Baltic Gibraltar

Rugen Island, Germany's largest island, lies at the country's northeast corner surrounded by the chilly waters of the Baltic Sea and stunning seascapes that are part of the western reach of the Polish-German "Pomeranian Coast." The sunny isle is named for an old Slavic tribe known as the Ranen, which possibly means "The Reds," for the color of their hair. Their land eventually became known as the Rugard. But modern-day Germans simply call it "The Baltic Gibraltar."