Rostock Sightseeing

The Hanseatic City of Rostock has its own unique charm. Maritime, relaxed, not too big, and in some corners quite alternative. I felt this from the very first moment. That's why I'm taking you on a walk around the Hanseatic city and sharing which sights and highlights of Rostock I particularly enjoyed.

The largest city in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern has about 200,000 inhabitants. What do I like about Rostock? The architecture, the atmosphere, and its location by the water. In addition, there are beautiful sights and highlights, as well as lesser-known places that definitely make for a worthwhile visit.

Thanks to my good friend, real Rostocker and 'Local-Guide' Mandy (Go Girl Run), I am well-prepared for a private city tour.

Have fun discovering the beautiful Hanseatic City of Rostock!

If you're traveling alone, it's worth starting your sightseeing tour at the city harbor and walking towards the Kröpeliner Tor. Walk through the pedestrian zone with its beautiful gabled houses, the 'Pornobrunnen', and the university square up to the St. Mary's Church and the astronomical clock. This way, you can get to know some of Rostock's sights right from the start.

At the Neuer Markt, you'll have a great view of the town hall and St. Mary's Church. Continue past the city archive (where weddings are held) to St. Peter's Church in the old town. Climb the narrow stairs up or take the elevator (like we did). Enjoy the view of the Hanseatic City of Rostock from above, which for me is a must-see.

If you still have time, you should head to the 'KTV' (Kröpeliner Tor Vorstadt). In this artistic and student district, there are great bars, small shops, and an atmosphere that I really liked. This is where we started our little sightseeing tour around Rostock.

Let's start with Rostock's 'Hipster District'. The KTV (Kröpeliner Tor Vorstadt) gets its name from Rostock's western main gate - the Kröpeliner Tor. There's always something going on here. I found the street art, cafés, restaurants, and young residents quite fascinating.

Start at Kröpeliner Straße "Kröpi", the major shopping street between the Neuer Markt and the Kröpeliner Tor. The shops here can be found in every city. Pay attention to the beautiful brick Gothic and Renaissance buildings from the Hanseatic period, as well as the Baroque architecture.

Architectural highlights include the Ratschow House (just after the Pornobrunnen), the Rostocker Hof (look for the dome inside the gallery), and the Baroque Hall in the Ducal Palace at the university square.

The Rostock Town Hall is a focal point when you're standing at the Neuer Markt.

It is one of the oldest buildings in the city. Head to the left side of the building to find a display case with drawings and photos regarding the different development stages of the town hall. Without a private guide, I would have missed the interesting details of this attraction.

The oldest part dates back to the 13th century, and the seven towers were gradually constructed. I find the mix of Gothic and Baroque quite exciting.

These sights in Rostock are not to be missed.

The former city gates of Rostock served as passages through the city wall. Today, only three of these city gates remain. The Kröpeliner Tor marks the end of Kröpeliner street. This street once led to an important trade route to Wismar and Lübeck.

The other two city gates are Kuhtor and Steintor. You should check these out too. I have marked them on the map at the end.

The Rostock City Harbor is a popular meeting point. In the evening, you'll find many locals equipped with grills and chairs here. What seems strange to me (who grills in a parking lot by the harbor) is a way of life for the locals. You have to see this, it's pretty cool.

Along the harbor, there are several restaurants, cafés, and the Rost Dock. Perfect for spending the evening at the harbor. Chill music and cold drinks, along with pleasant people contributed to a great ending of the day for me.

Every year, the Hanse Sail takes place at the harbor. It attracts thousands of people every year. It is one of the largest gatherings of museum ships and traditional sailing ships worldwide.

Tip: Have you always wanted to see an icebreaker? The icebreaker Stephan-Jantzen is docked in the city harbor.

St. Peter's Church, built in the style of brick Gothic, towers over the skyline of Rostock. The former tower of the Hanseatic city was struck by lightning and destroyed in 1543. It was later rebuilt. From the original 127 meters, it became a 117-meter high tower.

You can visit the church in the old town free of charge and take an elevator up for 4 euros. From here, you have a beautiful panoramic view over Rostock to the sea towards Warnemünde and Hohe Düne.

This church is one of the oldest churches in Rostock. I should emphasize that it is no longer used as a church but rather for concerts and events. The Gothic hall roof contains apartments on three floors. I find that quite brilliant!

If you want to take a break while strolling down Kröpeliner Straße, you can do so at the 'Pornobrunnen' in the university square.

With a view of the beautiful gabled houses, you can observe the colorful hustle and bustle. Behind you is the main building of the Rostock University, in front of which lies the shopping street with numerous shops and cafés.

You will also find the Fünfgiebelhaus and the Blücher monument here. At the Fünfgiebelhaus, there's a carillon that rings every Saturday at noon. It's a shame I wasn't here on the weekend.

The University of the Hanseatic City of Rostock was founded in 1419, making it one of the oldest in Northern Europe and one of the ten oldest universities in Germany. The facade features the four original faculties (Medicine, Theology, Law, and Philosophy).

Today, you do not have to pay tuition in Rostock. About 15,000 students take advantage of this offer.

I learned that the famous writer Erich Kästner and archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann studied here. In the yellow building to the left of the university, you will find the Zoological Institute of the University of Rostock. It's particularly famous for the Rostock pipe stork, which you can see here. Unfortunately, it was closed during our visit due to COVID.

St. Mary's Church is the most important church in the city and built in the style of Northern German brick Gothic. Here you will find an astronomical clock, which is very worth seeing. Since the awarding of school certificates also takes place in the church, and I was there on that very day, the church was closed for us.

