Putbus on Rügen: Where nature and culture merge at every turn

Published: January 14, 2025

Aerial view of the Circus in Putbus on the island of Rügen, a circular square with symmetrically arranged trees and classicist buildings, surrounded by green nature and a rural landscape.

Published: January 14, 2025

Red roses in front of gleaming white magnificent buildings that rise up into the blue sky. Green hedges running around a circular square to a stone obelisk right in the middle. At the »Circus« in Putbus auf Rügen, everything has its place, everything interlocks like clockwork. No wonder: Prince Wilhelm Malte I had the town built as a residence in 1810, planned on the drawing board. And the architecture works: Even today, the city exerts an irresistible fascination on artists and cultural workers.

Rosy prospects

This also includes the artist Gabriele Hofer. Having grown up in Graz, the Austrian has been living and working in one of the classical buildings at the Circus for 18 years now. She got to know the place while on vacation. »I saw Putbus and fell in love with the Circus.« In her gallery »gh Abstrakt Design« Hofer works on canvas, but often goes into sculpture. »My favorite thing to do is putty.« Her creativity knows no bounds: Baltic Sea sand, concrete, coffee grounds, everything has found its way into one of her works. Nothing has to be bought, guests can simply enjoy the sight of the art while sipping a drink. »I only serve österreichischer Kaffee«, Hofer reveals with a wink.

A couple walks along a cobbled street in Putbus, flanked by flowering rose bushes and white neoclassical buildings. A sign reading "Gallery" is visible.
A couple looks at abstract paintings in the GH Abstrakt gallery in Putbus. Colorful works of art in various sizes hang on the white walls. The large windows let in plenty of daylight, which accentuates the vibrant colors of the paintings. The room is bright and inviting.

From the Circus, it is just a short walk to the large palace park. Magnificent trees line the wide paths, which make for a truly delightful stroll. In the middle of the park is the former garden house, which is now used as a »rose cafeé«. The menu includes delicious cakes and tarts from the in-house patisserie as well as hearty dishes in the form of tarte flambée. The eyes are also spoiled for choice: enjoy the splendid, historic interior or let your gaze wander over the well-tended park in the autumn sun on the covered terrace? Fortunately, there is no wrong choice.

The Rosencafé in Putbus on the island of Rügen is a white building with a red roof, surrounded by well-tended gardens and green bushes. Tables on the terrace in front of the café invite you to relax in the open air. In the background, tall trees tower into the blue sky.
The idyllic Rosencafé in Putbus on Rügen - a perfect place for moments of pleasure in the middle of a lovingly designed garden.
A couple stands in front of a cake counter in the Rosencafé Putbus and looks at the selection of different cakes and pastries. The counter is richly stocked with freshly baked goods, including fruit tarts, cheesecakes and chocolate specialties. In the background, bright curtains and classic decorations create a cozy atmosphere.
Delicious selection at the Rosencafé Putbus on Rügen - cakes and tarts that not only delight the eye but also the palate.

Culture with a regional focus

Art gallery in the Orangery

The art gallery in the Orangery in the Alleestraße serves up even more eye candy. The entrance leads past pretty rose beds and a bubbling fountain. The elegant building has been home to the Rügen Cultural Foundation since 2011, which organizes six changing exhibitions here every year. Painter and filmmaker Frank Otto Sperlich has also exhibited here and now has a workshop here.

»The foundation was once established by Reclam publisher Hans Marquardt«, explains Sperlich. The exhibitions today focus on works by regional artists or those with a connection to the region - but not exclusively. The high rotation makes repeat visits to the art gallery doubly worthwhile. »Without the gallery, something would be missing«, says Sperlich.

A couple strolls along a well-tended path through the garden of the orangery in Putbus. The garden is adorned with roses and box hedges, while a small pond with a fountain is visible in the foreground. In the background is the historic orangery building with its white facades and large windows.
A stroll through the blossoming garden of the Orangery in Putbus on Rügen - a place full of elegance and romantic atmosphere.

Art that is fun

The souvenir shop »A Day by the Sea«, conveniently located between the Circus and the theater, has also become an integral part of the cityscape. Although the term »souvenir shop« doesn't really do justice to this unique place, because soulless postcards

You will look in vain here for soulless postcards, ribbons and similar items. Instead, owners Jule and Ben Treu make all kinds of creative sculptures and unique souvenirs from all kinds of flotsam and jetsam. »We want to offer people something that is produced regionally and sustainably. And, above all, fun«, Ben explains the fascinating concept.

The entertaining art objects are produced directly on site in the open workshop. Each piece is unique, whether it's a wooden whale with googly eyes or a diorama »Rock Concert« made from dozens of small stones.

The material for this comes from the beach here on Rügen, explains Ben: »Now in the fall and especially in winter we collect a lot when the storms wash flotsam onto the beach.« A day by the sea shows that you need one thing above all to create culture: the will to create something. »I am happy about everyone on the island who has the courage to realize their own ideas«, says Ben. You can see how it works here in exemplary fashion.

