Germany’s ideal island
“Known for their obsession with the perfect beach,” German travelers may have found paradise on Usedom, said Gisela Williams in The New York Times. “Barely adrift” on the Baltic Sea, where Germany meets Poland, the island was a “legendary” summer retreat for the wealthy as far back as the 19th century. Yet only recently have chic Berliners been flocking to what’s now known as Berlin’s Bathtub. Though still more affordable than nearby Sylt Island, Usedom is fast becoming to Berlin what the Hamptons are to New York City. About 30 miles from end to end, the former East German refuge is blessed with royal history, a resurgent spa culture, and “sand so fine that it ‘sings’”: When conditions are right, rubbing together the “sugar-white grains of sand will set off a small chorus of little squeaks, like music from a tiny orchestra of invisible violins.” Enjoy the “natural symphony” in a wicker beach chair, known as a strandkörbe, before biking the 5-mile-long promenade that connects Usedom’s palatial villas and imperial spa villages.
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