One of the most beautiful buildings in Rostock is the Ständehaus. Today, it houses the Higher Regional Court in the former seat of parliament. According to Mandy, it's not easy to get in here. It's a shame, as the interior is said to be beautiful.

The monastery is somewhat hidden behind the university. It is the only completely preserved monastery complex in Rostock. One of the monastery buildings today houses the city's cultural-historical museum.

We took a look around the courtyard and briefly enjoyed the tranquility away from the pedestrian zone.

Take a trip to Warnemünde. The Baltic Sea resort of Warnemünde is a district of Rostock. A popular destination of the Hanseatic city and the site of the largest cruise port in Germany. What was once a quiet fishing village is now fully geared towards (cruise) tourists and beach vacationers.

Stroll along the Alter Strom past the old captain's houses to the beach and the landmarks Teepott and lighthouse. Behind that lies the long and very wide sandy beach, the widest on the Baltic Sea coast.

If you have time, you should climb the lighthouse and enjoy the view. Here you have a great vantage point overlooking the Baltic Sea, the pier, the cruise port, the beach, and the beach promenade.

If you're traveling by camper, you can park at the camper parking lot on the island mole. We cycled from Rostock to Warnemünde. Alternatively, you can take the S-Bahn.

Tip: The best time is at sunset. Warnemünde is beautiful, but it is a bit too tourist-oriented for us. At least along the Alter Strom and the pedestrian zone. The beach should be great in the fall, especially when the mass of beach baskets are gone.

Rostock once had seven city gates, seven main roads leading from the market, seven bridges, seven towers, and seven doors in the town hall. St. Mary's Church has seven portals, seven bells at the clockwork of the seven churches, and seven old linden trees stand in the rose garden. Interesting numbers and facts as a visitor, right?

It was once rumored that there were also only seven students. That time is long gone. In Rostock, you can study for free, and the number of students is continuously increasing.

Rostock is the largest city in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern

The Hanseatic city has approximately 200,000 inhabitants

Until 1960, a tram ran through Kröpeliner Straße. Since 1968, the street has been a pedestrian zone

To be honest, I visited Rostock as part of a road trip with a camper along the Baltic Sea coast. Since Mandy has traveled southward to see me several times, I can simply recommend taking the train.

Rostock is quite well connected to the transportation network. From Berlin, you can reach Rostock in 2 hours. It's also 2 hours from Hamburg.

Depending on where you're coming from: If you're coming from Hamburg or Western Germany, take the A20 to Rostock. From Berlin, travel via the A19 and A24 to the Hanseatic city. I recommend taking a road trip along the Baltic Sea!

With Flixbus, you can take the bus to Rostock (up to Warnemünde) starting at 9.99 euros. The journey takes 3 hours. You can also conveniently reach Rostock by bus from Hamburg in 3 hours. Unfortunately, it takes several hours more from Southern Germany, making train travel more ideal.

Rostock does have an airport, but it is quite far out (Rostock-Laage). Additionally, this method of travel is not very sustainable. Avoid flights within Germany.

I really like the "The Underrated Cities of Germany Travel Guide". It includes other worth seeing cities alongside Rostock. Ideal if you're looking for hidden "gems" and insider tips including attractions in Germany.

Check out on Amazon

I also like the 111 Places You Must See in Rostock series. This guide has real insider tips that even locals might not know.

In Rostock, there are many rudimentary parking spaces without electricity, water, or restrooms/showers. If you want to camp autonomously, you can do so at the harbor or Mühlendamm. In Warnemünde, there's the Stellplatz Mittelmole.

For us, the option of staying right in the middle was ideal. A parking lot for cruise tourists was quickly transformed into a parking area. It's located exactly between Rostock and Warnemünde. Ideal for us, plus it's quiet, away from the city's noise. The distance to the beaches and the old town was perfect by bicycle (or alternatively by tram).

If we had stayed in a hotel, we would have chosen Motel One. It is located right at the Kröpeliner Tor. Ideal for reaching everything on foot.

Here you can check out Motel One

As an alternative, you should consider the Pentahotel. Hip, stylish, but a bit more expensive than Motel One.

Here you can check out the Pentahotel

Here are our tips for delicious food in Rostock:

A highlight for children is surely a visit to the Rostock Zoo. With more than 4,500 animals, including polar bears and gorillas, it is a major attraction. The largest zoo in Northern Germany also houses the Darwineum, where you can explore evolution on 20,000 m².

Children also love Karls Erlebnis-Dorf in Rövershagen, the summer toboggan run in Bad Doberan, or a harbor boat tour.

In the IGA Park, there is a great island and beach playground for kids as well as a barefoot path. Ideal if you don't want to head to the beach in Warnemünde.

In bad weather, head to Flip Out, the first trampoline hall in Rostock.

Never get lost again! Save this map on your phone (or open it when you're in Rostock). This way, you'll quickly and easily find all the cafés, restaurants, and sights I mentioned in the article. Ideal for your stroll.

In addition to the Baltic Sea resort of Warnemünde, there are numerous other highlights in the area. I will list them here and link my corresponding detailed articles on the travel blog:

Rostock is worth a visit at any time of year. However, I recommend checking when there are NO cruise ships in the harbor. Then the city is overrun with tourists. If you have booked a trip with a ship: tough luck In winter it is often cold and foggy. It tends to be stormy and gray. I recommend a trip in spring or autumn.

Are you active like us? Then take a bike. There's a bike path that takes you directly to the beach. Don't feel like cycling? Then take an excursion boat from the city harbor to Warnemünde (12 euros). The S-Bahn also goes to Warnemünde in 20 minutes (you can just as easily reach it with a bike).

Leave a comment and let us know your favorite places and special experiences in Rostock!

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