Cycling tour on Usedom and along the Stettin Lagoon

Your cycling tour to Usedom begins in Greifswald. The townscape of the Hanseatic and university town remained almost undestroyed during the Second World War and can still be experienced today in much the same way as Caspar David Friedrich, the town's most famous son, once captured it in his paintings. One of his most famous motifs is the Eldena monastery ruins in the eastern part of the city. The centre of Greifswald is the old town, which is well worth seeing and impresses with its spacious market square and houses of different architectural styles.

The first stage of your cycling tour on Usedom and along the Szczecin Lagoon first takes you to Lubmin. The sandy beach of the Baltic seaside resort, about five kilometres long, is perfect for taking a longer break. You will reach your destination for the day, Wolgast. The town is often referred to as the gateway to the island of Usedom. Situated on the Peene River, it has an old town that is well worth seeing and boasts many architectural monuments. Take a harbour tour and pass the city's Blue Wonder. The Peene Bridge – a bascule bridge – got its nickname because of its striking blue colour. The bridge connects Wolgast with Usedom via the castle island.

We cross the Peene Bridge to the island of Usedom. Germany's second largest island is best known for its kilometres of fine sandy beaches and its imperial spas. One of them is Heringsdorf. The sophisticated seaside resort calls a 508 metre long pier its own – it is the longest on the European mainland. The beach villas in the style of seaside resort architecture are reminiscent of the imperial era, when many celebrities came to spend their summer holidays. A little off the coast lies the manor village of Mellenthin. The romantic moated castle from the 16th century is particularly worth seeing. You will spend the night in Heringsdorf or Mellenthin.

Today your cycle tour takes you to Usedom on the Szczecin Lagoon. After leaving the Baltic Sea behind you, you will cycle inland through small villages and woodland to the small town of Usedom. It gave the island its name. Take a walk and discover the Anklamer Tor (Anklam Gate) with its museum of local history and pay a visit to the harbour on Lake Usedom. Take the ferry from Karnin to the mainland. Not far from the Szczecin Lagoon, you will cycle up almost no incline to Ueckermünde, which awaits you with an old town worth seeing and a fine sandy beach.

The cycle path leads you through the Szczecin Lagoon Nature Park to Anklam on the river Peene. The most famous son of the old port and Hanseatic city is Otto Lilienthal. He was the first person to successfully make flights in a glider. In the Otto-Lilienthal-Museum, you can learn more about the life and path of the engineer and aviation pioneer. Cycle through the Peene Valley, which is bursting with unspoilt nature, to Stolpe. Visit the old monastery ruins, the ferry pub and the Wartislaw church. You will spend the night in Anklam or Stolpe.

Today's stage of your cycle tour to Usedom takes you from the river Peene through the Lassaner Winkel, a stretch of land characterised by meadows and waterholes. On the way, it is worth stopping off in Lassan. The town is one of the smallest in Germany. Visit the museum in the former water mill and enjoy the maritime flair of the Peene River at the harbour. You will be particularly struck by the house doors decorated with carvings, which date back to the heyday of the woodworking trade. Wolgast is your destination for the day.

You follow the Peene River and reach the north-west of Usedom. In the former fishing village of Peenemünde, a centre for rocket development and research was established at the beginning of the 20th century. Today, the area is home to the Historical-Technical Museum. It documents the historical past of the area with models, films and much more. In Peenemünde you take the ferry to the fishing village of Freest. Before continuing your journey to Greifswald, enjoy a fish sandwich at the harbour and visit the Freest local history museum, which will give you an insight into the production of fishing carpets.

Your cycling  tour on Usedom and along the Szczecin Lagoon already ends after breakfast. We would be happy to extend your stay in Greifswald, Wolgast, Heringsdorf, Mellenthin or one of the other overnight destinations with an extra night.