Heringsdorf at the Baltic Sea: Travel tips around Usedom for hikers and beach lovers

The beautiful Baltic Sea island Usedom in Pomerania may not be so well known to many, but it is a dream holiday destination in Germany. The island divides between Germany and Poland. You find long beaches full of cosy hooded beach chairs, piers, shells to collect, souvenir shops and restaurants. On the other hand, Usedom offers numerous hiking and cycling trails, which are easy to use, as there are bike rentals on every corner. The beautiful environment makes hiking on the island even more appealing. With great environmental projects, where rubbish is collected, the beaches are actively kept clean, and the Usedom Island Nature Park, which contains 14 nature reserves, the island is also one of the most environmentally friendly travel destinations.

Table of content

♡ Arrival

♡ Things on Usedom that you must have seen

♡ The Baltic Sea and Europe's longest beach promenade

♡ The Pier in Heringsdorf

♡ The Stawa Młyny in Świnoujście

♡ Further activities in Heringsdorf

♡ Versatile hiking opportunities

♡ Treetop Walk in Heringsdorf

♡ OstseeTherme Usedom

♡ Accommodation

Heringsdorf has its own small airport, including a flight connection to the large airport in Frankfurt, you can travel comfortably from anywhere. Of course it is possible to travel by train or car. The Usedom island also has a wide variety of marinas and sailing piers, where a 24-hour boatman service and a video surveillance system ensure safety.

Airport Heringsdorf

Many people love Usedom because of the sea. That's understandable because the rough Baltic Sea brings an incomparable beauty. Especially at sunrise, you should have seen it, it is truly magical.

The water might not be that warm, even though some people still venture into the waves. If that's too cold for you, you can still enjoy the salty ocean breeze, the sand under your feet and the gentle waves - but especially the beautiful view.

A beautiful dog beach in Heringsdorf makes this paradise accessible to our four-legged friends, and although no dog is accompanying me through life at the moment, I have favoured this part of the beach. It is an enrichment to watch the happy dogs with eyes sparkling from joy as they play and romp.

Located between Heringsdorf and Bansin on the Sackkanal, the beach allows the dogs to run and swim freely here. There is a beach chair rental and a snack stand. You can supply your dogs with water and buy food and toys directly on the beach.

The Baltic Sea is home to a wide variety of seabird species, and if you are lucky, you may even see grey seals here, as the seal population in the Greifswalder Bodden and the Baltic Sea is currently increasing. However, one should not forget that seals, as cute as they may be, are wild animals and should be viewed with appropriate respect and distance. Taking photos from a distance is no problem.

The beach promenade in Usedom runs over twelve kilometres through the imperial resorts of Bansin, Heringsdorf and Ahlbeck - made famous by the visits of Emperor Wilhelm II and his family at the turn of the century - to Świnoujście in Poland. It is Europe's longest seafront promenade and makes it possible to walk across the border into Poland. The beach promenade divides into a cycling- and a pedestrian area, with bicycle parking spots everywhere, restaurants and cafés, and access to the sea every few metres. You can also get to the piers via the promenade.

With a length of 508 metres, the pier is the longest in Germany, and one of the longest in Europe. There is a souvenir shop and an Italian restaurant on the pier, and various ships dock here. You also have a good view of the Imperial Baths' Open Air Summer Cinema, located in the middle of the sea.

With its pyramid-shaped roof over the restaurant, the bridge also offers a  beautiful view from a distance. Incidentally, the bridge's predecessor in Heringsdorf was the 500-metre-long "Kaiser Wilhelm Bridge", built in 1891.

Imperial Baths' Open Air Summer Cinema

One of the main reasons for me to travel to Usedom was, without any question, the Stawa Młyny, a landmark in Świnoujście in Poland, which I absolutely wanted to see in real life. The mill beacon, built in 1873, is a seaside landmark for the entrance to the harbour and has four windmill blades. Its brilliant white colour and the Baltic Sea in the background look beautifully impressive. You can visit it directly and touch it or climb the stairs leading up to the door.

If you want to go to Świnoujście, I would not recommend taking the Adler ships advertised in this area. These ships sail all over the Imperial Baths and even offer round trips - but it's not so sure that you'll get back by them. If you are already on the ship, the captain might tell you that there are high waves and a stormy sea (although this is obviously not the case) and that it is not sure whether there will be a return trip. If you are unlucky, the return trip is cancelled at short notice later - this can also happen if you have booked a round trip! The passengers get asked to get off at the next best port. There is no alternative to get back, no bus that gets organised, nothing.

The train station in Świnoujście is about a 15-minute walk from the port. For mobile young people, that's not a problem, but for less mobile or older people looking forward to a relaxed tour, it is a challenge to get to the station. From my own experience, I therefore advise against taking the ships, or at least keeping that in mind. After my trip to Poland, I heard this had been happening to tourists for weeks. People suspected a lack of staff on the Adler ships as a reason for this.

For a relaxing trip to Świnoujście, I recommend taking the train right away. Thanks to the "Kaiserbäder"-card, you can get to Poland easily by train. Then take a leisurely stroll to the mill beacon, spend the day calmly in Poland and return later by train.

The mill beacon is worth a visit, and despite complications with the return trip, I don't regret a second that I took the opportunity to see it. It is so beautiful.

The stylised windmill standing at the west mole is around 10 metres high and is a shipping symbol. It is indeed a romantic place. The west mole allows a fantastic view over Usedom Bay, where you can watch the ships passing by.

