Our tour through Germany started in Rostock. At that time, we didn’t know that just three months later we would be moving into an apartment in this very city. Well, we’ve now been living in the Hanseatic city on the Baltic Sea for over four and a half years and we still feel right at home.
Rostock has always had a permanent place in my (Bolle’s) life. Countless handball games and tournaments took place here, as did many visits from friends and family. Rostock has always been a part of it, so the city wasn’t all that new to me, at least. Today we’ll take you through the Hanseatic city and tell you our top Rostock sights & Highlights.
- Getting to Rostock
- Hotels in Rostock
- Hotels in Warnemünde
- Sights in Rostock
- 1. Rostock City Harbor
- 2. New Market with Town Hall
- 3. Kröperliner Straße Shopping Mile
- 4. University Square & Porno Fountain
- 5. Wokrenterstraße & Hausbaumhaus
- 6. KTV Scene District
- 7. Ständehaus and Steintor
- 8. Our Beautiful Churches
- 9. The Green Ramparts
- 10. IGA Park
- 11. Rostock Zoo
- 12. Botanical Garden
- 13. Rostock Water Tower
- 14. Rostock Brewery & Guided Tour
- 15. View of the city from the shore
- Daytrip destinations around Rostock
- 1. Warnemünde Baltic Sea resort
- 2. Rostock Heath
- 3. Nienhagen Ghost Forest
- 4. Karl’s Adventure and Strawberry Farm
- 5. Stoltera Nature Reserve
- 6. Hohe Düne & Seal Sanctuary
- Our top 3 food tips
- Our top 4 café tips
- 3 cool shops to browse
Getting to Rostock
By train:Rostock has pretty good long-distance connections. You can easily reach Rostock by train from almost anywhere in Germany. From Hamburg, it takes 2.5 hours by regional train operated by Deutsche Bahn* and 2 hours by IC. From Berlin, you can even take the regional train all the way to Warnemünde. In the summer, we often took a day trip to the seaside town of Warnemünde with our weekend ticket.
By car: Rostock is located between Hamburg, Berlin, Copenhagen, and Szczecin. The A19 and A20 motorways meet here. It takes around two hours from Hamburg to Rostock via the A20. From Berlin, the A19 and A24 take you to the seaside in just under 3 hours. From Kiel, it’s only 2 hours directly to Rostock via the A20. You can book a rental car here*.
By bus: Don’t forget that you can also travel comfortably to Rostock by long-distance bus. From Berlin, it’s about a three-hour bus ride to Rostock. The trip usually costs less than €10 with Flixbus*. From Hamburg, it’s also about a three-hour ride, and the prices are similar. This means you can also start from many other German cities and change buses to get to us on the Baltic Sea.
Hotels in Rostock
Rostock has some really good hotels and other accommodations, including those on the Baltic Sea. We recommend the Steigenberger Hotel Sonne* at Neuer Markt, right in the city center. The rooms are cozy and comfortably furnished. The hotel even has a small but nice wellness area with a sauna, steam bath, and fitness center.
In the heart of the Hanseatic city, you’ll also find the cool Pentahotel*, with designer rooms, rain showers, and leisure facilities. There’s also a sauna and fitness area for those who need some exercise and relaxation after sightseeing. The Motel One*, just a 10-minute walk from the harbor, is also popular with guests. All rooms are very modern.
The Hotel Warnow* is located directly on the Warnow River. This modern hotel enjoys a quiet location and is only 800 meters from Rostock’s Old Town. The view of the river and the beautiful surroundings are particularly beautiful.
Hotels in Warnemünde
Many visitors naturally book a room in one of the hotels on the Baltic Sea beach. You’ll find some really good hotels in Warnemünde. The aja Resort Warnemünde* is located directly on the promenade, right next to the Neptun Hotel. The rooms are modern, and the wellness area with a view of the Baltic Sea is particularly beautiful. An overnight stay in the legendary Neptun Hotel* is very popular, but also somewhat more expensive. You’ll recognize this hotel from afar and it’s a true part of Warnemünde’s townscape.
The Yachthafenresidenz* also offers luxurious accommodations. This 5-star hotel welcomes you with an award-winning spa area, 6 restaurants, 5 bars, and fantastic views of the marina and the Baltic Sea. The Strandhotel Hübner* is also located in Warnemünde, just a few meters from the beach. This 4-star hotel offers a 500 m² spa area with a pool and panoramic sea views.
