Sights in Binz & surroundings

The vacation possibilities and sights in Binz and on Rügen are very diverse. Relaxe vacation or active vacation, there is something for everyone.

Here are a few suggestions to experience an unforgettable vacation day on Rügen.

The Rügen Steam Railway - Rasender Roland

The Rasende Roland is the colloquial name for a steam locomotive-operated narrow-gauge railroad with a gauge of 750 mm on the island of Rügen. The history of the Rügenschen Kleinbahnen, founded about 120 years ago, is characterized by constant changes in ownership and operation and economic turbulence. Since March 2008, the Eisenbahn-Bau- und Betriebsgesellschaft Pressnitztalbahn mbH has been leading the operation under the name "Rügensche Bäderbahn" into a calm and stable 'fairway'.

The first section of the line was opened on 21.07. 1895 from Putbus to Binz on a length of approx. 10 km under the aspect of the traffic-technical development of the region. Today, the Rasende Roland is primarily a tourist attraction that glides comfortably over the holidaymakers' island at a speed of only 30 kilometers per hour. Under the motto 'the way is the goal' the Rasende Roland stomps through the natural beauty of the island of Rügen. The route goes from Putbus to Binz and then on to Sellin, Baabe and Göhren. On about 100 days a year, the train also departs from the Lauterbach pier. The stop of the Rasenden Roland can be reached from the Pension ANKER in about 5 minutes on foot.

Please note that there is a summer and winter schedule: 

To the timetable

Natural Heritage Center Rügen

The treetop path in the Rügen Natural Heritage Center is a destination for a spectacular day out.

Here you can learn about nature on a wooden walkway over a thousand meters long. The circular path of the observation tower spirals breathtakingly up to a height of 40 meters. The effort is worth it: from here you have a spectacular view of the surrounding forests and the deep blue Baltic Sea.

 Information about admission and opening hours

 

Castles

In 1989 it was determined that of the former 216 castles and manor houses on Rügen, 165 still exist in more or less good condition. In recent years, many have been restored and restored. The castles are spread all over the island and are always worth a vacation excursion, as they are usually open to the public and the larger ones also house a restaurant.
Among the most famous castles are, for example:

  • Ralswiek Castle, close to the Störtebeker Festival 
  • the hunting lodge Granitz with a spectacular view from the tower into the surrounding area with a view of the Binzer Baltic Sea bay and the inn 'Alte Brennerei'. The castle is located in the immediate vicinity of Binz and can be reached on a hike from the pension ANKER 
  • Spyker Castle is not only a restaurant, but also a cultural center with exhibitions, concerts, readings and a sculpture park.
  • Lietzow Castle is located on the small and large Jasmund Bodden and is privately owned
  • Putbus Castle is the former manorial seat of the Princes of Putbus in the town of Putbus on the island of Rügen, which was founded in 1810.

Churches

There are almost 50 church buildings on the vacationer island of Rügen, most of them Protestant and only a few Catholic churches. Most of the churches date from the 13th to the 17th century and are scattered all over the island. The size of the churches varies greatly, ranging from classic Gothic brick churches to small chapels. At the top of the picture a view of 2 churches (St.Nikolai church / St. Jakobi church) of the Hanseatic city of Stralsund, which are located just before the entrance to the island of Rügen.

A complete listing of all churches can be found here.

Festival of sand sculptures not far from the pension ANKER

In the Baltic resort of Binz on the island of Rügen, just a few hundred meters from Pension ANKER, an impressive exhibition and festival takes place every year from March to November, where sculptures and formations are created and shaped from sand. Not only in bad weather, the exhibition is suitable for the whole family due to the variety of motifs. Teams from all over the world gather to form the elaborate and artistic structures from sand. The Sand Sculpture Festival already has a 10-year tradition and is held on an area of almost 6,000 square meters. Thus, the exhibition is considered the largest covered sand sculpture show in the world.