#Rügen

Rügen is an island just off the Pomeranian coast of the Baltic Sea, and is the largest island in Germany covering over 900 square km. Rügen is one of the most popular holiday destinations in the whole of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. Even writer Thomas Mann had a soft spot for the seaside resorts of Binz and Sellin, which still manage to hold on to their nostalgic charm. The same can be said of Racing Roland, a narrow gauge railway linking up the island's seaside resorts that is now over 100 years old. On top of sandy beaches stretching across 60 kilometres, Rügen also boasts large national parks, world-famous chalk cliffs, sleepy fishing villages and magnificent manor houses. The island attracts more than 100,000 spectators every year for its Störtebeker Festival open-air theatre event in Ralswiek, which is home to a unique natural stage on the banks of the Great Jasmund Lagoon.