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Germany
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The Baltic Sea Coast (Ostseeküste) of Germany is a vacation region located in the northern federal states of Schleswig-Holstein and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. The eastern part of it is known as the German Riviera. Besides the obvious draw of a beach destination, many of the old towns in this area bear witness to the former wealth of Hanseatic cities and are well worth a visit.
Germany's largest island (926 km²). Famous for its bathing beaches, noble resort architecture, as well as its diverse nature and the chalk cliffs at Jasmund National Park.
Island in the east of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. Second largest island of Germany. Its eastern part is located on the national territory of Poland. Famous for the elegant seaside spas at the Kaiserbad in the east.
Peninsula in the north of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. Known for its fishing villages and bathing beaches.
This region can also be described as the "German Riviera".
By plane
If you are coming from outside of Germany the airports of Berlin and Hamburg and onward trains or a rental car from there are probably your best bet.
By ferry
Check Baltic Sea ferries. Major ports are Lübeck/ Travemünde, Rostock (Warnemünde) and Kiel, the endpoint of the Kiel canal connecting North Sea and Baltic Sea.
By car
The major travel ways are the motorway A20 with good connections to the German capital Berlin and the city of Hamburg.
By bus
Long-distance bus operators such as Flixbus serve a number of tourist destinations all along the coast. As many lines end at the coast, they often serve a number of stations in close proximity.
In order to explore the Baltic Sea Coast you can use public means of transport such as trains. Also bikes can be used to make trips in defined regions.
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Rostock is the largest city in the German state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, though not its capital. It is a hub for Baltic Sea ferries, Germany's largest port for cruise ships by number of boardings and pleasant enough for a longer stay mostly due to its Hanseatic heritage.
Stralsund is a city in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. The Gothic historic centre of Stralsund is (along with Wismar's) a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Wismar is a city in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania which lies on the Baltic Sea coast. The historic center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Greifswald is a town of 59,000 people (2020) in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania in Germany. The town sits at the south end of the Bay of Greifswald, and the historic centre on the river Ryck that crosses the city.
Bad Doberan is a spa town on the Baltic coastline in Central Mecklenburg. It is especially known thanks to the posh seaside resort Heiligendamm which is in essence a district of the town.
Kühlungsborn is a popular seaside resort on the Baltic coastline in Central Mecklenburg. It is a centerpiece of the Mecklenburg Riviera.
Heringsdorf is the famous seaside resort Kaiserbad on Usedom Island on the German Baltic Sea Coast bordering the Polish city of Świnoujście (Swinemünde). It is composed of the three spa areas known as Ahlbeck, Bansin and Heringsdorf (which forms the center).
Kiel is the capital city of the German state of Schleswig-Holstein and a major maritime hub on the Baltic Sea, one of Germany's main passenger ports and as the Baltic endpoint of the Kiel Canal,
The Hanseatic City of Lübeck (Hansestadt Lübeck) is one of the major German ports on the Baltic Sea and the second-largest city in Schleswig-Holstein (about 223 000 inhabitants as of 2024), situated at the mouth of the river Trave (hence the name of its port suburb Travemünde). The city has been an important port since the 12th century.
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