Baltic Seaside Resort Kühlungsborn

The Baltic seaside resort of Kühlungsborn is the largest spa on the Mecklenburg Baltic Sea coast. It lies between the cities of Wismar and Rostock, making it ideal for a vacation by the Baltic Sea.

If you had to choose between the sea and beach or mountains and forests, the answer is easy: In Kühlungsborn, you can find both. The city forest is situated in the middle, dividing Kühlungsborn into East and West, which gives the place the addition 'Green City by the Sea.'

I explored the town and surrounding highlights during my stay by foot and bicycle. The region around Kühlungsborn is so diverse that you don't have to spend the whole day lying on the beach. I enjoy being active and find it very boring to spend all day in a beach chair by the sea. Nevertheless, the wide sandy beaches are very popular.

Enjoy discovering my tips for Kühlungsborn, Nienhagen, and Heiligendamm.

I have summarized the most well-known highlights in Kühlungsborn and activities here. These places are definitely a must-see on your first visit, in my opinion. These are my absolute highlights:

The long pier is, of course, one of the most popular attractions. Walk to the end for a great view of Kühlungsborn, the marina, and the city forest. On nice days, you can see as far as Heiligendamm and Fehmarn.

The nearly four-kilometer-long waterfront promenade is the longest in Germany. It connects the marina in Kühlungsborn-West with Kühlungsborn-East. The highlight is the sunset at the beach, which you can enjoy at one of the beach bars.

You can find the time of sunset on the Kühlungsborn website.

If you want to lay in the sun lazily, this is the right place. Even if it seems quite crowded, everyone can find their own spot. You just need to be aware that the largest seaside resort in Germany is also one of the most popular. At every beach access, there are beach chair rentals (about 12 euros per day), toilets, and kiosks.

Here's what you need to know: You have to pay a 2 euro tourist tax per day. You can pay this directly at the beach access on the promenade using a machine.

By the way, the pier is the landmark of the seaside resort and is located in Kühlungsborn-East.

The excursion ship MS Baltica departs from the pier for day trips to Warnemünde.

Further information: msbaltica.de/ausfluege.html

Next to the pier is the marina of Kühlungsborn. You can find numerous bars and restaurants here. At "Edel & Scharf," you can get the legendary curry sausage with fries, optionally with truffles. These fries are amazing! Alternatively, the restaurant Vielmeer is also recommended.

From here, you can participate in sailing trips daily. At the ship Annalena, you can buy fresh fish on Saturdays and Sundays. Check out the sign on the beach promenade in front of the ship.

Not in the mood for beach and sun anymore? Then the city forest is ideal. Here you can hike, bike, or visit the Kletterwald Kühlungsborn. I used the side paths, ideal for small mountain bike trails.

The 'Baltic Border Tower' is a sea border tower from 1973. From the 15-meter-high tower, border guards were able to scan an area of up to 12 nautical miles at sea for DDR defectors. Once, there were 27 towers of this kind along the sea border. Today, only two remain: one in Börgerende and this one in Kühlungsborn. The Baltic border tower in Kühlungsborn is the only one publicly accessible and is only a few meters from the pier.

At the border tower, there is an open-air border museum about stories and escape attempts. Take your time and read the reports on the panels. The insights are very interesting. A piece of history during your vacation doesn't hurt.

Along the Baltic Sea coast, I am always fascinated by spa architecture. In Kühlungsborn, you won't find this in the 'first row' or along the beach road, but rather in the second row behind the beach promenade. Grab a bike and explore the side streets.

Still, I find the spa architecture in Kühlungsborn only half as impressive as in Rügen, Rostock, Greifswald, or Stralsund. Usedom has more of these pretty villas to offer. If you don't have the chance to visit one of these places, you will still enjoy Kühlungsborn.

The Molli train is a nostalgic locomotive that takes guests from Kühlungsborn to Heiligendamm and Bad Doberan. If you don't feel like biking, the train is the best option.

It is also one of the most popular attractions in the region. I saw the nostalgic train passing by on the tracks because I preferred biking in the summer heat.

Of all the lighthouses, this one is located highest above the sea on the German Baltic coast. Yet, it is very small. If you bike to Bastorf, you don't need a navigation device, as you can see the lighthouse standing majestically behind the fields from afar.

The lighthouse is almost 80 meters above sea level. Thus, it reaches a height of 95.3 meters of fire height and is the highest beacon on the Baltic Sea coast. Meanwhile, the Buk is only 21 meters tall, making it one of the smallest lighthouses on the German coast. Admission costs 2.50 euros, and you're already at the top after 55 steps.

On clear days, you can see as far as Fehmarn, otherwise as far as Rerik and the Wismar Bay. On the eastern side, you can see Warnemünde and Rostock.

Tip: Bike to the lighthouse and really feel the incline as you slowly bike up the hill.

The farm shop offers plenty of regional products. I bought new supplies for my van. In the garden, you can take a break with coffee and cake before continuing toward the lighthouse.

Is the visit to the town worth it? Maybe not.

'The White City by the Sea' was long quite run down. The first spa in Germany has been restored. But when we visited, it felt lifeless. No shops - even the ice cream shop was closed - only access for hotel guests and hardly any people. I had imagined the beach to be much nicer.

I was disappointed as I left the place. The houses are beautiful and shine in white. But the facade is misleading. The town seems dead, consisting of a hotel with many complexes. More appearance than reality?

The 'Pearl Chain' comprises seven villas by the beach. They are currently undergoing extensive restoration. Everything looks so clean and sterile compared to the large hotel complex nearby.

A day later, I passed through Heiligendamm in the morning on my way to Kühlungsborn. Heiligendamm was like a different place. There was hustle and bustle, and dozens of tourists were riding bicycles or taking the narrow-gauge train Molli to explore the area. Still, I find the place artificial and lacking charm.

The oldest seaside resort in Germany doesn't exude charm for me. I was informed through an Instagram message that the hotel complex can be visited once a week. It costs 15 euros, including a drink. Cheers, I'll pass.

The forest of Nienhagen is known as the "Ghost Forest." It lies on the steep coast and is one of the most beautiful places to watch the sunset.

The huge trees create a special atmosphere. It is ghostly in the early morning when the fog rises from the sea, covering everything in white. Beautiful.

At the coast, they say 'There is no bad weather, only the wrong clothing'. So, I advise you: Put on your rain jacket and galoshes and take a walk on the beach in the rain. Afterwards, that hot drink will taste even better.

Actually, we wanted to camp directly in Kühlungsborn. Due to COVID, the Baltic coast is so popular this year that everything was booked. So we found a camping spot on the RV parking area at the 5-star holiday camp in Börgerende.

You can reach Kühlungsborn from Rostock and Schwerin in under an hour.

You can reach Kühlungsborn via the A20 highway. Take the Kröpelin or Bad Doberan exit, depending on where you are coming from.

If you are not mobile and don't ride a bicycle, then use the spa railway. The small tourist train takes visitors from A to B.

Starting at the end of June, the beach chair cinema in Kühlungsborn West opens. Here you can watch movies outdoors. The comfortable beach chairs are set up in front of the screen right on the beach. Brilliant, unfortunately not open yet during our visit in mid-June.

You can find information on this website

For hobby geologists, the Stone Trail may be of interest. I personally found the place to be beautiful. The stones weren't very exciting, although I took geology as my elective in school.

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