The Hotel am Leuchtturm* is also a very popular hotel and impresses with its beautiful boutique style. You’ll be staying right on the promenade and have views of the Warnemünde lighthouse and the beach. The hotel was completely renovated in 2017. Of course, we also don’t want to forget our beloved Dock Inn Container Hostel*. We spend a lot of time here and simply love the concept, the house, the people, and the atmosphere. More about it here: Container Hostel in Warnemünde.
Rostock Sights
In the following section, we’ll show you Rostock’s sights and reveal our favorite places. Rostock has a lot to offer and particularly scores points for its proximity to the water and the surrounding excursion destinations. Incidentally, the number 7 is said to have once played a central role in Rostock, which is why Rostock was often called the “City of Seven.
The reasons for this are, or were, the 7 linden trees in the rose garden, the 7 bells of the 7 churches, the 7 merchant bridges on the Strande (harbor), the 7 towers on the town hall, the 7 gates leading into the countryside, the 7 streets near the large market, and the 7 portals at St. Mary’s Church.
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1. Rostock City Harbor
If you’re in Rostock, we recommend a detour to the Rostock City Harbor. Along with the Old Town, it forms the heart of the city of Rostock. Not only will you see numerous boats here, but you can also indulge in delicious food, sip a nightcap in one of the pubs, paddle out on a SUP at sunset, or take a leisurely stroll along the promenade. In summer, people like to gather here to barbecue and relax.
The city harbor is also home to the almost 68-meter-long icebreaker Stefan Jantzen. This ship was auctioned by the Hanseatic City of Rostock in 2018 and has been used as a museum ship ever since (more on that here). The historic warehouses at the eastern end of the harbor are also very beautiful. And by the way: The popular and very well-attended Hanse Sail takes place here every year, among other things. By the way, super cool tours by catamaran and sailboat are also offered from the harbor*.
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2. New Market with Town Hall
The New Market forms the heart of the city center and is a popular place for dining and enjoyment, especially in summer. Every time we step off the tram, we enjoy the beautiful view. The beautiful facades of the gabled houses in the typical Hanseatic style are particularly beautiful.
The Town Hall and the pretty St. Mary’s Church are also located here. From the New Market, you can leisurely explore the old town and let yourself go. We recommend breakfast at Alex or a pizza at L’Osteria.
Popular tours:
- Rostock: Guided tour of the historic city center*
- Tour with the Rostock executioner*
- 2-hour city tour of Rostock*
- Rostock: 1-hour city tour*
3. Kröperliner Straße Shopping Street
Kröpeliner Straße is Rostock’s main shopping street and awaits you with a diverse range of shops, service providers, restaurants, and cafés. Take a look at the pretty house facades here, too. On weekends and holidays, there’s always plenty going on, but it’s always fun to stroll along the “Kröpi.” Turn left or right every now and then, as there’s often something to discover there too, such as the Rostocker Hof, the Michaeliskloster, or the Kloster zum Heiligen Kreuz.
4. Universitätsplatz & Pornobrunnen
If you stroll along Kröpeliner Straße, you’ll probably pass the Fountain of Joy, which is also affectionately called the “Pornobrunnen” here in Rostock. There’s always a lot going on here on University Square, especially in the summer, when children jump through the cool water of the fountain and parents sit by the edge and enjoy an ice cream.
A few meters further on, you’ll also see the bronze statue of our beloved and unforgettable “Spielmannopa”. His real name was Michael Tryanowski, and he was known throughout the city as the town musician. Sadly, he passed away in 2018 at the age of 100, but this statue still reminds us of him today.
5. Wokrenterstraße & House Tree House
When exploring the beautiful sights in Rostock, don’t miss the pretty House Tree House from 1490 at Wokrenterstraße 40. Here in Rostock, the late Gothic gabled house is one of the oldest merchant houses from the Hanseatic period. You can generally visit the House Tree House, but it is currently closed due to the pandemic. You can find out more about it here: Rostock House Tree House. This street is also home to the corner house with the restaurant “Zur Kogge”, which is still a popular restaurant in Rostock.
6. Trendy KTV District
If you leave the city center through the Kröpeliner Tor, you continue through the so-called “Kröpeliner-Tor-Vorstadt”, or KTV for short. We would say that this is the youngest and hippest district in the city of Rostock, as you’ll find many small shops, alternative stores, pubs, cinemas, cafés, and restaurants here. While it used to be home to mainly workers, today it’s mainly home to students and young families. Grab a bike and explore this trendy district on two wheels. Afterwards, you can cycle directly to the adjacent Botanical Garden or to the Swan Pond Park.
