Hiddensee is a tiny German island, located off the coast of Rügen, the largest island in the country. It’s home to about 1,000 inhabitants and is known for being one of Germany’s few car-free islands.
A day on the peaceful island seemed like the perfect way to end our family holiday in the Rügen area. I’d enjoyed exploring Rügen and the nearby city of Stralsund where we had our base for the week, and I didn’t think that the trip to Hiddensee could possibly outshine all the other days. But it sure did.
We set off with the ferry from Schaprode on Rügen in the morning, arriving in the village of Kloster after a brief stopover in Vitte, the largest village on Hiddensee. The island is home to four villages, three of which are connected by ferry to either Stralsund or Schaprode or both. It’s rather unusual to have ferry connections to so many different places on a small island, but it makes sense for Hiddensee since the island is 17 km long, the villages are spread out and no cars are allowed. The fourth village, Grieben, is only a short walk away from Kloster.
Before buying the ferry tickets, I researched the island thoroughly in order to decide which village to visit. Had I been alone, I would’ve rented a bike to explore the entire island, but with my family it was necessary to choose one area to go for a walk. I chose Kloster because it’s located in the hilliest part of the island, the northern end, and also because I found a great hike that we could do together just north of the village.
Upon arrival in Kloster, I could already feel the relaxed atmosphere. I love the fact that the island is car-free, it makes it feel like the ferry journey took us back in time to a more peaceful period.
Kloster is a lively little village with lots going for it. It’s known as the cultural centre of Hiddensee and it has an abundance of galleries, craft shops, cafés and restaurants, and even two supermarkets.
We had just under six hours on the island before having to catch our ferry back to Schaprode. It was plenty of time to visit some of the many shops as well as the only church on the island from the early 14th century, before embarking on our hike.
Based on the research I’d done before the trip, I’d chosen a route of about 7 km, a loop which took us around the northern part of Hiddensee to the lighthouse Lechtturn Dornbusch, located on the highest point on the island. The hike started out nice and easy, following a well-paved road to the tiny village of Grieben, the oldest on the island. But almost immediately after entering the countryside, we were attacked by gnats. We hadn’t seen any on Rügen, so apparently they just really like hanging out on Hiddensee. And they loved us…
The road ended just outside the village and turned into a gravel road, although still in great condition. As we continued north, we soon spotted the lighthouse in the distance but we weren’t heading there just yet.
We continued to the end of the gravel road where we came to Enddorn, a beach with low cliffs that offered the perfect setting for our first break. While the others rested in the sun, I climbed down the cliffs to the beach to view them from below.
From the pictures I’d seen, the cliffs looked a lot bigger, but in reality they weren’t really a sight. Still, the view of the ocean is always nice.
We backtracked a little to find the path that was supposed to take us inland towards the lighthouse. The first path on the map was completely overgrown, I couldn’t even spot it. But then we came to another path which was also quite overgrown, but we could easily see where to walk. Brandon and I decided that it would be best to try this path rather than backtrack even further to another path. But we couldn’t have been more wrong.
While the views that the path offered were really beautiful, the path itself only got worse as we hiked on – and the gnats were having a feast. It started going gradually uphill and becoming more and more overgrown, making it difficult to navigate. The uphill hike was tough on my grandmother and dad, but they managed quite well.
But then came the biggest challenge of the day.
We turned a corner and saw that the path went up a steep hill. Unsure of what to do, Brandon and I let the others decide and they gave all they had to climb this hill. It was tough, but we all made it in the end.
The views from the hill were amazing. Now I finally understood just how hilly the northern part of Hiddensee really is – I thought it would just be small hills that look large compared to the very flat southern part, but our route showed that the hills can be tough to climb. And full of gnats!
The lighthouse was still quite a distance away and would require a descend down the hill and then another ascend up the hill that the lighthouse stands on. But we all decided that it would be worth the effort to see the lighthouse up close.
I’m glad we did, because the views from the lighthouse were even better. From its platform, we could see the entire length of the island with its four villages and Rügen beyond it!
After our little lighthouse adventure, we walked back to Kloster along a paved (and not overgrown!) path and back down to the harbour where we enjoyed a wonderful meal before waving goodbye to Hiddensee as we sailed back to Rügen.
Despite the strenuous hike, we all really enjoyed our day out at Hiddensee and agreed that it offers a certain kind of beauty and solitude that was unexpected for Germany.
Travel info on Hiddensee
WHERE TO GO?: It can be difficult to choose where to go on Hiddensee, especially if you plan on walking. I haven’t been to Neuendorf, but I saw Vitte on the way to Kloster and from what I saw, I prefer Kloster. Kloster is quaint and gorgeous, and the area is also the most scenic on the island. It features rolling hills complete with the Dornbusch lighthouse and the tiny village of Grieben. If you fancy more walking, you could catch the ferry to Vitte and back from Kloster (or the other way around) as they’re only a 2 km walk from each other.
GETTING THERE: There are plenty of ferry options for Hiddensee leaving either from Stralsund or Schaprode on Rügen and arriving in either Neuendorf, Vitte or Kloster. They sail many times per day, and the return ticket price for an adult is 24 euros. Book your tickets here.
GETTING AROUND: Cars are not allowed on the island, but you can bring a bike or rent one in the villages or just walk around. If you plan on visiting just one area, I recommend walking, but if you want to explore the entire island, biking is your best bet.
EATING AND DRINKING: There are plenty of supermarkets, cafes and restaurants in Kloster, and I’m sure it’s similar in the other villages. I don’t know whether or not they’re all open in the offseason though, so if you’re not travelling during the summer, your safest bet is to bring some food and water with you.
Hiking route description
The hike starts and ends at the harbour in Kloster. Follow Hafenweg to the crossroad and then take Am Reedsal out of the village. Continue along the road past the village of Grieben and follow it all the way to its end at Enddorn. Then backtrack 350 meters to a rather overgrown path on your right and follow it up the hill, Swantiberg. At the hill, take a left turn and follow the path to the lighthouse. Don’t forget to climb the 102 steps to the viewing platform! Then continue straight ahead along the path that will take you back to Kloster.
The hike is 7 km long, takes 3-4 hours and is of moderate difficulty with the highest elevation at 70 m.
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