The town of Usedom is well suited to a stay that combines nature-related topics with the town’s history. The nature park exhibition, the history of the castle on Schlossberg and Anklamer Gate offer different ways to explore the area. Guided cycling tours organised by the nature park focus on active exploration. When choosing your stay, you can consider whether you are particularly interested in nature, historic sites or a guided tour led by an expert.

Nature and guided cycling tours

In Usedom town, the visitor information centre of the Usedom Island Nature Park presents a modern exhibition about this unique natural landscape. The nature park’s information centre is located in the town’s restored former railway station building, the Klaus Bahlsen House. On guided cycling tours organised by the nature park, participants explore the island with an expert guide. Tours may be seasonal, so check in advance whether one is available during your preferred travel dates. The exhibition and the tour offer different perspectives: one introduces visitors to the natural landscape, while the other explores it on a guided cycling tour.

Schlossberg and former town gates

The castle on Schlossberg was first mentioned in a document in 1140 and was expanded into a ducal palace over time. Schlossberg lies east of the town centre. A later memorial also forms part of its history: in 1928, to mark the anniversary of Christianisation, a stone Latin cross with an inscription plaque was erected on the approximately ten-metre-high Schlossberg. The castle and the cross represent different historical points of reference at the same named site.

Anklamer Gate is the only surviving one of the town’s three former gates: Peenegate, Swine Gate and Anklamer Gate. Inside the gate, the local history museum documents the everyday lives of Usedom’s farmers and fishermen and displays historical artefacts. A separate room is dedicated to Albert Köster, a painter and photographer from Usedom. Anklamer Gate thus brings together the town’s history, everyday life and the memory of an artist, without limiting these themes to a single historical period.

More to explore in the wider destination of Vorpommern-Greifswald

The wider destination of Vorpommern-Greifswald offers other distinctive cultural and nature-related topics. In Greifswald, the Pomeranian State Museum displays the Croy Tapestry from 1554, a cultural and historical artefact from the Reformation era. In Anklam, the Otto Lilienthal Museum is dedicated to aviation pioneer, mechanical engineer and humanist Otto Lilienthal; it is a biographical technical museum in his hometown. The two museums have different focuses: one presents a single historical object, while the other explores a person and his various roles.

There are also different ways to enjoy activities across the wider destination. The Ueckermünde Heath is ideal for hiking, cycling and horse riding. For cycling tours, the Baltic Sea Cycle Route, part of the EuroVelo EV10 route, passes through the district of Vorpommern-Greifswald. Other regional cycling routes for exploring the district include the Szczecin Lagoon Circular Route and the Route of North German Romanticism. Routes and signage may change, so check the latest tour information before setting out.

In the wider destination of Vorpommern-Greifswald, Ukranenland Torgelow offers a special activity: the first Slavic boat reconstructed in Germany is used for a boat trip, and participants have to row themselves.

Discover more destinations: Rankwitz, Loddin, Mellenthin, Zirchow, Kamminke, Zempin, Korswandt, Dargen

Go to the wider travel overview: Amt Usedom-Süd.