Hi all:
We are looking for a home exchange for this summer and have a possible hit in Rostock, in the very north of germany... has anyone been there? Any easy day trips from there? I know you can get the cheap Bayern ticket for a group in Munich area... I think they have those for all "states" as far as I can tell on the website..... does anyone know?
Thanks!!
Kim
Hi,
Yes and no on Rostock. I was there a few years ago only at the Rostock Hbf, had about one hour before taking the train back to Hamburg.
No, I did not see the Zentrum. An easy day trip from Rostock is to Schwerin and also Stralsund, both are direct connections.
Travel from Rostock to Berlin by car, bus, or train all take about 3 hours one way. You can cross to Gedser, Denmark by www.scandlines.com car ferry in under 2 hours.
Germany's various regional-train offers are all linked here.
While I concede that these are long-winded posts by me, you might wish to review my recent trip to Baltic Germany here: https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/trip-reports/baltic-germany-fachwerke-landesgartenschau. (The first post in the link has a "backwards" link to my original question, that was related to your OP here.)
While Russ or other real Germany experts may reply, you should look at the Deutsche Bahn website for easy access to information on a confusing variety of discounts. We had a car. I'd note that there are situations like staying in the outskirts of American city, where you have to take a train to a "hub" (as we talk about airlines) and then go back out to the place you really want to see. I'm not saying you must have a car, only that you should look at the RAIL MAP for Rostock, and make your plans from there. Note that Rostock also has ferries.
Note that this is also an access to resort areas. I would want (I mean you, not me) the exact address of the proposed exchange, so I could map it on Google Maps, and explore just what the transit options are. Is a beach important to you? Walking distance to restaurants? Luxurious home? Quiet? Coastal steam (??) railway excursion in season?
We did not have time on our trip for Rostock. But I'd point out that it is midway between the UNESCO cities of Stralsund and Wismar. It may be more modern-resorty, but we didn't see it. I'd also point out that the really famous, pastoral (?) spot in this area is Rügen Island, very very far from Rostock. But I wouldn't want to spend the whole summer there unless I had already learned that I liked Fire Island NY or Martha's Vineyard MA or a Maine island, and so on. Maybe Santa Catalina is the corresponding place for CA ... ?
Wow, finally someone who does not have Neuschwanstein and Rothenburg on their itinerary! Congrats!
Great location for exploring the Baltic sea. Lots of beaches and sea resorts along the coastline. If you're from San Francisco, you'll find the Baltic Sea downright warm compared to the Pacific Ocean.
Towns with amazing examples of Northern German Brick Gothic architecture like Wismar and Stralsund (both UNESCO world heritage sites), Bad Doberan, or Lübeck. Nearby National Parks Vorpommersche Boddenlandschaft and Müritz National Park within easy reach for hiking, birding, or other nature experiences. Islands like Rügen and Hiddensee nearby. With a 2 hr. ferryboat ride, you're in Denmark.
Yes, there is a train Länderticket for the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (sorry, I can't find the site in English) which looks like a pretty good bargain.
However, while I'm generally a great advocate for going by train, in your case I'd recommend renting a car. You can probably get to all these places by public transportation, but you'll be a lot more flexible in the rural areas by car and not have to figure out bus connections all the time.
Just beware of the East German drivers. They have the reputation of being somewhat reckless, having been restricted by the limits of the "racing cardboard box" for 40 years. ;-)
I am sure you are going to get a much better and much more authentic Germany impression than all those who just do the standard Bavaria route Munich-Neuschwanstein-Rothenburg.
Thanks all for the info! I love long winded posts, so no worries there. We have done the Rothenburg, Neuschwanstein etc... before. Home Exchange is semi-new for us, and it's exciting to look at all the places to go that would have never made my list! My family has traveled extensively in Europe, seen most of the "biggies" as has my friend - but it's a first trip for her kids. So we are trying to balance it... We have two weeks so hoping to get a "biggie" locale for one week and a more off-the-beaten-path one for another week. But I want to make sure we have things to do. It's just harder to get info for little random places (to use in the US at least). Also trying to keep our costs down. :)
Thanks all, more info welcome as well from anyone! And thanks Tim I will look at your link now. I love travel blogs, I always keep one.
