Do you sometimes look for places near the city that are perfect for a day trip and offer a completely different atmosphere ? Do you want to escape the urban bubble and immerse yourself in another world for a day? Then you can definitely experience this among picturesque Hanseatic cities, the largest English-style landscape park in Central Europe, or the “City of Iron” —whichever takes your fancy. However, if you’re looking for unspoiled nature, water landscapes, and hidden coastal villages, we have something special for you today. Right on the Szczecin Lagoon lies Altwarp, a small fishing village known for its unusual mix of natural beaches, lagoon landscapes, inland dunes, and a Mediterranean-inspired atmosphere.
Particularly spectacular are the so-called Altwarp inland dunes—one of the most extraordinary natural landscapes in northern Germany. The dunes formed around 10,000 years ago after the last Ice Age. At that time, strong winds shaped meter-high dune landscapes from dry sand deposits right in the middle of the inland. This is exactly why the Altwarp Dunes are considered so special: unlike classic coastal dunes, they are not located directly on the open sea, but inland on the Szczecin Lagoon.
In some places, the sand dunes reach heights of up to 15 meters and stretch for several kilometers across the landscape. Amid pine trees, heathland, and sandy paths, the area feels in places more like a blend of Scandinavian coastal scenery and a Mediterranean lagoon than like northern Germany.
The calm waters of the lagoon often shimmer turquoise-green in the summer, while light-colored sandy areas and dry heathland vegetation create an almost southern vibe. At the same time, the place feels incredibly laid-back: small boat harbors, old fishermen’s cottages, empty natural beaches, and hardly any mass tourism ensure that Altwarp still feels like a hidden gem today.
The area around the inland dunes is also part of a protected nature reserve and provides a habitat for numerous rare animal and plant species. This makes the area particularly popular with hikers, birdwatchers, and cyclists. If you’d like, you can stroll along the dunes, swim at the natural beach, or let your gaze wander across the Szczecin Lagoon all the way to Poland . Its location right on the border creates a unique atmosphere that you’ll hardly find anywhere else in Germany.
