Greifswald offers a clear contrast between medieval Brick Gothic architecture in the old town and a route along the Ryck out to Wieck. When looking for a hotel in Greifswald, you can plan your stay around whether you are mainly interested in art and architectural history or would also like to explore the fishing village, the museum harbor and the Bodden. The routes and activities differ in length and type—from independent exploration to boat trips.
Brick Gothic and Caspar David Friedrich
The historic old town is defined by medieval Brick Gothic architecture. St. Nikolai Cathedral is the church where the painter Caspar David Friedrich was baptized, and is also a cultural monument of national significance. This brings together a specific biographical connection and a distinctive protected status at one location.
The Greifswald Caspar David Friedrich Picture Trail passes through Greifswald and its immediate surroundings. With 15 stops, it takes visitors to important places in the painter’s life and work, and can be explored independently on foot or by bicycle. Anyone wishing to learn more about Friedrich’s family history can take a guided tour of the Caspar David Friedrich Center, his birthplace. It also introduces the history of his father’s soap-making and candle-making business in authentic rooms. Check the current booking arrangements before your visit.
In the wider travel destination of Vorpommern-Greifswald, the Pomeranian State Museum in Greifswald displays the Croy Tapestry from 1554, a unique cultural and historical artifact from the Reformation period. This adds another cultural history theme to the art trail dedicated to Caspar David Friedrich.
From the Museum Harbor to Wieck
The well-maintained towpath runs from the Museum Harbor in central Greifswald for around 5 kilometers along the Ryck directly to the fishing village of Wieck. The start and destination are clearly defined: the route connects the harbor with the village and offers a specific way to extend your exploration of the city with a walk along the river.
The Museum Harbor is home to more than 50 ships and is considered Germany’s largest museum harbor. From there, you can travel aboard the museum ships Hanne-Marie and Vorpommern beyond Wieck onto the Greifswald Bodden. Check whether the trips are available before you travel.
In Wieck, it is worth taking a look at the drawbridge: it was ceremonially opened on July 25, 1887. Its two leaves are each 13.30 meters long and are still pulled by hand. The date, dimensions and hand-operated mechanism each give the bridge its own historical and technical significance.
The MS Stubnitz excursion boat also runs daily during the season from Greifswald Museum Harbor, via Wieck and out onto the Greifswald Bodden, before returning. In Wieck, you can board and disembark on the south side to explore the fishing village and the Eldena Abbey ruins. Check the timetable and operating days in advance.
Walks around the historic heart
For a different kind of walk, the ramparts encircle Greifswald’s historic heart for more than 2 kilometers and invite visitors to enjoy long walks all year round. They offer a city-based alternative to the around 5-kilometer towpath to Wieck: one route circles the historic center, while the other follows the Ryck to a specific destination. Which option best suits your stay depends on whether you want to focus on the city center or the route to the fishing village.
For those interested in the wider travel destination of Vorpommern-Greifswald as well as Greifswald, the landscape opens up on a broader scale: three nature parks cover almost 40 percent of the district.
Discover more destinations: Anklam, Anklam-Land Office, Landhagen Office, Torgelow-Ferdinandshof Office, Usedom-Nord Office, Uecker-Randow-Tal Office, Löcknitz-Penkun Office, Pasewalk
Go to the wider travel overview: Vorpommern-Greifswald.