- Fabric Shop Mira
- Vegangster (Food)
- Falafel at El Waleed
- Holy Spirit Church
- Arjun – Indian Food
- Origins – Specialty Coffee
- Café Laska
- Café 92 Grad
- li.wu. & Frida 23 (Cinema)
- FREIRAUM Wohnbagatellen
- Café Glückskind
- Ronja Espresso
7. Ständehaus and Steintor
The top sights in Rostock also include the Ständehaus (left) and the Steintor (right). The historic Ständehaus was built between 1889 and 1893 and served as a parliament building before being used as the clubhouse of the People’s Navy in the GDR. Today, this imposing brick building houses the Rostock Higher Regional Court. Not only is the exterior façade, with its many decorations and figures, worth seeing, but a look inside, with its enormous ballroom, would also be worthwhile. However, as far as we know, public tours or visits are not possible.
Once upon a time, Rostock was said to have had 22 gates (land gates, water gates, and city gates) built along the city wall. Today, only four of them remain: the Kröperliner Gate, the Kuhtor, the Mühlentor, and the Steintor. During the Second World War, large sections of the city wall were destroyed here as well, and these were demolished after the war. Accordingly, not much remains of the 22 gates and the city wall.
8. Our Beautiful Churches
Here in Rostock, we have some beautiful churches. Particularly interesting are the imposing St. Mary’s Church on the Neuer Markt (New Market), the 117-meter-high St. Peter’s Church with its viewing platform (highly recommended), and the Holy Spirit Church in the KTV (Kröpeliner-Tor-Vorstadt).
In St. Mary’s Church, you can marvel at the astronomical clock and admire the vaults, organ, and bell tower during a guided tour. Also take the opportunity to enjoy the view over the city’s rooftops from the observation deck of St. Peter’s Church.
9. The Green Ramparts
Between the Kröpeliner Gate and Schwaansche Straße are the Rostock Ramparts, which once formed part of the city’s fortifications and protected residents from invading enemies. At that time, the city wall was around 3 kilometers long and had more than 20 gates, watchtowers, and towers.
Today, you’ll find mainly green spaces here, inviting you to sunbathe and relax. We think the Rose Garden is the most beautiful, with its pretty plants and large green areas. Occasionally, special events take place here on mild summer evenings (picnics, small festivals, and concerts).
10. IGA Park
Just outside Rostock’s city center, the city’s green lung was created on the banks of the Warnow River between 1997 and 2003. The International Horticultural Exhibition attracted more than 2.6 million visitors, most of whom came from outside Rostock’s own state.
The expansive park awaits you with several international gardens, the IGA Park stage, a historic boatyard, the Mecklenburg Hallenhaus, and the Willow Dome with its café. We particularly like the Chinese Garden in the IGA Park.
11. The Rostock Zoo
We don’t go to zoos anymore, but we used to love visiting the Rostock Zoo, especially with our family’s kids. For us, it’s definitely one of the most beautiful zoos in Germany. It’s home to more than 4,500 animals of 450 different species.
The Rostock Zoo is also the largest on the German Baltic coast and awaits you in a truly relaxed and idyllic atmosphere. A lot of effort is put into constantly improving and expanding the quality of the animal houses and enclosures. Particularly worth seeing are the Darwineum with its tropical hall, the monkey house, and the Polarium with its ice worlds.
12. Botanical Garden
Not only the IGA Park is worth a visit, but also the city’s Botanical Garden. Around 7,000 plant species, biotopes, greenhouses, and the university garden await you on approximately 7 hectares. The garden is part of the University of Rostock and primarily serves research, teaching, and education.
You can visit the beautiful greenhouses on Tuesdays and Thursdays, as well as during Sunday tours. Otherwise, the outdoor area of the Botanical Garden is open Tuesday to Sunday. You can find the exact times in this brochure.
13. Rostock Water Tower
The water tower was built in 1903 and was in operation until 1959. It served to supply the city with drinking water, but over time it was replaced by more modern technology and finally decommissioned in 1959. This historic water tower is still one of the most important examples of brick Gothic architecture and fascinates with its seven turrets and six gables. If you’re in the Steintor suburb, you shouldn’t miss the water tower on Blücherstraße.
14. Rostock Brewery & Tour
The Hanseatische Brauerei Rostock GmbH is a brewery founded in 1878 in the Hanseatic city of Rostock. It has been resold, renamed, and even closed time and again. Among other beers, Rostocker Pils, Rostocker Radler Naturtrüb, Rostocker Dunkel, and Mahn & Ohlerich Pils are produced here. During a tour of the brewery, you’ll learn more about the history of the brewery and the production process.
