Relaxed and conscious: Holidays on Usedom with beach white & beach gray

There are several quiet, special places like the Seelchen in the Achterland, on the Szczecin Lagoon or on the Cosim peninsula. Places that let you take a deep breath. Where you suddenly feel liberated from one minute to the next. On their first visit to the island, they realized how good it was for them, says Ulrike Gerasch: „It was a bit as if the island had flipped a switch in us. And when this feeling came up again on our next visits to Usedom, at some point we talked about what it would be like to be here regularly.

When the initial thoughts turned into a firm decision, the Geraschs bought a small house on the island. That was seven years ago. While renovating, they realized that it would be easier to build something new right away - and the two vacation homes now stand on the plot. Because she quickly realized that the Usedom construction project would take longer, Ulrike Gerasch took a sabbatical, „and I knew immediately that it was time well spent.“ The architect and her husband already had a soft spot for wooden houses. „When we see such houses, we immediately think of vacations. That's why anything else was out of the question for our vacation home.

And that ‚beach whiteß' and ‚beach gray' should be created with FSC wood, regional craftsmen and photovoltaics: that was also a matter close to the Geraschs' hearts. „If we were going to do it, we wanted to do it right. And we were not exotic. Pioneers, perhaps.“ And consistent, too. Because other architects might have commissioned a construction company from southern Germany to build the two vacation homes on Usedom, which would then have transported the timber to the island from Bavaria or Baden-Württemberg. But we didn't want that. We looked for and found everything locally. They are great craftsmen here and wonderful people. And it was also very important to us that the money stayed in the region“.

During the construction phase, the Geraschs often got on their bikes after work to get to know their new second home. The whole of Usedom can be explored wonderfully by bike; many visitors bring their own bikes and e-bikes or rent them on site. And simply set off. And then keep going – it's no problem at all to spend a long day on your bike here.

If you are planning a picnic for one of your next vacation days, you can stock up at the „Inselmühle“: Among other things, the manufactory specializes in oils, chutneys, homemade jams and fruit juices, the fruit for which comes from a plantation on the island. Liqueurs made on Usedom are also available. For a sundowner on the terrace of the vacation home.