A woman sits at a brightly painted work table and paints a driftwood figure with a brush. On the table are paint pots, brushes and other small driftwood objects that are being artistically decorated. In the background are other handmade figures.
A couple looks at the handmade products in the "Ein Tag am Meer" store in Putbus. Shelves with ceramics, small works of art and wooden figures as well as a table with colorful soap stand in the foreground. The space is bright and inviting, with a focus on regional and creative craftsmanship.

Turning old into new

Old watermill

But it is not only here in the town center that culture worth seeing is omnipresent. Past the swan pond in the castle park, it is just under two kilometers on foot to the art venue »Alte Wassermühle«. You have to know what you are looking for, but when you enter the somewhat hidden courtyard in the middle of nature, which the sculptor Bernard Misgajski has chosen as his place of work, you make the acquaintance of his favorite material: scrap metal. »My father was a shipbuilder. That probably explains my connection to steel," muses the artist, who first came to the island in 1995 and moved here just three years later.

In the middle of the well-kept garden, his permanent creations can be found: here a metal chair, there an erratic boulder weighing several tons on thick steel springs, back there a swinging bird made of excavator teeth and a ploughshare. Inside the studio it continues in the same way, hours could be spent here marveling at the creativity of this man. With his calm yet open-hearted manner, he welcomes his guests and willingly provides information about the creative processes behind his works.

A couple strolls through an art exhibition in the old watermill in Wreechen. The exhibition features sculptures and works of art, including two silhouettes of human heads with detailed designs. The warm lighting and rustic atmosphere create an inviting mood.
Discover art in the Old Watermill in Wreechen on Rügen - modern sculptures and unusual installations invite you to marvel.
A couple strolls through a green sculpture garden in the old watermill in Wreechen. A modern metal art installation stands in the foreground, while trees and bushes frame the garden. The tranquil atmosphere invites you to explore and linger.
A walk through the sculpture garden of the Old Watermill in Wreechen on the island of Rügen - art and nature merge into an inspiring experience.

A stop on the water

Rügische Bodden & Lauterbach harbor

Not far away is a real natural work of art: the Rügische Bodden. The natural landscape is part of the Südost-Rügen biosphere reserve. The mild September wind blows through the forest, which grows right up to the shore, and birds that have chosen this stretch of land as their refuge can be observed and heard between the stems and branches. With due respect for nature, those seeking peace and quiet can relax here and the more adventurous can test the late summer water temperature at the designated bathing spots.

A couple walks along a shady forest path along the coast in the Southeast Rügen Biosphere Reserve. The sun shines through the trees and is reflected in the water. The atmosphere is calm and characterized by the natural beauty of the surroundings.
A small sandy beach in the Southeast Rügen Biosphere Reserve, surrounded by steep banks and dense vegetation. Two people sit relaxed on a bench with a view of the glistening water interspersed with scattered rocks. A quiet and secluded atmosphere invites you to linger.

The Lauterbach harbor, on the other hand, is bustling with people. The Putbus district is particularly busy in the evening, when the sun bathes the jetty in its golden light in late summer. Small restaurants and cafés have opened their doors and invite you to end the evening in a relaxed atmosphere with a drink and a bite to eat. This is particularly authentic at the Berta. That's right, »on«. The snack bar floats in the harbor basin in the form of an old fishing trawler. Although Berta no longer goes out today, everything still revolves around fish. The local eel catch is even smoked on board and is then served with plenty of onions and pickled cucumber, according to old custom. Well-deserved after all the natural and cultural amazement.

A wooden cutter named "Berta" is moored in the harbor of Lauterbach on the island of Rügen. Small red buildings, beach chairs and seating areas under parasols are visible in the background. Surrounded by calm water and green trees, the scenery offers an idyllic harbor atmosphere.
The traditional cutter "Berta" in the harbor of Lauterbach on Rügen - a maritime highlight for excursions and relaxation.

Excursion destinations

in Putbus on Rügen

4 Ergebnisse
  • © Sebastian Götte

    Harbour of Lauterbach

    • Freely accessible at any time
    • 18581 Lauterbach

    Lauterbach municipal harbour is located on the Rügen Bay in the south-east of the island of Rügen. With the narrow-gauge railway " Racing Roland" at the Lauterbach pier, it is an ideal starting point for excursions across the island. Restaurants and cafés offer a wide range of culinary delights.

    Read more: "Harbour of Lauterbach"
  • © Tourismuszentrale Rügen

    Theater Putbus

    • Markt, 18581 Putbus

    The classicist theater from the beginning of the 19th century still delights its visitors.

    Read more: "Theater Putbus"
  • © Tourismuszentrale Rügen

    Circus Putbus

    • Circus, 18581 Putbus

    The name Putbus is probably of Slavic origin and translates as "behind the lilac bush". In 1810 this place was developed by Prince Malte to a residence town in classicistic style with theater, pedagogy and white houses around the circus. A city from the drawing board with park and animal enclosure and rosebushes in front of every house.

    Read more: "Circus Putbus"
  • © TMV/Gohlke

    Putbus castle park

    • Wreechener Weg, 18581 Putbus

    Although Putbus Castle, the former manorial seat of the Princes of Putbus, was razed to the ground as early as 1962, the beautiful castle park is still a reminder of this magnificent time. Magnolias and sequoias adorn the garden, which is laid out in English style.

    Read more: "Putbus castle park"

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