August 24, 2025, 5:48 am | Read time: 4 minutes
Since 2006, you can explore the Baltic Sea in a unique way at four locations along the German coast. This experience involves a journey beneath the water’s surface. Diving gondolas, invented and built by a local entrepreneur, make this possible. Not only do you learn fascinating facts about this unique habitat, but you also get up close to its inhabitants.
Clearly, the piers in Zinnowitz, Sellin, Grömitz, and Zingst along the German Baltic coast are attractions in themselves. On long promenades, you feel as if you can walk right into the sea, enjoying panoramic views that stretch to the horizon. But there’s an even more spectacular option: at these four locations, you can dive below the sea surface and get close to the inhabitants of this unique habitat. Special diving gondolas, designed by Zinnowitz entrepreneur Andreas Wulff, make this possible. TRAVELBOOK spoke with him about his unique invention.
The diving gondolas on the Baltic Sea, which can accommodate up to 32 people, look a bit like something out of a Jules Verne story. They immediately remind you of the classic “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea” as they wait for adventurous guests at the end of the piers. While they don’t dive as deep as in the story, the capsule descends to the seabed at a depth of four to five meters during the approximately 40-minute journey. “The first thing is always a safety briefing,” Wulff says about the special diving trip. “Then guests watch an educational film shot by local divers and learn about the underwater world they will encounter.”
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Up to 30 Meters Visibility
“People should get a feel for the Baltic Sea in my diving gondolas, really understand it,” says the entrepreneur. The most exciting part of such a diving trip is getting close to the underwater animal residents. You can observe them through windows built into the vehicle. “These can be simple mussels, but we’ve also seen seals and even porpoises.” The visibility is particularly clear due to the higher salt content of the water at the Grömitz and Zingst locations. “With luck, you can have up to 30 meters of visibility.” Laughing, Wulff adds, “When guests see jellyfish, they don’t go swimming afterward.”
But how did Wulff come up with his diving gondolas? “I probably had the idea as early as 2001. But it took a few more years to implement. The drive technology, control, and safety—all of this was a challenge in the often rough Baltic Sea.” His office spent three years working on the problems, and a colleague spent six months on calculations alone. A central question was, for example: How do you get the 50-ton diving gondolas, which have a buoyancy volume of 100 tons, underwater? The solution: The vehicle is lowered into the depths on specially developed piles, so it doesn’t float freely in the water.
Adventurous and Safe
In 2006, the first of today’s four diving gondolas opened in Zinnowitz. “Simply because I live there. I quickly reached an agreement with the community about the construction. They reacted positively to my idea from the start. Today, the gondola is indispensable to the town. It’s even featured on all postcards. It’s used for promotion and has become a flagship.” This is proven by the approximately 130,000 guests who take an adventure trip with Wulff’s special submarines at the four locations each year. Surprisingly low, given the ingenious technical achievement, is the price for their development. According to Wulff, a diving gondola costs “only” 100,000 euros. For the prototype in Zinnowitz, he even received additional financial support from an institute.
To ensure that the ride with the diving gondolas is not only adventurous but also always safe, they are regularly maintained and inspected each year. Electronics, brakes, wear parts—everything undergoes a strict check. Additionally, the staff on board is not only technically but also medically trained. If you’re now eager to experience a trip to the Baltic Sea’s seabed yourself, you have the opportunity according to the official website at the four locations daily. For adults, the fun costs 12 euros, and for children up to 15 years, it costs seven euros. Please refer to the website for all other prices and the varying opening hours depending on the location.