Greifswald

The Pomeranian Hanseatic city has a centuries-old university and a centuries-old city centre. Red-brick Gothic churches and Gothic and Renaissance facades are set off by the 14th century town hall and historical shipping and fishing boats lining the river Ryck.

The cathedral of St Nikolai preserves historic side chapels and medieval wall paintings. The haunting ruins of the 12th century Eldena Abbey were a subject for the Romantic art of the Greifswalder Caspar David Friedrich. Works by Friedrich are part of the gallery in the Pommersche Landesmuseum.

The small late 19th century wooden bascule bridge over the river at nearby Wieck is one of Europe's oldest.