Warnemunde, Germany cruises
Your guide to Warnemünde.
Warnemünde is a pretty seaside resort with delectable sand beaches and a lively promenade that attracts scores of German city dwellers in the summer. On a hot day there are few things more satisfying than joining the throngs on the sand or enjoying a chilled pilsner along the bars of the Alter Strom. Visit the former residence of Edvard Munch, painter of The Scream, explore the old town’s traditional fishing houses or take the train 20 minutes to the Hanseatic City of Rostock. Here you’ll encounter attractive gabled houses, gothic churches and turreted buildings dating back to the 13th century.
Exploring.
Warnemünde is compact and a pleasant place to explore. The beach offers salt white sands, while Alter Strom is a lively canal area, blending cafés, shops and traditional fishing houses. It’s here you’ll find Edvard Munch Haus - once home to the legendary artist. If heading into Rostock a tram from the train station delivers you to the city center. From here you can explore Rostock’s city walls, Neuer Markt (central square) and churches (the oldest, Petrikirche, dates to the 1350s). The city’s famous Shipbuilding and Maritime Museum occupies a disused freight ship, halfway between Rostock and Warnemünde on the Unterwarnow estuary.
Eating and drinking.
Both Warnemünde and Rostock offer a variety of choice when it comes to finding something to satisfy your thirst or hunger. Around a five-minute walk from the cruise terminal in Warnemünde brings you to the restaurants and bars of Alter Strom, offering attractive frontline views overlooking the canal. The Teepott building, beside the lighthouse, also features a nice selection of cafés. In Rostock, you’ll find everything from seafood and steakhouses to hearty German fare and Italian pizzerias. Many options are found through Old Town Rostock in the area surrounding Neuer Mrkt, and in the trendy district of Kröpeliner-Tor-Vorstadt (KTV) favored by students.
Shopping.
For a small beach resort, you might be surprised by the diversity and calibre of Warnemünde’s shopping offer. Many independent stores have made their home along the tree-lined Am Strom promenade, an attractive street, notably dense in clothing and accessories brands. In larger Rostock you’ll find several shopping centers dotted around town as well as a pedestrian zone in the historic city. Many shops are located along The Kröpeliner Strasse, Rostock’s main street, and the side-roads surrounding it. If you’re seeking traditional handicrafts or artisanal products the Kröpeliner-Tor-Vorstadt neighborhood has a variety of small artists’ workshops and craft stores.
Beyond Warnemünde.
Venturing outside Warnemünde and Rostock unlocks further Hanseatic treasures, as well as the state capital, Schwerin. The latter is 80 kilometers from Rostock on a scenic route with captivating country views. Most visit Schwerin for its castle but the city boasts many other notable buildings, as well as being home to the National Museum. Stralsund, a Hanseatic town also on Germany’s Baltic Sea coast, is another popular day trip from Rostock. The Old Town is characterful, with red-hued rooftops and countless gothic buildings that have earned UNESCO World Heritage Status. Stralsund also offers many educational attractions, The German Oceanographic Museum and The Cultural History Museum being among them.