Heiligendamm

Along the Mecklenburg coast, between Wismarbucht and Warnemünde, old Hanseatic towns and classic seaside resorts are strung together. Wismar, along with Stralsund, became a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2002. Rostock is Mecklenburg-Vorpommern's largest city and, with its university founded in 1419, boasts Northern Europe's oldest higher education institution.In Heiligendamm, Duke Friedrich Franz I founded Germany's oldest seaside resort in 1793, known as the "White City by the Sea". From here, the narrow-gauge railway Molli leisurely chugs to Bad Doberan and Kühlungsborn. In Warnemünde, Rostock's district at the mouth of the Warnow, a beach up to 150 meters wide, a lighthouse, and captain's houses along the Alter Strom await you.

Rostock, with some 210,000 inhabitants, is Mecklenburg-Vorpommern's largest city, stretching about 16 kilometers along both banks of the Warnow, from the city center to its mouth in Warnemünde. The Hanseatic city received Lübeck city rights in 1218; its university, founded in 1419, is Northern Europe's oldest.Marienkirche, Town Hall on Neuer Markt, and Kröpeliner Tor shape the Old Town. The S-Bahn gets you quickly to Warnemünde, where Lighthouse, Teepott, and Alter Strom await. Hanse Sail in August welcomes some 300 traditional tall ships.

Wismar is located at the southern tip of Wismar Bay, which is protected by Poel Island. The Hanseatic city was under Swedish rule from 1648, which ended in 1803 with a pledge to Mecklenburg. Since 2002, its Old Town, together with that of Stralsund, has been a UNESCO World Heritage site.The heart of the city is the 100 by 100-meter market square, featuring the Wasserkunst of 1602 and the Alter Schwede citizens' house from 1360. From there, you walk to the brick churches St. Nikolai, St. Georgen, and the tower of St. Marien, and down to the Old Harbor.

Lübeck was the main city of the Hanseatic League and is still called the Queen of the Hanse. Since 1987, the preserved Old Town, with over a thousand cultural monuments, has been a UNESCO World Heritage site, including the Holstentor, St. Mary's Church, Town Hall, and Cathedral. About 17 kilometers from the Old Town, the Trave river empties into the Baltic Sea in Travemünde.From there, the Bay of Lübeck opens up with a string of seaside resorts like Timmendorfer Strand, Scharbeutz, Haffkrug, and Niendorf, connected by the Baltic Sea Cycle Route. The bay is primarily a swimming and sailing area; marinas are located in Travemünde, Niendorf, Neustadt, and Grömitz. At the end of July, the Travemünde Week attracts sailors from all over the world.

Schwerin, with just under 100,000 inhabitants, is Germany's smallest state capital. Twelve lakes lie within the city area, including Lake Schwerin, Germany's fourth-largest lake. Its landmark is the castle on the castle island, completed in 1857 in Neo-Renaissance style and today housing the state parliament.Schwerin's Residence Ensemble became a UNESCO World Heritage site in July 2024. Around the Alter Garten stand the State Theatre and Museum, the Cathedral in the Old Town, and the Town Hall at the market. The Baroque Schelfstadt and Pfaffenteich invite for a stroll.