City Guide
Rostock city insider tips: This belongs on any explorer’s list!
When time is limited and the possibilities for excursions seem endless, it’s up to the professionals – in our case the ‘insiders’ – who can tell you exactly which Rostock city attractions you should incorporate in your plans during your stay. On our website you will find numerous suggestions for seeing and experiencing the best of the regional culture – on land, on rails and in the water. Let us inspire you!
JOHO Broiler Bar: cool location, crispy chicken
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Have you come across the word broiler before? If not, it means ‘roast chicken’. JOHO Broiler Bar proves that there are many delicious, crispy variants.
Its location, by Rostock’s main railway station, is perfect for a bite between meals or to meet up with friends or colleagues. Fresh, regional products are used not just for the broilers, broiler breast and burgers, but for all of the other dishes, too. You will find ribs and currywurst on the menu alongside a fantastic selection of sides – including Parmesan truffle fries and salad. Vegetarians will love tucking into the Frohnatur Burger with falafel patty. The friendly interior with plenty of dark wood, green tones and cool seating guarantees a relaxed atmosphere.
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Craftbar: cocktails, coffees and craftsmanship
With almost 20 years of bar experience behind them, Alex and Gregor know exactly what they’re doing. If you’re keen to learn about classic techniques, mix your own drinks and get some inspiration for setting up your own home bar, you could always sign up for the Craftbar Cocktail College. Or how about a course in barista basics?
If you’d rather leave it to the pros, then sit back and soak up the cool and cosy vibes as you sip your drink. Craftbar is run by two cocktail experts after all. You can watch the team mix and serve up incredible drinks at the bar. And the beautiful glasses and exquisite presentation are sure to have you going back for more. Baristas are also on hand to carefully craft your choice of coffee creation.
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Café Stadtkind: an evening with Steffi
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A warm welcome is always nice – even when you’re used to living in a city setting. That’s why you should head straight for Café Stadtkind in the student neighbourhood if it’s your first time in Rostock or you’re travelling alone. This eatery has been around for over 20 years, offering lounge and bar vibes in the evening.
Steffi, a familiar face on the Rostock night-life scene, has been behind the bar since 2015 and is known for making everyone feel welcome in the city’s ‘living room’. You can pop in for a quick drink or settle in for the night, working your way through the menu of exclusive gins, tasty cocktails and beers ranging from big names to breweries you’ve never heard of. The food gets the good times rolling too, with flat breads, salads and sumptuous burgers like the signature Stadtkind Burger with hot BBQ sauce and the vegetarian alternative made with a sweetcorn patty.
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Sky Lounge Wheel Warnemünde: metal giant on the Mittelmole
This is the third-largest mobile big wheel in the world: at just under 60 metres, the impressive Sky Lounge Wheel shapes the Warnemünde skyline. Located on the Mittelmole, it weighs 400 tonnes and offers space for a total of 320 people in forty gondolas.
The metal wheel’s lofty height offers fantastic views of the beach, the Baltic Sea and across the Warnow river almost to the centre of Rostock. The wheel celebrated its inauguration at Expo 2000 – it is one of three big wheels by fairground company Oscar Bruch jr. In Warnemünde, it is operated by Geisler. But the Hanse Rad doesn’t just wow those on board. When 1,200 metres of neon tubes and around 500,000 LED lamps showcase its architecture in the evening, it demonstrates its imposing presence for onlookers, too.
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Flip & Fly: … and action!
Experience weightlessness once in your life! At the 3,000-square-metre Flip & Fly Trampolin- und Action Arena Rostock, ‘flying’ is also one of the activities on offer.
You will find trampolines here as far as the eye can see – even on the walls. Alongside the vast fields of trampolines and the trampoline courses, you can let loose climbing, in the Free Jump Area, on the Battle Beam with cushioned lances, in the Dodgeball Arena, in Slam Dunk Basketball or climbing the Powertower. No prior experience is necessary to have fun – Flip & Fly newbies can tentatively try out all the attractions at their own pace. The arena also boasts a snack bar with pizza, sausages and sweet treats. You can relax or simply observe in the two lounge areas.
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Rostock Zoo: Discover new habitats
What Rostock Zoo has to offer is pretty impressive, with 6500 animals of 500 different species from all over the world.
It is as exciting opportunity to explore new habitats and learn lots of interesting things, whether you have children with you or not. The animals, including gorillas, orang-utans, polar bears and penguins, are housed in spacious park-like enclosures. The main attractions include the Darwineum and the Polarium. The former is based in the tropical glasshouse and provides a trip through the different periods of the Earth’s history. The Polariam gives an insight into animal life on the North and South Poles. Exclusive guides and experiences, including a dusk tour, can be booked in addition to normal admission. Just ask our insiders!
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Seebad Warnemünde: the birthplace of the Strandkorb
The former fishing village of Warnemünde was first documented in 1195. Since 1323, it has been part of the Hanseatic city of Rostock and has consistently lived up to its reputation as one of the most beautiful city districts and most popular German bathing resorts on the Baltic coast.
The unbeatable arguments in favour of the Baltic resort are: its vast fine, sandy beaches, the unspoiled cliffs, the coastal woods and the Rostocker Heide. With its healthy climate and Strandkorb beach chairs – which have their origins here – nothing can get in the way of complete relaxation. You can take a stroll along the Alter Strom, the promenade right by the water. The picturesque historical centre located opposite the Hohe Düne yacht harbour attracts a mixed crowd thanks to its fishing harbour and countless restaurants, cafes and boutiques.
