Sassnitz-Rugen Rugen Island Germany
Frequently Asked Questions
In the harbour basin, sheltered by long moles. An elegant suspended footbridge crosses the seafront road and links the quays directly to the town centre, sparing tired legs the climb.
Buses connect the town with the Königsstuhl visitor centre, 118 metres above the sea. On site, a looped walkway juts out over the void and gives a plunging view of the chalk face and the Baltic.
Yes, Jasmund National Park begins at the town's edge. From the park entrance, two kilometres of walking lead to the Wissower Klinken. The ridge trail links Sassnitz to the Königsstuhl in about ten kilometres.
An ancient beech forest listed as UNESCO World Heritage, growing right to the edge of the chalk cliffs. Trails wind under the canopy with glimpses, here and there, of white drops falling into turquoise water.
Yes, if you walk in Jasmund. Under the beeches the paths turn slippery after rain, and the ground is not flat. For the harbour and the town centre, ordinary shoes are perfectly adequate.
The old harbour has kept its fishing boats, its smoked fish stalls and the stubby lighthouse at the end of the mole. Up above, the white villas of 19th-century seaside architecture house cafés and galleries. Allow a good hour to wander.
Two curiosities on the quays: a small fishing museum and, more unexpectedly, a British submarine open to visitors. Together they recall the successive lives of this basin, long the gateway for ferries to Sweden.
Yes, and the perspective is every bit as memorable. Launches leave the basin and run along the coast at the foot of the walls. From the water, the white rampart topped with forest takes on its full scale.
Yes, with a little planning. The harbour, the smoked fish and the submarine appeal to children, and the bus avoids long walks. The Jasmund ridge trails, by contrast, are for walkers already at ease.
The euro, with cash for the harbour stalls. The local snack par excellence is smoked fish, sold straight off the quays: that is what to try before you sail.
