10 reasons to visit Rügen

Standing at 161 meters (528 feet) above sea level, these majestic chalk cliffs provide breathtaking views on the Baltic Sea. They've inspired one of Germany's great Romantic artists, Caspar David Friedrich, who immortalized an excursion during his honeymoon on the island in 1818. The ancient beech forest in the park is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2011.

This 1,250-meter-long (4,100-foot-long) path allows visitors to discover the forest from another perspective - through the canopy of old beech trees. The highlight of the walk is the view from the 40-meter-high tower, with its circular shape inspired by an eagle's nest. Both the path and the tower are barrier-free. With some luck, white-tailed eagles can also be spotted in this forest near Prora.

White villas lining the seafront at Binz - the town on Rügen is a classic example of German resort architecture and one typical for the country's Baltic seaside resorts. These splendid buildings date mostly from the 19th century and are among the best preserved examples in Germany, their flamboyance echoing the playful lifestyle of both an era and of summers gone by.

This pier in the seaside resort of Sellin is one of the most famous landmarks of the island of Rügen. Near the beach side is an imposing villa housing three restaurants, but the pier continues behind it; it is altogether 394 meters (almost 1,300 feet) long. It was completely rebuilt in the 1990s, based on existing structures dating from 1906 and 1925.

On the northern tip of the island of Rügen are the historic lighthouses of a very popular tourist destination, Cape Arkona, a 45-meter-high cape. The older one (left) was built in 1828 and houses a museum on lighthouses. Right next to the former lighthouse is the current one, which replaced its neighbor in 1902. Both are open to visitors, who can enjoy extraordinary panoramic views from the top.

Just a short walk from Cape Arkona, the fishing village of Vitt seems almost hidden, built in a small coastal valley. The traditional thatched roofs of the village's 13 houses can be discovered from the edge of the gully. Often described as "the most romantic place on Rügen," this village is under heritage protection. Cars are not allowed to circulate there, contributing to its quiet atmosphere.

A mammoth complex of Third Reich architecture rules on Prora's coast. For the "Kraft durch Freude" (Strength Through Joy) project, the Nazis built these accommodations for 20,000 holidaymakers. World War II stalled their plans. While the location of these buildings makes them attractive to investors, their current use stirs controversy. One of the blocks houses the largest youth hostel in Germany.

The small town of Putbus is characterized by this heritage-protected circular roundabout of Classicist buildings, known as the Circus. Its central point to which all roads converge is marked by a tall obelisk. Commissioned by Prince Wilhelm Malte I of Putbus in 1828, this was the last traditional roundabout in this style to be built in Germany. The site was renovated in 1991.

Located near the seaside resort of Binz, this 170-year-old castle was built in the style of North Italian Renaissance castellos. It now houses a museum with different exhibitions, for example of old hunting rifles and 19th century furniture. The central tower boasts a unique circular cast-iron staircase leading up to an observation platform offering a spectacular panoramic view.

Germany's largest island is also the most important stop in Europe for cranes on their way to the South every year. At the peak of the season, in October, some 70,000 cranes can be seen resting in the Rügen-Bock region on the coast of the Baltic Sea. These impressive birds start arriving with their young family by mid-August. Their loud trumpeting call contributes to this unique natural spectacle.