Amt Landhagen: Discover Churches, Routes and Culture

Together, the nine municipalities of Amt Landhagen and the university and Hanseatic city of Greifswald form the heart of the region. The Baltic Sea setting and rural landscapes provide the backdrop for this destination. Highlights include historic buildings in Levenhagen, two routes with different paths through Wackerow, and a nature adventure park with trails, gardens and opportunities to observe animals. Greifswald adds a distinct urban dimension, with Brick Gothic architecture, art history and maritime tradition.

The places and experiences described offer a range of themes, but no specific distances or travel times between them can be inferred.

Church and Pilgrimage Chapel in Levenhagen

In Levenhagen, a church dating from the 13th century stands beside a pilgrimage chapel from the second half of the 15th century. The two buildings give the village a historic focal point that can also be explored digitally: an app provides information about the buildings and grounds. Check whether the app is available before your visit. This lets you include a digital exploration in your preparations without focusing solely on the buildings’ history.

Two Routes through Wackerow

The Baltic Sea Cycle Route passes through Wackerow in the direction of Greifswald. The Via Baltica follows a different route: it runs along the former Greifswald–Tribsees railway embankment through the municipality towards Rostock. This gives the area two distinct route connections: one is part of the Baltic Sea Cycle Route, while the other follows a former railway embankment. The former railway line is mentioned as part of the route’s history, not as a statement about current rail services.

If a particular route is important to your plans, take its direction into account when choosing where to stay, and check for current information about possible construction work or detours before setting out. The route information does not specify walking times or the condition of individual sections. For planning your trip, the main points here are the routes’ different directions and the Via Baltica’s distinctive course along the former railway embankment.

Gristow Nature Adventure Park: Trails, Animals and Tradition

Gristow Nature Adventure Park covers around 70 hectares. Nine kilometres of walking trails pass through a variety of habitats. The park also has playgrounds, petting enclosures, a traffic garden and a kitchen garden. Around 300 animals, including sheep, goats, horses and fallow deer, can be observed there. The different facilities and opportunities to see animals offer a range of ways to enjoy a visit.

The park’s annual events include horseback barrel-tapping, a traditional competition. Nature experiences and a regional tradition come together here. Facilities and animal numbers can change over time, so check for current information before your visit. The nature adventure park is a standalone day-trip destination in this selection and is not assigned here to a particular locality or municipality.

Greifswald as a Wider Travel Destination

Greifswald adds a distinct urban focus to the regional context. The historic old town is characterised by medieval Brick Gothic architecture. St. Nikolai Cathedral is Caspar David Friedrich’s baptismal church and a cultural monument of national significance. Visitors interested in the connection between urban history and art will find two clear points of interest here: the old town’s architecture and the painter’s connection to the cathedral.

The Caspar David Friedrich Art Trail runs through Greifswald and its surrounding area. Its 15 stops highlight important places in the painter’s life and work, and the trail can be explored independently on foot or by bicycle. A guided tour of the Caspar David Friedrich Centre, Friedrich’s birthplace, offers further insight into his family history and the history of his father’s soap-making and candle-making workshop. The tour takes place in authentic rooms; check the current booking options in advance. This provides a choice between an independent route with multiple stops and a guided introduction to family history and traditional crafts.

Greifswald’s routes also offer different experiences. A well-maintained towpath runs from the museum harbour in the city centre for around five kilometres along the Ryck directly to the fishing village of Wieck. The ramparts encircle the historic heart of the city for more than two kilometres and are ideal for long walks throughout the year. The routes differ in their described orientation: the towpath follows the Ryck to Wieck, while the ramparts encircle the historic centre.

In Wieck, the swing bridge is another notable structure. It was ceremonially opened on 25 July 1887, and its two 13.30-metre-long leaves are still operated by hand. The museum harbour is another place to explore maritime history: it has more than 50 ships and is considered Germany’s largest museum harbour. The harbour, bridge and fishing village give Greifswald’s maritime heritage a tangible presence.

Trips aboard the museum ships Hanne-Marie and Vorpommern run from Greifswald’s museum harbour, via Wieck and out onto the Greifswalder Bodden. During the season, the excursion boat MS Stubnitz runs daily from the museum harbour via Wieck onto the Bodden and back. In Wieck, boarding and disembarking are possible on the south side, making it easy to explore the fishing village and the ruins of Eldena Abbey. As the MS Stubnitz operates seasonally and the availability of the museum ships should be checked, find out about timetables and operating dates in advance.

These different interests can help guide your choice of accommodation: Levenhagen’s historic buildings, the routes through Wackerow, nature and wildlife experiences at Gristow Nature Adventure Park, or Greifswald’s urban, artistic and maritime history. Consider which of these themes matter for your trip and include them in your search for a suitable place to stay.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Diedrichshagen, Mesekenhagen, Dargelin, Behrenhoff, Dersekow, Hinrichshagen, Levenhagen, Weitenhagen, Neuenkirchen, Wackerow.

Go to the overview of the wider travel region: Vorpommern-Greifswald.