails and boat trips.
Church and Pilgrimage Chapel in Levenhagen
In Levenhagen, a 13th-century church stands next to a pilgrimage chapel dating from the second half of the 15th century. You can explore both buildings and the grounds digitally with an app. Their different construction dates offer two historical points of reference for a visit; the digital interpretation complements the view of the buildings and their surroundings. If you plan to visit, check that the app is available before you go.
Cycling Routes in Different Directions
The Baltic Sea Cycle Route passes through Wackerow towards Greifswald. The Via Baltica, by contrast, follows the former railway embankment of the Greifswald–Tribsees line through the municipality towards Rostock. The routes therefore differ both in direction and in course: the former railway line serves as a landmark on the Via Baltica, while the Baltic Sea Cycle Route through Wackerow heads towards Greifswald. Construction work or local detours may change the route, so check the current route before setting out.
Gristow Nature Experience Park
Gristow Nature Experience Park combines trails through a variety of biotopes with wildlife watching and several landscaped areas. The grounds cover around 70 hectares and have 9 kilometers of walking trails. Visitors can observe around 300 animals, including sheep, goats, horses and fallow deer. Facilities include playgrounds, petting enclosures, a traffic garden and a kitchen garden. The annual horse-mounted barrel beating event is also held here. This means a visit can encompass a range of themes: walking trails and biotopes, animals and garden areas, as well as a recurring event. Since the park facilities and animal numbers may change over time, it is a good idea to check the latest information before visiting.
Greifswald: Old Town, Art and Trails
In the wider destination of Greifswald, the historic Old Town is characterized by medieval Brick Gothic architecture. St. Nikolai Cathedral is a cultural monument of national significance and the church where the painter Caspar David Friedrich was baptized. The Caspar David Friedrich Art Trail leads through Greifswald and its immediate surroundings, connecting 15 sites important in the painter's life and work. You can explore it independently on foot or by bicycle. A guided tour of the Caspar David Friedrich Center, his birthplace, introduces visitors to the family history and the history of his father's soap-making and candle-making businesses in authentic rooms. Since booking options may change, it is advisable to check in advance.
Greifswald also offers different ways to combine trails and maritime themes. A well-surfaced towpath runs from the Museum Harbor in the city center for around five kilometers along the Ryck directly to the fishing village of Wieck. Wieck's bascule bridge was ceremonially inaugurated on July 25, 1887; its two 13.30-meter-long leaves are still drawn by hand. Greifswald's Museum Harbor has more than 50 ships and is considered Germany's largest museum harbor. From there, trips aboard the museum ships Hanne-Marie and Vorpommern travel beyond Wieck onto the Greifswald Bodden; check availability in advance. During the season, the MS Stubnitz also runs daily from the Museum Harbor via Wieck and out onto the Bodden and back. In Wieck, passengers can board and disembark on the south side to explore the fishing village and the Eldena Abbey ruins. For this seasonal trip, check the timetable and operating days before you travel.
Discover more destinations: Diedrichshagen, Mesekenhagen, Dargelin, Behrenhoff, Dersekow, Hinrichshagen, Levenhagen, Weitenhagen, Neuenkirchen, Wackerow.
Back to the main travel overview: Vorpommern-Greifswald.
