White cliffs of Jasmund in Rügen - a natural wonder in Germany just beyond the Polish border

All in one place! The highest cliffs in Germany and this part of the Baltic Sea, Germany's smallest national park and the largest beech forest on the Baltic Sea! This is Jasmund National Park in Rügen, a real natural wonder just beyond the Polish border. White, chalk cliffs rise more than 100 meters above the sea, among the greenery of the ancient beech forest. These views are spectacular and you will remember them for a long time. You can take the bus to the cliff itself, but I recommend a hike about 9 km from the port of Sassnitz to enjoy nature and soothe the soul with the silence of the forest. Check out our guide and find out how to get there and where to admire the white walls of the Jasmund cliffs!

How to get to Jasmund National Park with cliffs? Base to Sassnitz

Jasmund National Park is located at the northeastern end of the island of Rügen in Germany, on the Jasmund peninsula. The starting point is Sassnitz, from where it is most convenient to start the hiking route to the cliffs. From the port of Sassnitz, there is about a 9-kilometer trail through the beech forest to the center of the park from the Museum and Sky Walk, and along the way you can stop at several places with beautiful panoramas. You can also get to the center by bus, which takes tourists to the Königsstuhl National Park Centre from the port of Sassnitz. This is a good option for people who want to limit their walk and focus on the most important viewpoints. In practice, it is best to combine both options: walk part of the route and plan the return by local communication or vice versa. We parked in the parking lot in the harbour. There are several of them, they are usually paid. From there, we went on foot to the Königsstuhl National Park Centre, and from there we returned by bus to the port.

Jasmund National Park - the smallest in Germany

Jasmund National Park in Rügen is the smallest national park in Germany. It has 31 km² or about 3000 ha. For comparison, the smallest Ojców National Park in Poland is about 2,100 hectares. It is in Jasmund Park that the famous chalk cliffs, beech forests inscribed on the UNESCO list and the most recognizable point of the island, Königsstuhl, are located. The area of the park is small but extremely diverse in terms of landscape, which is why it is so well suited for a day trip.

What to see in Jasmund National Park? Experience map

The biggest attraction of the park is, of course, the white, chalk cliffs, but equally important is the valuable beech forest, which has become an important habitat for nature. A magnificent nature museum and viewing platform await you at the central point. These interesting places are connected by a path leading from the port of Sassnitz to the top of the cliffs. It counts 9 kn and allows you to enjoy magical moments in the bosom of nature. And what else is hidden in the Park? Here are the top attractions of the Jasmund Peninsula!

Jasmund chalk cliffs - the highest in Germany and this part of the Baltic Sea

The snow-white cliffs of Jasmund make a thunderous impression. These extremely beautiful high shores of the peninsula are the highest in Germany and this part of the Baltic Sea. The highest point is the Königsstuhl cliff, 118 meters high. It's a real treat and wonderful landscapes. Interestingly, the chalk is extremely pure here, which is why it was exported to other European countries, where it was used in medicine, cosmetics and even in laboratories. Chalk was mined here from the 19th century until the beginning of the 20th century. When the idea to resume the operation of quarries appeared in the 1920s, the residents protested in order to protect this unique, extremely fragile nature. As in the picture. And in fact, it was popularized in the 19th century by the painter Friedrich, a representative of romantic painting. He painted the painting "Cretaceous cliffs of Rügen". He cheated a little on it, because on one painting he presented several places at the same time to show the charm of this landscape. And how to get to the cliffs? You can take a bus from the port of Sassnitz directly to the Park Center on the cliff or hike along the 9 km long path, also from the port, passing several viewpoints.

Path above the cliffs from the port of Sassnitz to the Königsstuhl National Park Centre - top 10 in Germany

The path above the cliffs is 9 km long. It runs from the port of Sassnitz to the Königsstuhl National Park Centre from the nature museum. This route was recognized by the German media as the Top 10 most beautiful trails in our western neighbor. Along the way, you can stop at several viewpoints, which more and more beautifully show the high shores of the Jasmund peninsula.
The trail is not difficult, but sometimes more demanding, especially in the area of steep descents and ravines. We started at sunrise, the views were really front. However, this is not only an impressive view, but also a very fragile place that is constantly changing under the influence of erosion, so it is worth keeping a safe distance from the edges. Really be careful when walking and stay away from the slopes. Approaching the abyss is dangerous, because it is even 100 meters. In addition, the chalk cliffs are soft and recede by an average of 20-50 cm each year, and in severe storms by up to a meter. Every few years, there is actually a stronger collapse, as in 2005, when in February a large piece of the cliff broke away from the whole. Therefore, the coastline is constantly changing and every year a dozen or so trees fall into the sea, and landslides are a natural element of the landscape here.

