In May this year we made a tour of northern Germany together with 6 other motorhomes, the so-called "Strandkorgsresan". We started with the ferry Gothenburg - Kiel, travelled east along the coast and then took the ferry Sassnitz - Trelleborg home. Here are tips for those who want to do a similar trip in north-eastern Germany.
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Tour of Northern Germany
We recommend a round trip in northern Germany, starting from Gothenburg - Kiel and return journey Sassnitz - Trelleborg. This trip can be done by car, car and caravan, motorbike or camper van, in one week or in several weeks, depending on the number of destinations you choose and the pace you want.
We give you tips on the places we visited during "The beach basket challenge" and partly about places we have visited before, or during our last sailing trip. Our idea is that you should be able to use this guide and pick the destinations you are interested in. Happy Travels!
Ferry Gothenburg - Kiel
The ferry between Gothenburg and Kiel is our favourite ferry and we have previously written about the the ferry journey between Kiel and Gothenburg. This ferry has nice cabins and you can choose between the large buffet or a perhaps even nicer a la carte restaurant. A good start for a tour of northern Germany!
Stop 1: Haithabu Viking Museum
A 40-minute detour north-west from Kiel will take you to the Haithabu Viking Museum. In Viking times there was a busy trading village here, and today some houses have been rebuilt to show what it might have been like long ago. Very interesting! Also nearby is the Odin restaurant, where you can try classic North German dishes such as matjesfilet or "sauerfleisch".
Stop 2: Gut Basthorst and Mackmyra
Approximately two hours south of the Viking Museum you will find Basthorst Estate which is a nice farm in the countryside with a hotel and restaurant. Here we ate salmon with the "white gold", i.e. asparagus. Here you also find, somewhat unexpectedly, a branch of the Swedish whiskey brand Mackmyra with a showroom and a small whiskey shop.
Stop 3: Ratzeburg
At Zur Kutscherscheune in Ratzeburg you can rent a cottage or room, have a conference or eat at the restaurant. We were guided in Swedish (!) by the owner, had a good lunch and walked in the beautiful surroundings.
Stop 4: Lübeck
The old Hanseatic city of Lübeck is a harbour city in the federal state of Schleswig-Holstein, and can be an obvious stop on a tour of northern Germany. Here you can stroll around a UNESCO World Heritage Site city centre and shop for exclusive and delicious marzipan.
Stop 5: Timmendorfer Strand
Just north of Lübeck you will find Timmendorfer Strand. On this long, fine sandy beach you will find beautiful houses, lively restaurant streets and a long pier.
Stop 6: Ostsee camping in Zierow
Ostsee camping in Zierow is a nice campsite on the German coast, a short car or bus ride from Wismar. We've been here twice, and the second time we tried the campsite's "kegel" (a variation of bowling), which was great fun!
Stop 7: Wismar
Wismar was part of the Hanseatic League in the Middle Ages, and between 1648 and 1903 it was owned by Sweden. Today you can stroll around the town and check out the historic buildings, eat seafood at the harbour, sample German 'sekt' (sparkling wine), take a boat trip or perhaps visit the Sweden Festival.
Stop 8: Goods
If you continue south-east from Wismar, you can reach the lovely town of Waren. This town is located right next to the large Lake Müritz, which is the second largest lake in Germany. Here you'll find half-timbered houses and boat tours, and you can also visit the Müritzeum natural history museum.
Stop 9: Camping Havelberge and "the thousand lakes"
In Mecklenburg-Vorpommern there is an area known for its countless lakes, and here is the Havelberge campsite. Here we enjoyed a fantastic canoe trip, and we also took a train trip to Wesenberg, where we visited a sculpture park.
Stop 10: Heringsdorf on the island of Usedom
The island of Usedom is half in Poland and half in Germany, and the German side includes the charming holiday and spa resort of Heringsdorf. Here you can sunbathe and swim, stroll along the pier or go on bike rides, perhaps to Ahlbeck or Poland.
Stop 11: Greifswald
Greifswald is a charming and beautiful city, full of attractions and Swedish history. Here you can stroll through the historic buildings of the town, take a guided city walk or perhaps dine on one of the houseboats along the River Ryck.
Stop 12: Stralsund
Stralsund is a harbour city on the Baltic Sea coast that became a Hanseatic city in 1278 and has always been an important maritime city. Between 1648 and 1815 the city was under Swedish ownership, so there are plenty of memories of the Swedish era here.
Stop 13: Island of Rügen
Rügen is a popular holiday island in northeastern Germany, and a great way to end a tour of northern Germany. You can come here in the summer for sunbathing and swimming, strolling along the seafront promenades and walking on the piers. You can also visit a fascinating tree top trail or check out Hitler's impressive Prora building.
Ferry Sassnitz - Trelleborg
Finally, it is perhaps time to go home after a wonderful tour of northern Germany, perhaps with the ferry from Sassnitz to Trelleborg. This ferry is relatively simple, but we still thought we had a good and tasty buffet lunch in the Taste restaurant.
What are your top tips for travelling around northern Germany?
Do you have any other good tips for travelling around northern Germany (or northeastern Germany)? Let us know!
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Emma, sun like sun? says:
There are undoubtedly many gems there to visit! That's a nice route you've found, indeed!
24 August 2019 - 11:58
Britt-Marie Lundgren says:
After the beach basket trip we have realised how many great places there are in northern Germany. We will definitely go back and visit Usedom as well.
24 August 2019 - 16:29
Helena says:
Britt-Marie, can only agree! And Usedom surprised, can really recommend a visit there!
25 August 2019 - 9:05
Helena says:
Emma, really! And many nice places are also within easy reach! 🙂
25 August 2019 - 9:04
Jörgen Lundqvist says:
kühlungsborn is not to be missed!
25 August 2019 - 15:21
Helena says:
Thanks for the tips!
06 January 2020 - 16:35
Helena says:
Really! Germany positively surprises us all the time!
06 January 2020 - 16:36
Goatfish says:
It was a good bunch of rarities you showed!
I have been a lot in Germany, but never camped with anything but a tent there, or stayed in a hotel, or with friends. Certainly it is nice in the north with sandy beaches and the picturesque houses. Liked!
24 August 2019 - 15:44
Helena says:
There are many ways to travel!!! Northern Germany is nice, and it is not far away either! 🙂
25 August 2019 - 9:06
Britt-Marie Lundgren says:
After the beach basket trip we have realised how many great places there are in northern Germany. We will definitely go back and visit Usedom as well.
24 August 2019 - 16:28
Helena says:
I agree! There are really a lot of nice things in Germany, we fell in love with Usedom!
06 January 2020 - 16:35
BP says:
I remember your "beach basket trip" well. You have really found many nice and for me completely unknown gems in Northern Germany. And you have marketed them well!
24 August 2019 - 20:46
Helena says:
Yes, it was a special trip! 🙂 Now we also added some destinations that we have visited in other contexts. There are many nice places here!!!
25 August 2019 - 9:07
Mr Ralf Mattsson says:
Just north of Binz there's a Whonmobil Oase car park, but don't forget to check out Hitler's showpiece PRORA.
25 August 2019 - 15:28
Helena says:
Thanks for the tips! We looked at Prora, very interesting!
06 January 2020 - 16:34
Reiselinda says:
We will see if there are any stops along this route when we leave next week. There were a couple of places from the Beach Basket Challenge we would like to revisit, but I don't think it will be the same route again this year though... Germany has so many nice things to offer!
28 August 2019 - 21:31
Helena says:
Of course there are many nice things to see in Germany! There will be more Germany for us too!
06 January 2020 - 16:35