There are currently no tours, but they will certainly be possible again after the pandemic. You can find more information here: Brauerei Rostrock. We haven’t taken part in a tour like this ourselves yet, but we definitely want to.
- Distillery tour with guide*
- Brewery tour with guide*
- GIN experience course*
15. View of the city from the bank
We think the view from the other side of the Warnow is the most beautiful. The view of the city of Rostock is particularly recommended in the morning or evening. You can cycle from the harbor towards the Holzhalbinsel, past the Warnow Hotel, and then head for the various viewpoints and benches along the way.
Since our office is in Gehlsdorf and it’s only 5 minutes from the water, we come here very often and enjoy these beautiful views. A little further towards Gehlsdorf is the ferry landing, which will take you back to the other side of the river (without a bike, €1.50 per person).
Excursions around Rostock
In Rostock, you can not only stroll, shop, and marvel at the sights, but also take part in numerous activities and excursions. We’ll tell you about our favorite excursion destinations in the following section. Other places worth seeing, which we will not go into in detail, include: Ostseebad Kühlungsborn, Heiligendamm, Rerik, Schwerin, Stralsund, Wismar, Greifswald, Fischland Darß,
1. Baltic Sea resort of Warnemünde
Don’t miss the Baltic Sea resort of Warnemünde with its beautiful Alter Strom, the many fishing boats, the lighthouse, the promenade, and the wide sandy beach. Our tip: There’s a cool beach bar at beach section 11.
2. Rostock Heath
If you enjoy hiking, we recommend a trip to the Rostock Heath, located between Graal-Müritz and Markgrafenheide. This forest area, covering approximately 6,000 hectares, awaits you with unique landscapes, hiking trails, and the coast.
3. Nienhagen Ghost Forest
An absolute MUST is a trip to the Ghost Forest in Nienhagen. Here you will witness a beautiful natural spectacle with a truly enchanting forest, a rugged cliff, and stunning views. Travel time from Rostock city center is around 25 minutes by car.
4. Karls Adventure and Strawberry Farm
We visit Karls Adventure and Strawberry Farm several times a year, either alone, with friends, or with the kids of the family. Admission is free, and there’s plenty to experience. It’s a wonderful place to spend time, especially when the weather is bad. More information here: www.karls.de.
5. Stoltera Nature Reserve
The Stoltera Nature Reserve is located not far from Diedrichshagen on the coast, west of Warnemünde. The area includes a coastal forest, cliffs, and beach, and stretches approximately 3 km along the Baltic Sea coast. Tip: Visit the Wilhelmshöhe viewing point.
6. Hohe Düne & Seal Station
The Baltic Sea resort of Hohe Düne is separated from Warnemünde by the Mittelmole and the Neuer Strom. You can commute here in comfort by ferry. Here you’ll find a newly built marina complex, the Seal Research Center, a sandy beach, and the huge Marina Residence.
Our top 3 food tips
If you’re ever in Rostock, we recommend a visit to the Burger & Beer-House Liberty Delis. Here, you can honestly get the tastiest burgers in the entire city. In our opinion, they’re the best burgers we’ve ever eaten. There are also vegetarian creations, and the sweet potato fries are definitely a highlight. If you’re more into Asian cuisine, you should visit Lunchbox Indochine. They have the most delicious bowls, curries, salads, wraps, and pasta dishes. Located right in the KTV is our favorite Arab restaurant, El Waleed, with the tastiest falafel dishes in the entire city.
Our Top 4 Café Tips
There are also good cafés here in our Hanseatic city. We love sitting in the city center at Jan & Mitch, treating ourselves to a delicious slice of cheesecake and a cappuccino. The KTV is home to the cool Café 92 Grad. In a cozy atmosphere, you can enjoy homemade cakes and excellent coffee roasts. If you’re craving delicious crêpes, you should definitely visit Cado’s Café & Crêperie. The family atmosphere in this small restaurant in the old town is particularly lovely. A brand new addition is the Café Glückskind in the KTV, with super delicious vegan cake creations and other vegan dishes.
3 Cool Shops to Browse
In Rostock, you’ll, of course, find the standard stores like H&M, C&A, Vero Moda, Zara, Snipes, Bodycheck, Nanu Nana, and many more. We’d also highly recommend a visit to the unpackaged store “Green Goldi.” Here you can find plastic-free goods, fresh vegetables and fruit, hygiene products, cleaning supplies, drinks, spreads, etc. At the Talisman Shop in the Old Town, you can find alternative fashion, Indian wall hangings, jewelry, shirts, scented oils, and much more. If you’re looking for lovely little things, browse the “Cosi Gift Ideas” store at Barnstorfer Weg 29.