As already mentioned, numerous hiking trails start at the Hotel am Gothensee. For example, the Dutch Windmill Benz & Kückelsberg tour at the lakes Großer and Kleiner Krebssee, Schollensee and Gothensee, with a visit to the 200-year-old windmill, is a fantastic hike. I have summarised the circular hike and created a gpx-file in a separate blog post for you, which you can find here.

Dutch Windmill Benz

If you are travelling with children or like to walk above the trees of the Heringsdorf forest, the treetop walk in Heringsdorf is the perfect place to go. A staircase leads up to the 1350-metres-long treetop path, and you can see the island from a different perspective. For children, balancing beams and wobbly elements are fun to overcome, as well as a comic rally, which they can complete with a comic book available at the entrance. Those who complete all the tasks can collect a small prize at the end of the rally.

From the 33-metres-high tower, you can enjoy the breathtaking view. On the viewing platform on the top of the observation tower, you find a walk-through net. If you don't suffer from vertigo and dare to step onto it, you are welcome to try it.

You can eat at the so-called "Futterkrippe", a restaurant at the treetop walk, where you find snacks and some meals.

If the Baltic Sea is too cold for swimming or it rains, you can enjoy a relaxing day in the bathing & sauna world at Usedoms thermal bath from 10 am to 9 pm. You also find a spa centre, sports- and health studio and a Bistro there.

Iodine brine, extracted from the spa's spring, gets added to the bathing water, which is said to have a health-promoting effect. That is why the water is salty. You can also relax with an underwater massage through various bubble loungers with a view of the sky through glazed roof domes.

For children, there is a "water garden" with slides and a pirate play deck, and for the youngest, there is a shallow baby pool.

There are many different accommodation possibilities on Usedom, and I would like to introduce you to the Hotel & Restaurant am Gothensee in Heringsdorf. It impresses with its quiet location and the cycling and hiking paths, some of which start directly from here. I think the Hotel looks very aesthetic and beautiful with its deep red window frames.

Hotel & Restaurant am Gothensee

There are beautiful seating areas with great views to spend your time at, such as the winter garden or the sun terrace, which are part of the restaurant.

Winter garden - Hotel & Restaurant am Gothensee

Sun terrace - Hotel & Restaurant am Gothensee

You can also spend some time in the large hotel garden full of hooded beach chairs, or deckchairs overlooking the lake to enjoy, and a fire pit where a fire burns on many an occasion.

The hotels' main entrance is a little hidden behind the building - where you will also find the bicycle parking facilities - because in front is the entrance to the restaurant that is not only visited by the hotel guests.

Main entrance - Hotel am Gothensee

You can check in from 2 pm. It is not a problem if you arrive late because, for example, the flight was late, etc. Late check-in after 6 pm is possible if you announce it by phone.

Once you have checked in, you get a "Kaiserbäder Card". That is very practical because you can use the entire regional bus network and the Usedom Bäderbahn - with a few exceptions - free of charge and enjoy various benefits in Ahlbeck, Heringsdorf and Bansin. But also, the bicycle rental directly at the hotel pays off. It's easy to get anywhere by bike, and you can be at the beach in just 6 minutes via the Kanalstraße.

There are 36 brightly furnished rooms, which is very pleasant because it keeps quiet and doesn't get too crowded.

Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the hotel.

In the rooms, you find a TV with satellite, a telephone and a safe. There is a small table with cosy chairs, a soft and comfortable bed and cupboards that offer more than enough space for your stuff. The soft carpeting rounds off the overall picture once again. All in all, I felt very comfortable in the hotel room. It's not the biggest but offers everything you need.

Each room has its own bathroom, with a toilet and a nice shower.

The water quickly becomes pleasantly warm - which is why I absolutely loved the shower. Tiles and mosaic decorate the walls. The bathroom is small but has everything you need for a pleasant stay - you even find a hairdryer.

The hotel has taken various measures to contribute to environmental protection. For example, daily room cleaning is not compulsory, and you can reuse towels. Thanks to the bicycle rental service, visitors are encouraged to leave their car behind for a few days and continue their ways by bike - after all, everything is easily accessible. In the hotel, there are mainly LED lights, the windows are double-glazed, and there are many green spaces. Part of the turnover goes to sustainability projects.

At breakfast, a little buffet is prepared every morning at 8 am, with a selection that leaves nothing to be desired. It not only looks- but also tastes delicious. You can choose your drink, juices are already available at the buffet, and warm coffee gets brought to your table in a coffeepot. Of course, there is a free choice of seats.

Breakfast buffet - Hotel am Gothensee

If you think it's impossible to top the tasty breakfast, you should be taught better by the dinner. Even if the choice for vegetarians - like me - is not the biggest, the food is simply fantastic. I have rarely eaten so well.

Grilled vegetables with potato pocket and salad - Hotel & Restaurant am Gothensee

One thing that you should know, the Gothensee is a nature reserve, so there is no access to the lake, and swimming is not allowed here either - which is not a problem thanks to the nearby Baltic Sea. However, you can admire the lake from the hotel and see a few swans in the distance. 

Gothensee

I especially liked the Art Nouveau lamps and the round windows in the hotel that look a little like portholes. The feeling of being on a ship gets underlined by numerous paintings of them on the walls. The artworks include the Gorch Fock, a sailing ship of the German Navy that has travelled to every continent in the world.

In conclusion, I would like to say that the trip to Usedom was amazing and my biggest adventure so far - it's the first trip I have ever made alone and was my first time in Germany. I recommend a solo trip to everyone because you perceive everything much more intensively, get to know yourself better and become braver. It was my personal proof of being able to do all the things I would like to do independently of someone else. So it was a big step towards a free life.

Jobs fill your pockets, but adventures fill your soul. – Jaime Lyn Beatty

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