The Island of Fischland-Darß-Zingst

The peninsula Fischland/Darss, which lies halfway between Rostock and Stralsund, is famous not only for its great natural beauty but also for the Baltic seaside resorts Born, Dierhagen, Prerow, Wiek, Wustrow and Zingst. The peninsula Darss cannot be overlooked, situated as it is to the West of the Island of Ruegen. In reality, the "peninsula" consists of what was originally three small islands (from west to east, Fischland, Darss and Zingst) which were joined as, through the ages, the stretches of water separating them silted up. Fischland, on which almost no trees grow, extends from Dierhagen in the north to Althagen, which is today a part of Ahrenshoop. Here Near Darss begins with its moors, dunes and fields. The edge of the Darss wood is simultaneously the border of the West Pomeranian Boddenlandschaft National Park. Darss Wood is uninhabited and consists of dunes, marshes and moor. Zingst starts near the River Prerow, east of Prerow, and contains a single village of the same name, two wooded areas and a group of grassy fields called the Sundischen Wiesen.

In the "Artist's Colony" you can encounter art in various guises and also have the opportunity to be creative yourself. Be inspired by the traditional thatched cottages, unspoilt nature and picturesque sunsets over the steep cliffs. Or would you like to see for yourself how a ship gets into a bottle? Make an appointment to visit Fritz Konow' workshop at Toepferweg 2 and watch how it is done. This year Fritz celebrates 101 years of the family tradition which just goes to show how good he is at his trade!

A great diversity of cultural events take place in this National Park, which (as statistics prove) can claim more visitors per year than any other in Germany, and there is something for everybody - for example, recover from the stress of everyday living by attending a concert in one of the churches. During the Darss Festival, historical plays are presented in period costume on the Open Air Stage at Wieck. The annual Vineta Festival takes place in Barth - a theatrical spectacle with drama, music, displays of martial arts, dancing and fireworks, forming a counterpoint to the Stoertebeker Festival on Ruegen. In Ribnitz-Damgarten international folk dancing groups entertain the public and you can learn all about the "Baltic Sea Gold" in the Amber Museum. Regattas and maritime festivals take place in many towns and villages and nature-lovers can discover a multitude of interesting things on guided walks.

If you crave activity, you are in the right place - throughout the year you can be out and about on the dykes on bicycles, rollerblades or on foot. Golf and tennis can be played on well-tended grounds. With a surface area of almost 2000 km², the inland bay is the place for anglers, beachcombers, sailors and surfers - and if the winter turns really cold, you can even try ice-sailing and fishing. À propos angling - the plentitude of fish in the waters is proverbial: here you can count on catching the big one!