Ralswiek: Störtebeker Festival, Bodden and History

Ralswiek between the Bodden and rolling hills

Ralswiek lies on the Great Jasmund Bodden and in the area of the Central Rügen Hills. If you are looking for a hotel, your reason for visiting may shape when you travel: a summer performance, a stay focused on water sports, or a hike can each lead you to different priorities. First decide which of these sides of the town matters most for your trip; then you can choose the right travel dates. When planning your timing, a specific festival date is especially relevant.

Plan your visit to the Störtebeker Festival

Every summer, the Störtebeker Festival in Ralswiek presents open-air theater. If the performance is your main reason for visiting, check the dates for the current season and plan your trip around them. Three large, free parking lots are available for visitors to the open-air theater; they are within walking distance of the venue. The entire festival grounds are accessible and can be reached by wheelchair. Since arrangements may change on event days, check the latest parking information before you travel. It is also best to confirm any event-specific accessibility arrangements before your visit.

Harbor and Bodden Panorama Trail

The harbor in Ralswiek is equipped as a rest stop for waterway travelers, including surfers and sailors. If water sports are part of your reason for visiting, it offers a direct connection to sailing and surfing. Alternatively, the Bodden Panorama Trail runs through the landscaped park of the castle estate and into the town of Ralswiek. The focus therefore differs: at the harbor, it is sailing and surfing; along the trail, it is the landscaped park and the route into town. Check current trail conditions before setting out.

History and the castle hotel

In the early Middle Ages, Ralswiek was the island’s economic center. Near Ralswiek lies the “Schwarze Berge” burial mound field, with more than 400 burial sites dating from the Slavic period. The dead from the trading port of Ralswiek on the opposite shore appear to have been buried in the necropolis. This offers two historical perspectives: the town’s economic role in the early Middle Ages and an archaeological interpretation of the burials of people from the trading port across the water.

Schlosshotel Ralswiek is located in a magnificent Neo-Renaissance castle featuring elaborate Art Nouveau elements by Henry van de Velde. Access to the interior is tied to hotel, restaurant, or event use.

Getting to Ralswiek

Bus and taxi services run from Bergen auf Rügen train station to Ralswiek; check current schedules before traveling. It is also possible to travel by sea from Breege to Ralswiek; check seasonal availability in advance. These travel options differ in their starting points and modes of transport: bus or taxi from Bergen auf Rügen train station, or the sea route from Breege. Consider which starting point suits your trip, then check the timetable or seasonal service.

Discover more destinations: Garz/Rügen, Poseritz, Lietzow, Buschvitz, Sehlen, Rappin on Rügen, Gustow, Patzig

Go to the main travel overview: Amt Bergen auf Rügen.