Are you planning a vacation in beautiful Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and are perhaps wondering which city up here on the Baltic Sea coast is worth seeing? Today we would like to introduce you to our 5 most beautiful cities in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and show you what you can experience and discover there. Whether Rostock, Stralsund, Wismar, Güstrow, Neubrandenburg, Greifswald or even Schwerin – MV has a lot to offer and something for every taste. In the following article, we will introduce you to a few of these beautiful cities in MV and hope that they can inspire you a little. Enjoy browsing!
- 1. Hanseatic City of Rostock
- 2. State Capital Schwerin
- 3. Hanseatic City of Stralsund
- 4. Hanseatic City of Greifswald
- 5. Hanseatic City of Wismar
- Other cities worth visiting
1. Hanseatic City of Rostock
The Hanseatic City of Rostock, with approximately 208,000 inhabitants, is the largest city in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and is located between Stralsund and Wismar. The city, located on the Warnow River, has been our home since 2017, and we love it here. While I (Bolle) often visited Rostock during my childhood and youth, living up here on the coast was a completely new experience for Marco. But he loves it! Rostock is the perfect size for us personally, and we especially like its proximity to the sea and the harbor.
If you ever come to Rostock, be sure to take a stroll along the harbor, explore Kröpeliner Straße in Rostock’s historic center (the main shopping street), climb the tower of St. Peter’s Church, and enjoy the view over the city and the Warnow River. Also, take a trip to the Baltic Sea resort of Warnemünde and enjoy the sea breeze and the wide sandy beach. From the Old Lighthouse, you have a magnificent view of the Baltic Sea, the beach, and the Old River. We love the mix of city and beach and are already looking forward to next summer!
2. State Capital Schwerin
For us, Schwerin is definitely one of the most beautiful cities in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Great sights await you in Schwerin, cool cafés and restaurants, countless shops for shopping and strolling, and plenty of lakes and excursion destinations. Schwerin offers the perfect mix of city, nature, and water, and with 95,000 inhabitants, it is still a very cozy and manageable city. It’s also the oldest city in the state, with people living in this area as early as the Stone Age. Amazing, right?
So you can imagine that Schwerin also has a lot to offer in terms of history and culture. Of course, you shouldn’t miss Schwerin Castle, which served as the residence of Mecklenburg’s dukes and grand dukes for over 1,000 years. We also recommend a stroll through the beautiful historic old town, where you’ll find many charming alleys, half-timbered houses, and many other sights. Tip: Enjoy the magnificent view of the city and the lakes from Schwerin Cathedral.
3. Hanseatic City of Stralsund
We love the venerable Hanseatic City of Stralsund, which lies on the Strelasund, a strait between the island of Rügen and the mainland. This small town in northeastern Germany is particularly captivating with its enchanting historic old town, which is almost surrounded by water and awaits you with numerous sights. These include the Old Market, the Town Hall, St. John’s Monastery, St. Mary’s Church, the Oceanarium, the Gorch Fock 1, the city harbor, and much more. Our article on Stralsund will be online soon…
The old town offers many great cafés and restaurants, as well as numerous shopping opportunities. Highly recommended are Café 66 on Heilgeisstraße and Tine’s Nudelküche right next door. For a great view, we recommend the view from the tower of St. Mary’s Church. In good weather, you can even spot the island of Hiddensee from a height of over 90 meters. If you’re vacationing on the island of Rügen, be sure to plan a day trip to Stralsund.
4. Hanseatic City of Greifswald
From Stralsund, it’s just a 40-minute drive to Greifswald. The Hanseatic city has a lot to offer, including a historic old town, impressive brick churches, a large market square with magnificent gabled houses, and the historic town hall from the 13th century. A popular place to relax is the museum harbor, one of the largest of its kind in Germany. Especially in the mild summer months, people like to meet here for a beer to end the day in a relaxed manner.
If you want to enjoy a great view of the city again, the best place to do so is from the 60-meter-high viewing platform of St. Nikolai Cathedral. Also check out the Elena Monastery ruins and the historic post mill, or visit the University of Greifswald, which was founded in 1456 and is therefore one of the oldest universities in the Baltic Sea region. Soon you’ll find a detailed article on our blog about the student city of Greifswald with all our tips and recommendations.
5. Hanseatic City of Wismar
Of course, the Hanseatic City of Wismar cannot be left out of the list of the most beautiful cities in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. No other city in the state boasts such an enchanting old town, which has even been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2002. A particular highlight is Krämerstraße, one of the oldest streets in the city. The old town is definitely an invitation to stroll, browse, and enjoy. Also worth a visit is the beautiful half-timbered house “Rotes Haus” (Red House), located at the end of the “Grube” (mine). From there, it’s just a stone’s throw to the maritime harbor.
In Wismar, you also have the opportunity to admire the city from above. The St. George’s Church awaits you with a fantastic viewing platform 35 meters high, which you can visit. At Wismar’s historic market square, you can admire not only the town hall, but also the “Wasserkunst” fountain and the city’s oldest town house, “Alter Schwede.” In Wismar, you always have the feeling of being catapulted into a completely different era. It’s a shame you can’t travel back in time. By the way, a trip to the nearby island of Poel is also worthwhile.
Other cities worth seeing
Neubrandenburg: My hometown of Neubrandenburg is located on the idyllic Tollensesee and awaits you with a historic old town, a completely preserved city wall with Wiekhausen ramparts, great beaches and impressive buildings, such as the Concert Church in the city center. Don’t miss the stunning view from the Belvedere vantage point, located northwest on the upper steep shore of Lake Tollense (by the way, that’s where my sister got married!).
Güstrow: Güstrow is also one of the most beautiful towns in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and is only a 30-minute drive from Rostock. Here you can expect magnificent half-timbered houses and plenty of brick Gothic architecture, beautiful town houses, a 16th-century castle, other Renaissance buildings, and numerous courtyards with charming cafés. Since January 18, 2023, Güstrow has even been a recognized tourist destination and is also a suitable starting point for various excursions into the surrounding area.
Island Town of Malchow: The island town of Malchow is a small town in the south of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and is located within the Lake District. Particularly worth seeing are the monastery church, the monastery, the swing bridge, the narrow streets of the old town, as well as the Engelsche Garten (Angel Garden), the town windmill, the town hall, and the town church. From Malchow, you can, for example, cruise across various lakes in a rented houseboat. Click here for our article.
Waren (Müritz): Waren is a spa town in the Mecklenburg Lake District and is located directly on Germany’s largest inland lake, the Müritz. In Waren, you can expect a well-preserved old town with various churches, a beautiful town harbor, and the New Market Square with half-timbered houses. The Müritzeum is also very popular, as is a trip to the enchanting Müritz National Park.