Fishing port Freest

The fishing village of Freest is located directly at the mouth of the Peene to the Greifswald Bodden and is home to the largest fishing port in MV.

Every 5th fish in MV is caught here, mostly herring, flounder and cod. The oldest smokehouse in Western Pomerania is also located near the harbor. From May to October, guests can take the ferry to Peenemünde on the island of Usedom every hour. Bicycles can also be taken on board. The harbor was renovated with EU funds between 1995 and 2005. 26 fishermen's huts were erected on the quayside. A functional building with sanitary facilities was part of the overall project. It also houses a branch office of the pilots and the German Maritime Search and Rescue Association. Adjacent are restaurants serving fish, ice cream and coffee and cake. Converted fishing boats take visitors out on the Bodden and to the island of Ruden. A bicycle and pedestrian ferry takes visitors to the island of Usedom and back. The Historical-Technical Museum in Peenemünde is well worth a visit. The Freest fishing festival takes place every year in August. You can buy fresh fish directly from the fisherman in the early morning or enjoy it on site in one of the restaurants, which offer both traditional and more unusual fish specialties. You can also gain an insight into typical regional crafts by visiting the Freest boatyard and the local museum. Freest fishing carpets The Freest fishermen's rugs, also known as "Persians of the Baltic", are a traditional handicraft product from Pomerania that was woven by women and children in fishing villages as an additional source of income, particularly during the global economic crisis of the 1920s. Each rug is unique and consists of thousands of hand-knotted knots. Route of North German Romanticism: Freet fishing village - Romantic travel An old, unpaved country road connected the towns of Wolgast, Katzow, Boltenhagen, Rappenhagen and Kemnitz. In bad weather or in winter, this road was difficult to travel. Runge therefore occasionally made his way to Ludwigsburg or Greifswald on foot. Like Caspar David Friedrich, he also passed through the fishing village of Freest, presumably during his honeymoon. Fishing played a major role here: salt huts, smokehouses and fishing nets still characterize this place today.

Fishing port of Freest - the heart of the fishing village at the mouth of the Peene

The fishing port of Freest is one of the largest fishing ports in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. The small fishing village of Freest is located directly at the mouth of the Peene to the Greifswald Bodden and is an important place for regional fishing: every fifth fish in MV is caught here - mainly herring, flounder and cod. Visitors can buy fresh fish directly from the fisherman early in the morning or enjoy regional specialties in one of the adjacent restaurants.

26 fishing huts, the oldest smokehouse and Freest fishermen's carpets

Between 1995 and 2005, the harbor was extensively renovated with EU funding. Along the quayside, 26 characteristic fishermen's huts were built, giving the harbor its typical image. The oldest smokehouse in Western Pomerania is located in the immediate vicinity. If you want to delve deeper into the regional craft culture, visit the Freest boatyard or the local history museum. The so-called Freest fishermen's carpets are also particularly worth seeing - hand-knotted unique pieces made from thousands of knots, which are part of the Pomeranian tradition and are also known as the "Persians of the Baltic Sea".

Ferry to Usedom and excursions on the Greifswald Bodden

From May to October, ferries cross from Freest to the island of Usedom every hour, and bicycles can also be taken on board. Converted fishing boats take guests to the Bodden and the island of Ruden. On Usedom, a visit to the Historical-Technical Museum in Peenemünde is particularly worthwhile. Every year in August, the harbour is transformed into a lively meeting place for locals and visitors from all over the Baltic Sea region at the Freest fishing festival.

Freest and the Route of North German Romanticism

Freest also has cultural and historical significance: the painter Caspar David Friedrich probably passed through the fishing village on his honeymoon, as did Philipp Otto Runge on his travels between Greifswald and the region. Salt huts, smokehouses and fishing nets still characterize the townscape today and make Freest an authentic testimony to North German coastal culture.

Nearby

Other attractions in Freest

Thurow smokehouse

● Freest

As the oldest fish smokehouse in Western Pomerania, the Thurow smokehouse is both a technical monument and an EU-approved producer of a wide range of smoked fish products. See the difference for yourself - both compared to industrially prepared mass-produced goods and to products from the smoke barrel. You can buy our smoked fish in our store directly from the smokehouse - or we can send the goods directly to you freshly smoked and packaged.

Freest Local History Museum

● Freest

The small museum houses a collection of a wide variety of everyday objects that were part of daily life in fishing and agriculture and were gathered by the town’s residents to create a lovingly arranged exhibition. The famous Freest fishing rugs are particularly worth seeing. The idea for the local history museum came decades ago from Erich Mundstock, a teacher and principal at the Freest school. He collected many everyday objects from times past. In 1962, Erich Mundstock established the local history museum at the Freest school, thereby giving his collection a permanent home. Upon his death in 1987, the original local history museum was closed. After the political transition in the GDR, the former customs house—which had been used as an NVA base for decades—was handed over to the municipality of Kröslin. In 1992, the Freester Heimatstube was reopened in the building’s rooms. Today, it comprises seven rooms for permanent exhibitions as well as spaces for temporary exhibitions and lectures. Visitors to the local history museum can take a journey back in time to an old-fashioned living room and kitchen, as well as a bedroom and a schoolroom. All of the items—including dolls and doll carriages, a sewing room, and a hairdressing salon—were donated by people from the region. The most famous exhibits in the local history museum, however, are the Freest fishermen’s rugs. Crafted by residents of the community, each rug tells its own story.

Sleeping

Accommodations auf Greifswald & Umgebung

Vacation rentals, hotels, and more in the region

Hotel

"Prince Jaromar" Hotel Resort & Spa

● Thiessow

In the middle of the UNESCO biosphere reserve Süd-Ost-Rügen, directly on the beach, you will find our private 4-star wellness hotel.

Hotel

A-ROSA Hotel Ceres am Meer - Adults Only

● Binz

This design hotel impresses with its fantastic location right by the sea on the island of Rügen, not far from the Binz pier, and offers stylish wellness facilities and panoramic views from almost every room.

Accommodation

A-ROSA Kurhaus Binz

● Binz

You don't have to travel far to find something special - the A-ROSA Kurhaus Binz welcomes you directly on the beach promenade and its famous pier, where you can enjoy top gastronomy, a stylish ambience and a feel-good wellness area, combining modern comfort with traditional charm.

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