This Baltic Sea resort town has a 5-kilometer white sand beach lined with elegant 19th-century villas and Germany's longest pier. A calm spot for swimming and beach walks.
Ostseebad Binz sits on Germany's largest island, Rügen, where a 5-kilometer sandy beach meets the Baltic Sea. You'll find streets lined with 19th-century resort architecture, including white-painted villas with ornate balconies and decorated towers. Walk along the 370-meter pier, climb the spiral staircase to the observation deck at Granitz Hunting Lodge, or take a journey through the island's coastal villages on the narrow-gauge steam train "Rasender Roland."
Getting to Binz by Train
You can reach Binz from mainland Germany via Stralsund on Deutsche Bahn trains. The station operates ICE and regional services, with trains departing every 30 minutes during peak hours and hourly during off-peak times. Long-distance trains arrive at platforms 2 and 3, while regional trains stop at platform 4.
Beach Areas and Activities
The main beach stretches for 5 kilometers, with clear signs marking family zones and two designated naturist areas. A 3.2-kilometer promenade runs alongside the beach, connecting the main Kurhaus to the pier. From May to September, you can rent wooden beach chairs (Strandkörbe) near the main beach access points. The Kurplatz comes alive each evening in summer with live music, from string quartets to local bands.
19th-Century Resort Architecture
Walk through the town center to see the white-painted villas built around 1900. The buildings combine Classical, Neo-baroque, and Art Nouveau elements, with specific details like glass-enclosed balconies wrapping around corners, octagonal towers, and multi-paned bay windows. While many villas now function as hotels or vacation rentals, they retain their original architectural elements, including decorated window frames and carved wooden doors.
Local Transportation and Day Trips
The Rasender Roland steam train departs every two hours between 9:00 and 18:00, connecting Binz with Putbus, Sellin, Baabe, and Göhren. The town center's compact layout makes it easy to explore on foot. Local buses run every 30 minutes to the Prora building complex (10 minutes north) and hourly to Jasmund National Park's chalk cliffs (45 minutes away).
Seasonal Events
In July and August, musicians perform daily at the Kurplatz from 19:00 to 21:00. The open-air Störtebeker Festival runs from June to September in nearby Ralswiek, staging historical shows with sailing ships and horse riders. From December 12-15, the Christmas market fills the town square with regional food vendors and local craftspeople selling traditional decorations.
