<h2 class="RegionName"><span class="PhoneCode"> </span> Rügen Island </h2> <p>In the Baltic Sea northeast of Stralsund, Germany’s largest island is a natural paradise of white beaches, rugged chalk cliffs, beech forests, and sprawling meadows. Ancient stone burial sites and monuments scattered about the island bear witness to Rügen’s stone age past. In the 5th century, the Slavs pushed out the Teutonic tribes inhabiting the island, only to be converted to Christianity by the Danes 500 years later. Briefly under Swedish control, Rügen eventually became part of Prussia. Prince Wilhelm Malte I was the precursor to bikinis, introducing bathing tourism to the island in the early 1800s, and by the beginning of the 20th century, the island had established itself as a favorite destination for nobility. The fall of the Berlin Wall opened Rügen to a flood of westerners, and the island now draws throngs of rugged bikers, backpacking hikers, relaxed beachgoers, and armies of bedazzled pint-sized dogs. </p> <p> <strong>Trains</strong> leave Stralsund, the mainland gateway to Rügen, for Binz and Sassnitz (1hr., every hr., €9) via Bergen, an unattractive transportation hub in the center of the island. <strong>Buses</strong> connect Stralsund with Rügen’s largest towns, and a ferry runs from Stralsund to Schaprode, near Hiddensee, on Rügen’s west coast. Most visitors drive onto the island, and public transportation tends to be expensive. To get to Kap Arkona in the north or Göhren in the south, you’ll have to take an <strong>RPNV</strong> bus from Bergen or Sassnitz. (☎<a href="tel:03838 194 49" class="PhoneNumber">03838 194 49</a>. Every hr., €3-7, day pass €10.) The efficient RPNV also connects nearby towns like Binz and Sellin. The <strong>Rasender Roland,</strong> a narrow-gauge rail line with historic steam locomotives, runs every 2hr. from Putbus to Göhren (€8) with stops in many spa towns. However, with a top speed of 30kph, the railway is more of a tourist attraction than an efficient means of transportation. The best way to appreciate Rügen’s stunning scenery and picturesque towns is by hiking and biking. Although the whole island is criss-crossed by trails, the best are found along the eastern coast in <strong>Nationalpark Jasmund, NSG Granitz,</strong> the <strong>Mönchgut Peninsula, </strong> and on <strong>Hiddensee Island</strong> to the west. There are 21 campgrounds in Rügen, with the majority to the southeast on the Mönchgut Peninsula. </p> 2009-06-02T15:27:09+00:00 180 false 15398 Rügen Island 15390 3 13999 2009-06-02T15:27:09+00:00