Kühlungsborn
A classic Baltic seaside resort with white spa-style villas along a long sandy beach. Take the Molli steam train to the White City of Heiligendamm and Bad Doberan Cathedral.
Kühlungsborn lies on the Baltic coast of the German state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, in the Rostock district, about 30 km east of Rostock. It is the largest seaside resort in the state. The town consists of an eastern and a western part, separated by a city forest. Along about 6 km of beach and seaside promenade, white spa-style villas line the coast. June to August is when the sea is warmest, good for swimming and renting beach baskets. May and September bring fewer visitors and mild weather for cycling. Winters are windy and cold, and most seaside facilities have shorter opening hours.
The area can be explored in four parts. First, the seafront in town: walk the pier, stroll the marina and climb the Baltic border watchtower. Second, go east along the coast by bike or by Molli steam train to the White City of Heiligendamm and Bad Doberan, to see the Cistercian cathedral and Kamp Park. Further east is the Nienhagen Ghost Forest. Third, go west to the Bastorf lighthouse, Rerik and the Salzhaff lagoon. Fourth, hike in the Kühlungsberg forest behind the coast.
Getting there: take a train from Rostock to Bad Doberan, then transfer to the Molli steam train to the town. By car, the A20 motorway takes about 2 hours from Hamburg. A stay of 2 to 4 days is recommended, and book accommodation early in peak season.
Top sights
- Bad Doberan Minster – A masterpiece of North German brick Gothic architecture, formerly a Cistercian abbey church, with exceptionally well-preserved medieval int…
- Kühlungsborn – The largest seaside resort in Mecklenburg, with a long sandy beach, a pier and villas in the style of bathing-resort architecture. It is th…
- Heiligendamm – Germany's oldest seaside resort, founded in 1793. Its white neoclassical buildings are known as the 'White City by the Sea'.
- Molli Steam Railway – A narrow-gauge steam railway that opened in 1886. It runs from Bad Doberan through the old town streets towards Heiligendamm and the Kühlun…
- Kühlungsborn Pier – A pier about 240 metres long reaching into the Baltic Sea. It is the central landmark linking the eastern and western towns, and sightseein…
- Kühlungsborn Marina – A modern yacht marina on the eastern seafront, surrounded by restaurants, ice cream shops and apartments, with sailing boats lined up along…
- Baltic Sea Border Tower – A former East German coastal border watchtower, one of the few still standing along the Baltic coast. It tells the stories of people who tr…
- Bastorf Lighthouse (Buk) – A white lighthouse on Buk Hill by the sea. Because of its high position it is known as one of the highest-set lighthouse lights in Germany…
- Kühlung Forest – Wooded terminal moraine hills behind the coast, with the highest point Diedrichshagen Hill at about 130 metres. A network of beech-forest p…
- Kamp Park, Bad Doberan – A triangular English-style garden in the centre of Bad Doberan, with two small red and white pavilions in Chinese style that survive from t…
- Ghost Forest of Nienhagen – Beech and oak trees on a seaside cliff, twisted and tangled by sea winds. In the fog, walking through them feels like stepping into a fairy…
- Rerik & Salzhaff – A small seaside town caught between the Baltic Sea and the Salzhaff lagoon. One side has a cliff-backed beach and the other calm lagoon wat…
Where to eat
- Seeteufel – A fish restaurant at the west end of Kühlungsborn near the beach, ranked first among the town’s fish restaurants on Tri…
- Fisch-Bistro Laden 42 – A family fish bistro tucked into an alley on the east side of Kühlungsborn; the portions are generous, and the pan-frie…
- Strandauster – Hotel restaurant in an 1906 Art Nouveau villa beside the seafront promenade, serving seasonal local dishes in a homesty…
Itineraries
- North Sea to Baltic Coast Loop: 14-Day Self-Drive Itinerary – Embark on a road trip from Hamburg around the North Sea and Baltic Sea, covering Sylt, Viking heritage sites, and Rügen…