Holiday home Villa Ruh­leben

Prerow on the Darß pen­insula has been a place of longing for 150 years. Towards the end of the 19th century, people in cities full of noise and crowds, full of soot and smoke, yearned for a refreshing summer retreat by the sea. So it is no sur­prise that, in 1876, a resourceful inn­keeper set up bathing tents on Prerow beach for the first time. Of course, only the better-off could afford to come, but they would board the train in Berlin, rattle through the coun­tryside for half a day to Barth or Stralsund, and change there to a steamboat – bound for Prerow. By 1895, as many as 1,800 summer holi­day­makers were already visiting the village every year. Those with enough money decided to build their own holiday homes – but there were never as many as in Binz, Ahlbeck or Heringsdorf.#

In any case, Quad­fasel, the Berlin locksmith, cer­tainly had the necessary bank balance. He built his villa in 1890 vir­tually in the middle of the Darß Forest, on a small hill on Vil­len­straße. And he named it Ruh­leben, after the Berlin dis­trict where his business was located.

The good fortune of Villa Ruh­leben: it has wea­thered the passage of time rela­tively uns­cathed, having merely been adapted time and again to the pre­vailing tastes in heritage con­ser­vation. In 2024, there was a change of ownership – much to the benefit of this gem of spa archi­tecture. The new owners opted for an in-depth res­to­ration: the high-cei­linged rooms were insu­lated with clay plaster; the ori­ginal flo­or­boards and doors were refur­bished; wooden windows were recreated based on his­to­rical models; and, most importantly, the ori­ginal bal­conies were reopened. The ori­ginal colour scheme of the half-tim­bering, the deco­rative ele­ments and the shutters were res­tored.

But there was more: the villa was extended to the south with a single-storey annex – set back from the existing building with respectful res­traint. This created a light-filled living-dining-kitchen area. From the kitchen, a terrace leads directly out into the spa­cious, shel­tered garden. In the living room of the ori­ginal building, a wood-burning stove invites you to linger, whilst the his­toric balcony opens out towards the forest. The villa can accom­modate up to ten people. And if you walk north through the forest for five minutes, there’s pro­bably only one thing on everyone’s mind: taking off your shoes and feeling the soft Baltic Sea sand beneath your feet.

Images: Elena Schelch­shorn

What to do

Nordstrand, Weststrand, cycling, fish rolls – all the classics of a Baltic Sea holiday, and of exceptional quality. Water sports such as sailing and surfing are also classics on the Darß peninsula. Naturism has a long tradition in Prerow and is still practised on Nordstrand today. It takes a good hour by bike to reach the Ahrenshoop Art Museum. You can also go shopping in the village – and if you don’t fancy cooking, you can always have a fish sandwich.

Why we like this house

Because a piece of Darß’s local history has been given a new lease of life here.

This house is great for

Families and larger groups who want to visit the Baltic Sea together. There is plenty of space in the house and garden for socialising or for some peace and quiet.

Sustainability

The renovation made consistent use of natural building materials. It was carried out exclusively by local tradespeople. The property is heated by an air-source heat pump with underfloor heating. There is a charging point for electric vehicles on the property, and a fast-charging station is available in the village. However, Prerow is also easily accessible without a car.

Details

Availability calendar

The calendar shows the current availability of the accommodation. On days with white background the accommodation is still available. On days with dark gray background the accommodation is not available.

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