Greifswald: A Town with a Maritime Atmosphere

Fancy popping down to the beach after your lecture or work? Welcome to Greifswald!

The fresh sea air and the cries of the seagulls are the first things most people notice when they arrive in our beautiful university and Hanseatic town. It will not take long to notice that new ideas and inspiration is spreading across the entire town.

No wonder: Greifswald is the youngest town in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern: around a third of the population is under 30 – partly thanks to our 10,000 students. The lively and open-minded atmosphere makes Greifswald an inspiring place to live, learn and conduct research.

Short distances

In Greifswald, everything is close by: personal contacts, work and studies, and wherever you need to get in the town. All of the central sites can be reached by bike within a maximum of 20 minutes. Whether you're heading to the lecture hall, the laboratory, the countryside [de], or the nearest fish sandwich shop – you'll be there in no time.

Always on the move

As a lively town with a committed community and excellent research, Greifswald is always on the move. Here, people don't just study and work – they also shape, tackle and live life together.

At the same time, Greifswald is also a place to settle down – a harbour to call home.

Studierende gehen über den Greifswalder Marktplatz, Im Hintergrund ist das Rathaus zu sehen.
© Gina Heitmann/UG

Life in Greifswald

Greifswald unites a young, dynamic university atmosphere with rich history, culture and the charm of the Baltic Sea. From Germany's largest museum harbour with old sailing ships to the majestic ruins of the Eldena Abbey, a stroll along the Ryck, or the numerous cafés in the colourful town centre – there is much to discover in this charming town. Meanwhile, the proximity to the Baltic Sea is ideal for exploring the beautiful region and enjoying the fresh sea breeze.
Der Hals einer Violine ist im Vodergrund zu sehen. Im Hintergrund sitzen schemenhaft Menschen, die dem sommerlichen Konzert beiwohnen.
© Gina Heitmann/UG

Culture in Greifswald

Greifswald also has a lot to offer in terms of culture: the Nordischer Klang Festival, polenmARkT, the Greifswald Bach Week, the Greifswald International Students Festival (GrIStuF), the Eldena Jazz Evenings, the Gaffelrigg Fishing Festival and the open-air Baltic Sea Theatre Festival are some of the largest events.
Eine Gruppe von Studierenden sitzt auf einer sommerlichen Wiese im Hinterhof des Historischen Campus mit Laptops und aufgeschlagenen Büchern.
© Magnus Schult/UG

A rich campus life [de]

‘A university surrounded by a town’ – this description of Greifswald is not entirely wrong: the University was founded in 1456 and is one of the oldest universities in Germany and the Baltic Sea region. It is closely connected to the town. Our students, institutes and university buildings have a lasting impact on life in Greifswald. There are 32 university buildings in the historic town centre alone.