A HISTORIC CITY WITH A SMALL BEACH RESORT TOWN

Rostock is a historic Hanseatic port city that is home to the oldest university in northern continental Europe (The University of Rostock) and the busiest German port along the Baltic Sea. It’s also the most common cruise stop in Germany and the busiest ferry center from Germany into Scandinavia - so most likely you’ll find yourself there either on a Baltic Sea cruise or to make your way by ship to Sweden, Finland or Denmark. The city is small - easily explored on a day trip - and charming.

Rostock sprawls and includes a formerly autonomous seaside village, Warnemünde, that it acquired in 1323. Warnemünde is about a 20 minute train ride from the city center of Rostock, and the round-trip ticket is about $8.

STROLL HISTORIC ROSTOCK

The most charming sections of Rostock date back from the period it was a member of the Hanseatic league - starting in the 13th century. You can see the most important sites just by walking along Kröpeliner Straße - the pedestrian-only commercial shopping street.

You’ll want to stop in Neuer Markt - the old town square that dates back to the 13th century and had baroque facades added in the 18th century. Parts were destroyed during WW2 but were rebuilt in a way that preserved the original aesthetic (in a simplified fashion). Here, you can see a weekend market on Saturday and the town hall.

Further down Kröpeliner Straße, you can see the main building of the University of Rostock in Universitätsplatz.

As you walk, watch out for the odd sculptures that were, for us, possibly the most interesting part of the stroll.

LAZE AT THE BEACH IN Warnemünde

Warnemünde is a small seaside resort district that feels a bit like an Ocean City. It’s full of small, high-end shops and boutiques and boasts the longest German beach along the Baltic Sea. The town itself isn’t a place to do sightseeing, though you can certainly shop and eat, so I recommend heading right to the beach and enjoying some time along the sea.