Beach - cliffs and flints of Rügen

On the trail it is worth going down to the beach in the right place. Don't miss the descent, because it's not difficult. On the wooden footbridges in the ravine, turn right to reach the tall wooden stairs leading to the beach. Be careful. It is from the bottom that the cliffs look most spectacular. They grow above the eyes with a powerful, white chalk wall. You can admire them on both sides, and under your feet you will find white and black flints characteristic of Rügen. This place is famous for these stones, but remember, it is the area of the national park and collecting them in this place is strictly forbidden. In addition to places of protection, you can take such a stone as a souvenir. Such a hint, do not go further along the beach along the shore, but return to the stairs, because there is no other entrance to the trail.

UNESCO-listed beech forest

Walking along the path, you wander through the age-old Stubnitz forest full of secrets. It is a UNESCO-listed beech forest. It is dense, so there is little light here, but in the flashing rays among the silver trunks reaching the sky, the walk was almost magical. We saw foxes and roe deer. This forest is so valuable that it is called a temple of nature, all the more so because through the dense crowns of leaves rays pierce like through church stained glass windows. Beech trees in the National Park are even several hundred years old! It is one of the few natural beech forests in the northern part of Germany. Walking this route in the forest is a combination of nature, silence and views that really make an impression. Along the way, you will also find a picturesque gorge carved by the Kieler stream. This is one of the most secret parts of the route. Wandering alone gives you a sense of communion with nature in its most austere but beautiful form.

Viewpoints on the route - platforms under the peak overlooking the Königsstuhl cliff

Under the very top, near the bus stop, there are two viewing platforms, from which you will see the highest of the cliffs -  Königsstuhl. Where does the name come from? It means "royal throne" and it came from the fact that in the 18th century these areas were under Swedish rule and the Swedish king Charles XII commanded from this place during the sea battle between the Swedes and the Danes. It took place in 1715 and it is said that he was sitting on a chair at the time, just on this cliff above the Baltic Sea, or as the Germans call it, Ostsee, or the East Sea.

Königsstuhl National Park Centre - multimedia exhibition

The most famous point of the Park is the Königsstuhl National Park Centre on the highest cliff of the same name and 118 m high. The National Park Information Center offers a very interesting museum with a multimedia exhibition about geology and local fauna and flora. The exhibition is very diverse and tells an interesting story about chalk and nature. In the center you can use the audio guide in Polish, which is very convenient for Polish tourists. There is also a bistro and a souvenir shop. For the youngest, there is a playground. Everything is available behind the ticket.

SkyWalk Observation Deck

Next to the Museum, an interesting tourist attraction was created, available as part of the same ticket. It is a SkyWalk viewing platform stretched over a cliff. It is about 150 m long. It allows you to admire the cliff from above, but, interestingly, it does not touch it. It is suspended above the rocks. This is one of those points that best show the scale and beauty of Jasmund.

Mofeta, Herthasee pond and Slavic footprint

Before we took the bus back to Sassnitz, we walked away from the sea a bit. In the middle of the Park, a picturesque Herthasee pond spills over. It is associated with the 19th-century legend of the Germanic goddess Herta, but it is most likely just a romantic fairy tale. On the other hand, next to it there are traces of a true story, extremely valuable, because it has almost been forgotten. It is a several-meter long rampart, which is a trace of Slavic tribes. They had their stronghold here from around the 7th to 9th centuries. You will see what their life could have been like in the reconstructed settlement of Ukranenland on the Szczecin Lagoon. Next to the embankment there is also a moffet, i.e. a source of gases.

Sassnitz in a nutshell

We returned by bus to the starting point of our expedition, i.e. the port of Sassnitz. We took a walk around the town. In the times of the socialist GDR, it was one of the most important ports connecting the East with the West. This is probably why a unique symbol of the community appeared here, namely a British submarine. What is he doing here? In the 1960s, Was launched and operated in the British Navy and later bought by a private owner. In the end, she found herself in this city, because it was developing tourist infrastructure and needed just such a facility, which is associated with the sea. Today it is a museum - Erlebniswelt UBoot Sassnitz. The boat moored in a fairly busy port, which is protected from the sea by a long breakwater that you can walk through. Apparently, it is the longest in Europe. We recommend going a little to the east, where there is a pleasant promenade with a beach, where you can easily find a geological curiosity - characteristic black flints with white discoloration, which are associated with the Cretaceous coast. It is a small but very recognizable element of the local landscape that perfectly closes this trip. In the vicinity, we also recommend a beautiful resort - Binz - considered the most beautiful in all of Rügen.

Our video about Rügen and more

We would like to invite you to watch our film about Rügen and the Szczecin Lagoon.

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What's worth seeing in the area?

You don't have to travel far to find more interesting places. Within a radius of 100 kilometers, there are many attractions waiting for you that will certainly enrich your stay Your trip with additional memories.

• Binz in Germany, distance: 19.3  km
• Wolin National Park, distance: 87.3  km
• Miedzyzdroje, distance: 87.7  km
• Ueckermund in Germany, distance: 96.3  km