Making the most of Binz Rugen
Use these notes to shape a realistic day ashore, then confirm any time-sensitive information for the date of your call.
Arriving at the port
Binz is a tender port, with boats landing passengers directly in the town centre.
Rügen, Germany’s largest island, lies in the Baltic Sea within Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.
View the harbour webcam.
Germany’s largest island combines bright white chalk cliffs, kilometres of fine sand, peaceful beech forests and the beauty of Cape Arkona. Megalithic graves show that Rugen was settled more than 1000 years ago and already drew traders and mariners.
Binz is particularly known for its refined, carefully preserved spa architecture.
Elegant villas beside the promenade recall the peak of Rügen’s largest and liveliest Baltic resort. Construction continued from the end of the previous century through the 1920s. At the resort’s centre stands its historic core: the venerable old rest house and the pavilion in front.
Prora was conceived by the Nazis as a Rügen holiday resort. Its enormous complex was built from 1936 to 1939 for the Kraft durch Freude (KdF), or Strength and Happiness, project. Although the eight identical blocks were planned for holidays, they never fulfilled that role. The site is formally heritage-listed as an especially striking example of Third Reich architecture.
Getting around
Local taxis are reliable, although costly.
Rasender Roland is a historic narrow-gauge steam train linking Binz with other Rügen communities. The picturesque journey provides an appealing way to explore both countryside and coast.
Food and shopping
Binz’s graceful promenade invites an unhurried walk past shops, cafés and restaurants. Its pier stretches into the sea, providing excellent views and a good setting for fishing or sunset.
Quick snacks, known as Schnellimbiss, are widely sold in Germany. Common choices include Bock wurst, or boiled sausage; Bratwurst, which is grilled; Curry wurst, a spiced sausage; chips; and hamburgers.
German fast food is inexpensive, filling and varied, with many sausage, imbiss and specialist stands offering plenty of choice. Much of it has Turkish roots and is popular for combining value with healthier ingredients. A favourite is Doner Kebab: thick pitta filled with chicken or beef, fresh chips and salad.
Money
The euro is used, and ATM machines are plentiful.
Ask before ordering whether a smaller business accepts credit cards.
Staying connected
German is spoken. Local culture is commonly regarded as punctual, disciplined and somewhat formal. German has two forms of you: the informal Du and formal Sie. When addressing strangers, use Sie with their surname in almost every case.
Police emergency: 110. Fire service or ambulance emergency: 112.
Most cafés provide complimentary Wi-Fi.
Opening Hours and
Every store must shut by 8 p.m., with some closing from 6:30 p.m. On Saturdays, retailers may finish at 1 or 2 p.m.; in large city centres, however, many remain open until 2 or 4 p.m.
All stores close on Sundays, apart from selected bakeries trading during Sunday morning.