7 Things You Must Do on Hiddensee

Of course, amber is most often found after spring or autumn storms - and usually by those who weren't even looking for it. Nonetheless, it's worth being attentive on the beach or spending a leisurely hour in the sand to sharpen your eye for the little things, because even in the hottest summer it's possible to find small pieces of amber - there's hardly a better souvenir.

Many shops on Hiddensee offer empty bottles and vials, where the valuable, self-found resin can be admired. And if you happen to get lucky and find a larger piece of amber, you can learn how to properly showcase its shape and bring out the famous amber gold in one of the amber shops in Vitte or Kloster.

Home-smoked salmon is simply delicious - especially the one from Reinhard Lüth. Those coming from the harbor in Kloster almost automatically stumble into his bistro 'Am Klostergarten' and should definitely take a break there.

The Pizza Lichtblau with said home-smoked salmon, soft cheese, and onions is exceptionally tasty. The fish sandwiches here are also freshly prepared and taste wonderful. If you have a sweet tooth, you must try the fluffy steamed dumplings.

You can also enjoy a high-profile meal on Hiddensee: At the harbor in Kloster, the fishing boat of Mayor Thomas Gens is anchored. Here, too, there are wonderful fish sandwiches with specialties from their own smokehouse.

On Hiddensee, you discover breathtaking views of the island and its sandbanks in many places. An especially original 'TV viewing' can be found on the way from Kloster to the Dornbusch lighthouse: About 1.4 kilometers on a paved path, a wooden bed and a 'TV' offer a place to linger and watch.

The Dornbusch lighthouse is then only about 500 meters away and offers a magnificent view over the Baltic Sea with its 28 meters height, 72 meters above sea level.

But beware: The tower is open only up to wind force 6 and in good weather. Admission is 3 euros for adults, and children, for safety reasons, may enter the tower from six years old and pay 1.50 euros.

It's well known that the island of Hiddensee is largely car-free (only a few electric cars help where vehicle use is indispensable). If you want to explore the island in one day, you should be good on foot, rent a bike - or take a carriage ride with Luise and Cathleen.

The two friendly horses are just two of countless peers pulling carriages and wagons on Hiddensee. Not only for children is the carriage ride a unique experience - it feels like going back to grandma's days and the cheerful hoof taps on the cobblestones will instantly lift your spirits.

If you wish, you can book a guided island tour (around 60 euros per hour), or bridge the distances between Kloster and Vitte or Vitte and Neuendorf with a horse-drawn wagon. Empty carriages also stop at a friendly call, picking up weary island visitors along the way.

The entire island of Hiddensee is part of the Vorpommersche Boddenlandschaft National Park. Everywhere you encounter signs, display cases, and signposts that make the magnificent natural heritage experienceable.

On the adventure trail between Kloster and Vitte, right at the National Park House, small and large visitors can playfully discover interesting facts about the coastal habitats - and also have a lot of room to romp around.

In the fall, special guests arrive: cranes migrate to their winter quarters and rest on Hiddensee - a spectacular sight not only for bird lovers.

The island was not only in the past a Mecca for artists of all kinds. In 'Karusel', the former summerhouse of silent film legend Asta Nielsen in Vitte, not only Joachim Ringelnatz was a guest. Gottfried Benn, Carl Zuckmayer, Hans Fallada and Gerhart Hauptmann - they all valued the inspiration of the island.

Even today you can find galleries, pottery workshops, and creative offerings all over the island. The young company Nordwolle, for example, offers cozy sweaters and jackets made of wool primarily from the endangered Pomeranian landscape sheep.

The potter Pilar Rodrigo-Riebe offers not only cheerfully spotted ceramics but also cups and bowls with the famous house marks of the island and 'evil fish' - her small pottery workshop is a bit hidden in Kloster, Am Bau 11.

Yes, you can walk around Hiddensee all day and see the sights. But you can also leave your phone in the car and bring both to the other side when you sail to Hiddensee.

The island provides the opportunity in the fast-paced daily life to return to peace and enjoy something that has become rare today: serene contemplation.

On the miles-long beaches, the fine sand squeaks under bare feet, the seawater remains a challenge in the middle of summer and is surprisingly cold and clear. And inland, horses graze peacefully, butterflies flutter over the salt marshes, and caterpillars spin entire trees.

Beautiful and healing, if you take the time to discover such natural spectacles.