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Where to stand
Leave the car at the large car park outside Putgarten and walk about 1.8 km to the cape. Stand on the cliff-top path, away from the edge, and look north. The lighthouse flashes three times every 17 seconds, so walk a little along the coast.
View towards the pole
Open Baltic to the north, from a cliff about 45 m high
Sky darkness (Bortle scale): 3
Rules and safety
The cliff collapses regularly, especially in winter; in 2011 a landslide killed a child here. Do not go near the edge and do not go below the cliff after dark. The cape is a protected landscape, and cars may not drive out to the headland.
About the spot
Cape Arkona is a chalk headland at the northern tip of Rügen, with two lighthouses. The cliff is about 45 m high, and to the north there is only open sea. The geomagnetic latitude is about 54°, so the aurora can be seen low on the horizon in strong storms, just as on the Polish coast.
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