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Universitätsplatz: ‘Marschall Vorwärts’ and the ‘porn fountain’
This area has always been turbulent: in 1252, when the new town was built, the square was used for local market activities. Today, Universitätsplatz (university square) can be found on the site. The main building of the university, founded in 1419, is located here.
Architect Hermann Willebrand was behind its construction in Mecklenburg-Renaissance style. The square is also home to a memorial to Prussian General Field Marshall Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher, born in Rostock in 1742, who became famous for the victory over Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo. If you want to experience Rostock from a local perspective, then you should take a break on the lawn by the ‘Brunnen der Lebensfreude’ fountain – and don’t be intimidated by its popular nickname ‘porn fountain’.
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Rostocker Heide: superlative coastal forest
With a total area of 6,000 hectares, the Rostocker Heide is the largest contiguous coastal forest in Germany and home to an array of plant and animal species.
The woodland, which has been a conservation area since 1996, is located to the north-east of Rostock and has belonged to the city since 1253. It stretches along the Baltic coast from Markgrafenheide to the Baltic resort of Graal-Müritz. The recreational area is paradise for cyclists and hikers, with a route network spanning 60 kilometres. Take a deep breath here – the blend of sea and woodland air does wonders for body and soul. You can nourish your mind on the discovery trail – information on the native woods is provided here. There are also ten Thalasso spa tracks on sand and in the forest, as well as in the surf zone.
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Fachwerk7 Restaurant & Bar: a great mix
Before cocktails were mixed at the present-day Fachwerk7 at the Wittescher Speicher, Friedrich Witte, Rostock-based chemist and manufacturer, experimented with chemicals. A small table hints at the early industrial production of pharmaceutical preparations.
With a restaurant and bar now housed in these old walls, the menu features all-but-forgotten classics, drinks from hidden corners of the world, and outstanding signature creations. And delicious food is served, too: soups, burgers and sandwiches, fish, pasta, salads, bowls, and a classic veal Wiener schnitzel with lukewarm potato-and-cucumber salad, for example, will get your mouth watering. And the interior of Fachwerk7 is just as beautiful to look at as the outside!
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To Steki: Greek meeting place in a trendy district
You will find a little piece of Greece after a stroll to the Kröpeliner-Tor-Vorstadt. This is where the little To Steki snack bar is located. Alongside delicious food, it also impresses with its incredibly friendly staff and excellent value for money.
Rostock’s first gyros snack bar offers food to eat in or take away. Gyros lovers can choose from several options with an array of sides; for vegetarians, there are tasty pita breads filled with feta, beans, sheep’s cheese or even vegan rissoles. Salads are also on the menu. ‘To Steki’ means ‘hang-out’ in English – and the atmosphere reflects this. Relaxation among like-minded people.
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Fröhlich Frozen Yoghurt: cool creations
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At Fröhlich Frozen Yoghurt, a great mood is a given. This isn’t just down to the name – fröhlich means cheerful – but also the colourful selection of delicacies that adorn the ice cream specialities – if you can pick one!
The principle is very simple: in your cup, you first get the base – frozen yogurt, flummery, quark or ice cream. And then we get to the toppings and sauces. You are spoilt for choice when it comes to the toppings; there are around 100 – from blueberries to chocolate coins to gummy bears; if it looks pretty and tastes good, anything can round off the delicious base. And the interior is just as beautiful as the food. There are a few seats available outside, allowing you to enjoy your treat in peace while watching the hustle and bustle in Kröpeliner-Tor-Vorstadt.
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The Rostock Cultural History Museum: city history in hallowed halls
Despite a change in name from ‘City Museum of Art and Antiquities Rostock’ to ‘Rostock Cultural History Museum’, its significance has remained the same:
the museum is one of the most important sites documenting civic cultural history in Mecklenburg-West Pomerania. It was founded in 1859 and includes painting, graphic-art, handicraft, coin, furniture, militaria, everyday-culture and archaeology collections. The permanent exhibition ‘Rostock. 1200 to 1850’ chronicles the city’s history. The location itself is a contemporary witness from days gone by. The institution is located in the historical Convent of the Holy Cross, the Rostock Cistercian convent established in 1270 and endowed by Margaret, Queen of Denmark, as atonement, with the approval of her cousin, Waldemar of Rostock.
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Warnemünde lighthouse: timeless traffic sign
The Baltic Sea resort of Warnemünde is a district of the Hanseatic city of Rostock. Here, the Warnemünde lighthouse towers upwards, a landmark and an active navigational aid to this day, 200 metres from the beach and a proud 36.9 metres in height.
The lighthouse entered operation in 1898 – but as far back as 1358 there were reports of wooden structures with fire baskets, a tower with glazed metal cage in which twelve candles burned, and an iron scaffold with petroleum lamp. The height of the lighthouse is measured using the distance between the tip of the tower and the average water level in the Baltic Sea. From the entrance to the lamp, there is a total of 135 steps. The lighthouse is a listed monument and also a building of historical importance for the city. You can, however, climb it during the season and enjoy a great view of Warnemünde.
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Rostock Art Gallery: from exhibition pavilion to art museum
The building that’s now home to the art gallery was originally designed as a pavilion for the biennial exhibition on the Baltic States, Norway and Iceland.
But Founding Director Dr Horst Zimmermann started to put together a special collection for what would one day become the art gallery back in the early planning phase in 1964. The collection mainly featured local graphic art, sculptures and paintings by 1990, including work by Otto Dix, Max Liebermann and other well-known artists. In 2009, works by national and international artists like Gerhard Richter, Christo and Jeanne-Claude, and Eugenio Recuenco were added to the collection. No trip to the art gallery is complete without a visit to the café and bistro by the swan pond, where you can admire a stunning view of the gardens. You won’t want to miss the gallery shop either.
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