Cycling around the Szczecin Lagoon

The Szczecin Lagoon with its wide, open expanses of water is the second largest lagoon in the Baltic Sea. The circular cycle route is divided into seven daily stages, which are between 36 and 54 kilometers long and easily manageable for everyone. The 310-kilometre cycle route takes you along long stretches of the lagoon, passing places such as the seaside resort of Ueckermünde, Szczecin and the seaside resort of Ahlbeck. As half of the Szczecin Lagoon belongs to Poland (the border runs through the water), around half of the route runs through the neighboring country. Practical: the tour can be started anywhere and can be shortened in between with a ferry ride across parts of the lagoon. But Milena and Lukas want to do some serious pedaling today. And they set off eastwards from the Hanseatic town of Anklam in a good mood.

The landscape on the lagoon is magnificent! Wide stretches of water alternate with dry reeds and lush grass. Only the crunching of the tires, the gentle wind brushing against the grass and the polyphonic song of the birds accompany our cycling couple for the next few kilometers. Directly behind Anklam, a world has begun that seems to consist of only three colors: the blue of the water, the beige of the reeds and the green of the meadows.

Grey herons and cormorants stalk through the shallow water, swallows perform acrobatic flight manoeuvres in the sky and, with a little luck and patience, you can spot a colourful, buzzing kingfisher or its namesake, the great kingfisher, which is not a bird but a rare butterfly.

Milena and Lukas decide to call it a day and quickly cover the last few kilometers back to the hotel. Their luggage and a delicious dinner are already waiting for them at the Haffhus in the Ueckermünde district of Bellin. The charming, thatched hotel is located right on the water, is certified sustainable and is even energy self-sufficient. After dinner, they grab a Ginger Hugo from the hotel bar and sit down on the small jetty to enjoy the sunset. Tomorrow evening they will already be in Poland. And after another five days, exactly on the opposite side of the lagoon on the island of Usedom. If they stick to the official stages. But that would be a bit of a shame. Because there is so much to see on the Szczecin Lagoon that you can take a little more time.