Usedom Nature Park – the unknown side of the Baltic Sea island

The Baltic Sea island of Usedom is one of Germany 's most popular beach holiday destinations. Especially during the summer holidays, the long sandy beaches between Peenemünde, Zinnowitz, and Świnoujście on the Polish side of Usedom fill up with families.

But the "sunny island of Usedom" also has a completely different side to offer, one that far fewer visitors explore: The Usedom Nature Park offers a mosaic of diverse landscapes. In addition to cliffs, there are also dense beech forests, ancient moors, and lakes.

We reveal what you should know about the Usedom Nature Park – and which natural wonders you can experience far away from the summer hustle and bustle of the beach.

Most travelers are unaware that a nature park stretches across almost the entire island of Usedom, and has done so since 1999. This large protected area, covering an impressive 59,000 hectares, encompasses one of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania's most diverse natural and cultural landscapes. The park also includes adjacent bodies of water such as the Peenestrom, the Achterwasser, and parts of the Szczecin Lagoon.

Away from the crowded beaches, Usedom offers a variety of nature experiences in its nature park.

Source: Imago

A good starting point for exploring Usedom's natural surroundings is the Usedom Nature Park House, located in the old train station in the town of Usedom. There, you can get up-to-date information on the highlights and activities in the Usedom Nature Park, as well as on the diverse flora and fauna .

Approximately 5,500 hectares of the nature reserve are under strict protection. They are habitats for many rare or endangered species, such as sea eagles, otters, and adders. A total of more than 280 bird species have been observed in the area.

Hiking enthusiasts will find approximately 400 kilometers of circular and linear trails on Usedom. Many of these paths lead through the heart of the nature park, including part of the 900-kilometer-long Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Nature Park Trail. This trail connects all seven of the state's nature parks, the UNESCO Schaalsee Biosphere Reserve, and the Müritz National Park.

Anyone who hikes in Usedom's nature park is repeatedly rewarded with idyllic rest areas.

Source: IMAGO/Zoonar

This section of this long-distance hiking trail from Usedom leads you through forests, past several lakes, and over hills with panoramic views of the Peenestrom, Achterwasser, and Szczecin Lagoon. Information panels along the trail provide hikers with more information about the local natural and cultural features.

There are also numerous smaller trails. Highlights include the circular trail between Bansin village and Neu Sallenthin , which runs through the hilly forest landscape of the so-called Usedom Switzerland. The most beautiful view can be enjoyed from the Sieben-Seen-Blick observation tower, from where you can see, among other lakes, Lake Schmollensee and Lake Gothensee. The latter is considered a strictly protected nature reserve with rare birds and orchid meadows.

A trip to the Kückelsberg observation tower near Benz is also worthwhile. This small "mountain" rises to a height of 58 meters. From the tower, you can enjoy a view over southeast Usedom all the way to the Szczecin Lagoon.

Away from the Baltic coast lies the hinterland, which opens up to the Achterwasser, Peenestrom, and Szczecin Lagoon. There, you'll discover old fishing villages with thatched-roof cottages, idyllic paths, and quiet bays. Our favorite in the hinterland: the Zierowberg observation tower near Korswandt, which rises in the far east of Usedom, close to the Polish border. The tower offers panoramic views of the seaside resort of Ahlbeck and the Baltic Sea. The path there is a highlight for nature lovers, as it leads through forests and a picturesque moorland landscape.

You can experience great nature on the Gnitz peninsula, where you can hike on a nature trail of around twelve kilometres – past Juniper pines and steep cliffs. These include the southern tip of Gnitz, also known as the "White Mountain." With a little luck, you might spot rare marsh orchids, sand martins, and great crested grebes, as well as other animals such as otters, moor frogs, and agile frogs while hiking.

Usedom Nature Park not only invites you to a variety of hikes, but alsobike tours for all levels. All tours are well signposted, and if you don't have your own bike, you can easily rent one locally, for example from UsedomRad . Usedom offers a total of 200 kilometers of cycle paths.

One of the most beautiful cycling tours in the Usedom Nature Park is the Kleine Feininger Tour of 15 kilometers, a A circular trail on the Gnitz peninsula and in the hinterland. The highlights of this route, in addition to the natural surroundings, include approximately 45 artistic stops by the painter Lyonel Feininger.

The Great Feininger Tour, on the other hand, covers 41 kilometers and leads via Bansin to Swinoujscie, Korswandt, Gothen, and Heringsdorf. In addition to historic beach promenades, you'll pass unique viewpoints and also see works of art.

Usedom's nature park is not only ideal for hiking, but also for cycling tours.

Source: imago images/Shotshop

If you're passionate about both nature and art, we also recommend Usedom's 29-kilometer gallery tour , from art gallery to art gallery, including the famous Villa Meyer. The Thurbruch-Kückelsberg tour, a maximum of 20 kilometers through a flat landscape of fields and meadows, promises pure nature experiences. A detour to Kückelsberg with panoramic views is also worthwhile, as is the rest area at the Kachlin wind turbine pumping station.

As an official offer of the nature park, you can, among other things, take a guided bike tour to the Gnitz Peninsula, approximately 20 kilometers long. With the help of knowledgeable rangers, this is the best way to learn about the flora and fauna along the way to the southern tip of Gnitz, as well as about Lake Wocknin and the Peenemünder Haken.

Many people associate the term "safari" with a long and expensive journey to an African national park, ideally with the possibility of spotting the "Big Five." But you can also go on safari in the Usedom Nature Park.

While you won't find lions, elephants, and the like there, you will find a diverse birdlife including sea eagles, kites, cranes, cormorants, lapwings, and woodpeckers—to name just a few. The Peene floodplains are even known as Germany's "Amazon" and a paradise for all bird enthusiasts.

With a bit of luck, you might spot otters and many other animals in Usedom’s nature park.

Source: IMAGO/imagebroker

In addition, the wetlands and riverbanks of the Usedom Nature Park are home to muskrats, beavers, and otters, among others, which you might spot with a bit of luck. The approximately 50 other mammal species in the nature park include fallow deer, red and wild boar, and mouflon.

To give visitors the greatest possible chance of seeing animals and bringing them closer to nature, the Usedom Nature Park offers several safari options.

On the island safari, accompanied by a nature guide, you will discover unknown corners of Usedom away from the tourist crowds.

Source: Jessica Salo

Particularly popular, even with families, is the year-round, six-hour day tour " Nature Up Close ." It's ideal for anyone between the ages of five and 95. In a small group of a maximum of eight people, you'll travel by off-road vehicle and on foot through the floodplain forests of the Peene River, to reed beds by inland lakes, and to moors with sundew and cotton grass.

Even more comprehensive is the day tour "Experience the Island Differently," which lasts nine to ten hours and is available from April to September. You'll experience the highlights from "Nature Up Close" with even more leisurely time, and in the evening, enjoy a barbecue around the campfire with local fish or meat.

If you find yourself in Usedom Nature Park during the colder months, there's even a five-hour winter safari, available from November to March. During the few hours of daylight, you'll explore moors and encounter the uniquely magical winter fauna.

Looking for more inspiration? You can find tips for all the top travel destinations at reisereporter .

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