Welcoming visitors to the island for over 100 years, the Binz Pier, in its current iteration, is one of the most striking landmarks of the small seaside town. First built in 1902 to allow ship-going visitors to the island to reach its hotels more easily, it has been besieged by storm surge and the forces of nature. Walk along the new pier, built in 1994 after the fall of the GDR. Imagine the delight when it was first opened more than a century ago as the island’s oldest pier.
Spot the pier from a distance on the way down the boardwalk. It juts out 400 yards (370 meters) into the sea. Watch boats moored along the edge move to and fro, delivering passengers to nearby resorts and the magnificent chalk cliffs that overlook the sea. Buy a summer ice cream or winter mulled wine from one of the kiosks on the boardwalk and step under the arch and onto the pier itself. In German, the pier is called the “Seebrücke” or sea bridge. It’s easy to imagine that this perfectly straight walkway can bring you to another world.
Chat with fellow tourists or with the boat captains waiting on either side. Walk all the way to the end for a chance to sit on the benches and enjoy a completely unimpeded view of the sea ahead, the horizon marred only occasionally by the sight of a ship floating serenely by.
You may come across the Binz Pier haphazardly while strolling along the waterfront. It’s also easy to reach on a purposeful trip. Walk from the Binz train station in 15 minutes or drive in 5 minutes. Drive from Rügen, the biggest city on the island, in about 30 minutes or from Stralsund on the mainland in 45 minutes. A small train system connecting all of the seaside towns on the island offers fairly regular service. The pier itself is open all day and has no admission fee for access. Check with hotels and boat crew for prices and schedules for boat excursions leaving from the pier.
