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When you’re considering summer plans, don’t forget that Germany has beaches, too. One of the best destinations is the seaside resort city of Warnemünde, situated in the northeast part of Germany in the Rostock district. It attracts numerous tourists all year round for its beaches, maritime attractions, harbor cruises, restaurants, cozy pubs and attractive shops along the canal called der Alte Strom (Old Channel).
Established in 1200, Warne-münde gets its name from being located at the mouth of the Warnow River. To safeguard the city of Rostock’s access to the Baltic Sea, the village of Warnemünde was purchased by Rostock in 1323. During the 19th century, however, Warnemünde shifted from being a quiet fishing village to a popular seaside resort.
Either way, it retained all of its charm. Today, Warnemünde is known as Known as Rostock’s leisure paradise and is one of the most popular seaside resorts on the Baltic Sea among both German and foreign tourists.
Beaches
The beach is over 5 kilometers long and is one of the widest beaches on the Baltic Sea coast. At Warnemünde, visitors will find a 530-meter long pier, white sandy beaches in one area, high banks in another as well as interspersed pebbles. During certain times of the year lifeguards are on duty and beach chair rentals are available. Campfires and grilling at the beach are allowed in specific locations. Beach access is free and parking can be found nearby.
Promenade
The modern 2-kilometer promenade is very inviting, and not only during the warmer months. A stroll along the promenade is the ideal place to enjoy fresh sea air and stunning views of the Baltic Sea. During the evenings expect to see romantic skies lit up over sand dunes and the sunset reflecting on the water. You will also see swanky beach villas with beautiful historic fishermen’s villas, captains’ houses, shops and restaurants.
Lighthouse
Adjacent to the promenade is the lighthouse (built in 1898), which is thought to be the oldest one in the area. Because of its location, the lighthouse is one of the most visited sites of Warnemünde. With its height of 121 feet, it allows visitors to enjoy incredible views of the Baltic Sea as well as the ideal place to watch the arrival and departure of many types of ships, including ferries to Denmark and Sweden. Annually thousands of visitors attend the New Year’s Day celebration “Lighthouse in Flames,” which includes laser lights and music.
Teepott (Tea Pot) Warnemünde
The second most visited landmark in this area is the Tea Pot, which is an intriguing example of architecture from the East German era. This building, which features a slightly curved roof and is located near the lighthouse, houses restaurants, souvenir shops and an exhibition of thousands of sea voyage artifacts collected by a 20th century explorer.
Heritage Museum Warnemünde
The museum is a former fishermen’s house that was built in 1767. It has permanent exhibitions on themes like fishing and seafaring. Visitors can also catch a glimpse of life of Warnemünde at the end of the 19th century with four rooms (kitchen, bedroom, hallway and another room) designed in accordance with historical models. Other focal points include handwork crafts, folk culture, cradle-to-grave customs of Warnemünde, protection of the Baltic Sea coast and more.
How to get there
By car, Warnemünde is seven hours north of Stuttgart, just over seven hours northeast of Kaiserslautern and slightly less than seven hours northeast of Wiesbaden. Visit the DB Bahn website for train details.
