How long to stay in Warnemünde
Warnemünde is relatively small, so for a quick trip of the highlights you do not need to stay in Warnemünde more than a single day. However, if you want to make the most use of the beach, as well as explore the surrounding area, then I recommend staying for a weekend and taking it slow.
We’ve visited Warnemünde both in winter and in summer, both times for several days, and not felt bored of our time there.
What to do in Warnemünde
There are a few main attractions in Warnemünde which you will spot quickly —the lighthouse and the beach are both hard to miss. The old town itself is well worth exploring, so I would resist the temptation to make a beeline straight for the front.
Explore the old town
There are many cute seaside houses in Warnemünde, making a photo walk around the town a good choice. On the edge of town you’ll often see huge cruise ships towering over the town which makes for an odd juxtaposition.
On that note, don’t skip out on exploring the south side of the town. It seemed to us that many tourists would go directly to the north side (where the main promenade is) and completely neglect exploring the quieter streets to the south. This is a shame as you will then miss out on the beautiful old buildings lining the streets.
Climb the lighthouse
For just 2 € you can climb the 135 steps of the Warnemünde lighthouse and enjoy the views over the town and harbour for your trouble. It’s an easy climb with stops on the way up with information and it’s super cheap so it’s definitely worth a trip to the top.
This is also a very good place to get a view of the huge cruise ships as they make their way out of port, so it’s worth checking their schedules in case you want an extra unique view from the top!
Visit the Gespensterwald
If you enjoy a bit of nature and landscape photography than this is the spot for you. Rent bikes from Glücksrad-Warnemünde and cycle 30 minutes down the coast to the beautiful Gespensterwald (“ghost forest”), aptly named due to its strangely shaped, twisted trees. At the time of writing this the bikes just cost 12 € per day, which is more than reasonable.
If you’re unable or unwilling to cycle you can also catch the 119 bus in the direction of Bad Doberan Bahnhof and get off at Ostseebad Nienhagen Mitte. This will just take you 20 minutes (same with the car). Bad Doberan is also a cute village with a lot of interesting old houses and villas.
The forest is a 15 minute walk from the bus stop, in a straight line heading north through Nienhagen. The forest is truly breathtaking and it’s always the highlight for me if we visit the area.
Tip: If you get hungry, stop for traditional German food at Hotel Nienhäger Strand, from there you can enjoy the ocean view, and in summer you can sit on the terrace in a traditional Strandkorb for the full German-beach-holiday-experience. In summer there are also plenty of open stands by the beach where you can get snacks like ice cream or Bockwurst.
Chill at the beach
Warnemünde is most known for the beach. Not surprising, given that it’s over 10km long. Head to the beach and you’ll be able to rent yourself a beach chair (“Strandkorb” for 10-15 € a day depending on when you visit. Personally we liked to rent one only for the afternoon (after 2pm) which reduced the price to 10 € for the rest of the day (until 6.30pm). This had the added benefit that the beach was much quieter already.
As far as photography goes, the sun sets over the ocean, so it’s perfect for taking photos at golden hour.
Go to Scandinavia
Okay, this is not technically something to do in Warnemünde, but it’s worth mentioning if you’re planning a longer trip in the area (or just passing through) and want to avoid flying in favour of something more nautical. As well as cruise ships, there are ferries operating on most days which head over to Denmark and Sweden.
From Warnemünde you can visit Gedser (Denmark) or Trelleborg (Sweden). Theoretically you could make this a day trip if visiting Gedser, which just takes an hour one way. Check Scandlines for detailed information about the ferries and their timetables.
Watch the cruise ships head out to sea
Whilst I’m not a fan of the gas-guzzling-environment-killers known as cruise ships, they’re an engineering spectacle, and it’s fun to people-watch when one of the big ships leave the port. In summer/spring this happens almost every night around 5/6pm.