Kim
hoping to get a "biggie" locale for one week
Your friends could easily go to Berlin from there for a couple of days, so there you've got your "biggie". What age are your friend's children, BTW?
But I want to make sure we have things to do.
See above. Unless you are set on seeing Disneyland castles and the like (which obviously you aren't), I assure you you won't be bored. My goodness, how silly of me: You've even got your Disneyland castle within easy reach! :-)
If you tell us more about what you and your friends are interested in, we can give you more information.
It's just harder to get info for little random places (to use in the
US at least).
True, American travel guides tend to assume that there is no civilized life north of Frankfurt or Berlin. :-)
That said, I wouldn't exactly call a town of 200,000 a "little random place". ;-)
For some basic (though often sketchy or incomplete) information, I find Wikivoyage a pretty good starting point. For Rostock, they even have a list of links where to "go next" which looks pretty helpful. The Mecklenburg-Vorpommern article also looks like a good starting point to me.
Also trying to keep our costs down.
That home exchange is going to be your best bet on that of course. The Baltic Sea destinations are popular with German families vacationing in summer though, so you will have to live with the fact that it's peak season.
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania) that extends from a little bit east of Lübeck to the Polish border is the second most popular holiday destination with the Germans after Bavaria. Before World War II it used to be called "the Berliners' bathtub". In high season (July and August) you will hardly get any accomodation without reserving long before. After the reunification of Germany in 1990 we have been there five times and have never been disappointed. Rostock, the biggest city there, is an excellent hub to explore the region by car and by train. Giant cruise ships call at Warnemünde, Rostock's seaport, and there are big car ferries between Warnemünde and Denmark, Sweden. Warnemünde is a lovely place, unless it is flooded by the people from the cruise ships. Even Finland, Latvia and Estonia can be reached by ferry from Rostock. There are frequent trains between Rostock and Warnemünde. Lying on Warnemünde's beach never gets boring. There is always something to watch. The towns and villages on the Baltic Sea have great character, not so much Rostock itself, because it was destroyed in World War II. The DDR (East Germany) had little money to renovate the town centers. They looked terrible before 1990. After that year the restoration work went very fast (with all the money from the West). Nowadays it is incredibly nice there.
From August 9 - 12 there is a big and great event in Rostock, the Hanse Sail. www.hansesail.com
As already mentioned, renting a car is a good idea. Most places can be reached by public transport, but it can take a while.
Rostock is not as pretty as other towns in the area, but it's centrally located and a good base to explore the Baltic coast.
Some things you can do/see:
Towns: Lübeck++, Stralsund++, Wismar+, Schwerin++, Greifswald+, Güstrow+
Islands/peninsulas: Darss+, Rügen++, Usedom+, Hiddensee++
Typical 19th seaside resorts: Binz++, Warnemünde+, Imperial Spas++ (Bansin, Heringsdorf, Ahlbeck)
Misc: Bad Doberan minster++, Prora+, Peenemünde+ (both Nazi structures), steam trains Bad Doberan++ and Binz+
Beaches: Warnemünde+, West beach++ (Darss), but all seaside resorts there offer white sand beaches
@ Kim....Two other day trips or an over night stay doable logistically from Rostock are Ludwigslust (the Schloss) and Greifswald, if you want to see a relatively new museum on the region of Pomerania (Pommern).
There is also another smaller museum on a more specific, particular area of Pomerania, Kreis Neu-Stettin, located in Eutin/Holstein. I saw that only by accident since I was walking back to the train station. As such no time for the contents of the museum. but this May's trip includes going back to Eutin to catch that museum as well as the famous Schloß and grounds.
Both Rostock and Greifswald claim to have something in common....culturally, they both have the two oldest universities in North Germany.
WOW thanks everyone!! A lot to research!! :)
Kim
Just want to second the suggestions already provided regarding Lubeck, Wismar, and Warnemunde. All lovely cities. It's a beautiful part of Germany. Lubeck has a big music festival every summer.