If you want to be up close and in the thick of it, Promenade Passagierkai is a fun place to be, as it tends to be lined with people cheering and waving at the ships as they head out. Equally enjoyable is walking all the way down to the green lighthouse (Molenfeuer Westmole). Otherwise if you time it well, you could head to the top of the Warnemünde lighthouse for a unique view.
Photography tip: If you check for when a cruise ship is in town, you can then head down past the Promenade Passagierkai and right up to the ships. I had a lot of fun shooting some close-up abstract shots of the ships and harbour from there.
Day trips from Warnemünde
Warnemünde is a day trip location itself rather than the perfect base for trips. But if you’re looking to do this, don’t miss Rostock, Wismar, or Stralsund. Alternatively you can make your way over to Scandinavia on the ferry, as mentioned above.
When to visit Warnemünde
Warnemünde will be incredibly busy in summer due to its huge stretch of beach and the huge quantity of people passing through on cruise ships. For that reason I’d actually recommend visiting in late summer or early autumn where the weather will still be nice enough to enjoy the beach vibes, but they’ll be considerably less people.
What to eat in Warnemünde
Eat mouth-watering fish at Hafenrestaurant Meerle
By far the best food we had in Warnemünde was at Hafenrestaurant Meerle, on the right side of the harbour by the fish market. In general we found the quality and price of the restaurants (as well as the fish stands) to be much more affordable and better quality than those on the other side of the harbour, where most of the tourist foot-flow is.
Meerle was a standout visit for us, where we treated ourselves to a hearty serving of fried Rotbarsch (Ocean Perch) with shrimps, hollandaise and Bratkartoffeln (fried potato), as well as muscles in a white wine sauce.
Get a cheap lunch at Restaurant Fabelhaft
If you’re looking to save money, Restaurant Fabelhaft has great lunch options between 11 :00 – 16:00. We enjoyed the Rotbarschfilet with Bratkartoffeln (Ocean Perch fillet with fried potatoes), and at 12,90 € it was considerably cheaper than anything else you’ll find in town. For contrast, at the restaurants by the harbour you can expect to pay 15-20 € minimum per dish.
In general, on the same street as Fabelhaft you will find plenty of nice restaurants and cafes, and they will be quieter and cheaper than in the tourist hotspot of the harbour, so it’s also worth taking a look around.
Eat Fischbrötchen at Min Herzing
Make sure to head to the right side of the main harbour, also referred to as the fish market, as the prices will be lower and the quality will be higher. Here you’ll find our personal fish market stall and snack location, Fischhus Min Herzing. Pick yourself up a fresh fish-breadroll, or my personal favourite naughty-treat, a fried fish breadroll simply known as a Fischbrötchen. You’ll be offered the choice of garlic sauce or Remoulade – both are good!
Where to get drinks
If you’re looking for a chill drinking spot for an afternoon, we have two places in particular to recommend. But first, something that was new to me:
Grab a Froyo Ice Coffee at Fröhlich
If you’re visiting in Summer or Autumn and fancy a caffeine kick with a refreshing twist, then checkout the frozen yoghurt iced coffee at Fröhlich. It was much nicer than that sounds! (To me, anyway.)
Enjoy a Beer at the Hoppen un Molt Brewery
This is the home for the local brew and a really nice quiet spot away from the main tourist strip. Super chill vibes, friendly people, and local brew make for a nice combination. Check it out!
Warm up at Hafenliebe
If you fancy a cocktail or just a chill spot closer to the harbour then you won’t do better than Hafenliebe. Note: Here I am not referring to the restaurant on the main promenade, but the bar downstairs right at the harbour. It’s especially cozy and enjoyable if you’re visiting during the colder months (September and onwards), as the hot-lamps enable you to stay warm and still enjoy the outdoors.
As an added plus, they also do lovely waffles with cherries and ice cream. Perfect in combination with a tea or mulled wine.
Conclusion
If you’re looking for a short getaway near the seaside, then Warnemünde is a fantastic choice. You can get your full serving of “beach vacation”, fill up with fresh fish, and explore the nearby natural wonder that is the Gespensterwald.
