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Warnemünde

Warnemünde: A Baltic Beach Resort at the Mouth of the Warnow

The Warnow reaches the Baltic at Warnemünde, whose name means "mouth of the Warnow." In 1903, with ferry traffic to Denmark under way, a new channel, the Neuer Strom, took over from the Alter Strom, the Warnow's original mouth and for centuries the way between the sea and Rostock's city harbor. The old houses south of the Bahnhofsbrücke keep their medieval style, and the Norwegian painter Edvard Munch lived at Am Strom 53 in 1907 and 1908.

The wide white-sand beach at Warnemuende with rows of hooded beach chairs under a blue sky streaked with cloud.

Photo: Marko Pühringer · BY-3.0

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What Cruise Travelers Should Know About Warnemünde

Cruise ships berth at the Warnemünde Cruise Center on the Passagierkai, beside the mouth of the Warnow, and Warnemünde railway station is right next to it. A pedestrian swing bridge from the station crosses the Alter Strom into the old village center, and the beach and lighthouse are beyond it.

  • Some cruise ships use the overseas port of Rostock instead, on the east side of the river; your cruise line will tell you where you berth.
  • Warnemünde is a district of the city of Rostock, and the S-Bahn runs from Warnemünde station to Rostock's main station.
  • Germany uses the euro.
  • You do not have to carry ID by law, but if you cannot show it when police ask, they can take you to fetch your passport.
  • Watch for pickpockets and bag snatchers at stations and in crowds, and do not leave bags unattended on the beach.

Warnemünde on Your Own

The cruise berth is beside Warnemünde station, and the Bahnhofsbrücke footbridge leads from the station to the old fishing street, with the lighthouse and the beach beyond it. If you would rather see a city, the S-Bahn runs to Rostock.

  • Along the Alter Strom: Cross the Bahnhofsbrücke from the station to the Alter Strom, the original mouth of the Warnow, where fishing boats tie up and the street of old houses is lined with restaurants, cafés and shops.
  • Lighthouse and Teepott: Near the harbor entrance stand the lighthouse, first lit in 1898, and the Teepott beside it. From April to mid-October visitors can climb the lighthouse to its two viewing galleries.
  • The promenade and beach: The promenade starts at the lighthouse and runs behind the dunes, with paths over the dunes onto the sand.
  • A short ride to Rostock: S-Bahn line S1 runs from Warnemünde station to Rostock Hauptbahnhof, on the south side of the city center, and Rostock has a good tram network; Kröpeliner Straße and St. Mary's Church are in its medieval center. In 2025 a single ticket within Rostock, Warnemünde included, cost 3.20 euros and a day ticket 8 euros. Check before you go.
  • Getting back on time: All-aboard is usually about 30 minutes before sailing, and your ship posts the exact time. A ship will not wait for passengers touring on their own. Hamburg is about two to two and a half hours from Rostock by train, so a day there on your own leaves little margin.

Getting Around Warnemünde and Beyond

In Warnemünde you can walk from the station over the Bahnhofsbrücke into the village. For Rostock and the coast, buses, trams, the S-Bahn and harbor ferries all belong to the same Warnow transport network.

  • S-Bahn lines S1, S2 and S3 all start at Warnemünde; S1 runs through the city to Rostock Hauptbahnhof, and S2 and S3 continue to Güstrow.
  • Buses, trams, the S-Bahn and the ferries share one fare network, and a single ticket within the Rostock fare zone lets you change between modes on a one-way trip.
  • Passenger ferries and sightseeing boats run between Rostock's city harbor and Warnemünde, an alternative to the S-Bahn along the river.
  • Trains from Rostock take about two to two and a half hours to Hamburg, and there are many connections a day to Berlin.
  • Warnemünde lies on the Baltic Coast Cycle Route, part of the EuroVelo network around the Baltic.
  • Check before you go, because fares and timetables change.

What to Eat in Warnemünde

Warnemünde's restaurants cluster along the Alter Strom, where the fishing boats come in, and around the lighthouse. Rostock has a fish shop and restaurant of its own on the river.

  • Alter Strom: Restaurants, pubs and a fish market line the old channel.
  • The Teepott: The shell-roofed pavilion by the lighthouse holds several restaurants.
  • On the Warnow: A fish shop and fish restaurant stand on the Warnowpier near the Marienehe S-Bahn stop, between Warnemünde and the city.
  • Local products: Sea buckthorn juice and Rostocker Pils beer are typical local products.

Tipping in Germany

In Germany a tip in a restaurant, bar or taxi is appreciated but not required. Rounding up the bill is common, and tips seldom go beyond 10 percent.

  • Taxi drivers are usually given 5 to 10 percent, and at least one euro.

Teepott, Lighthouse, and Rostock's Old Town

Warnemünde's landmarks are a lighthouse, an East German concrete pavilion and the old fishermen's houses along the Alter Strom. Every summer it hosts two big maritime events, and Rostock's Hanseatic old town is close by.

  • The Teepott: Designed by the engineer Ulrich Müther and built in 1968, with a shell-shaped concrete roof. It stood empty for ten years before being renovated in 2002.
  • The Vogtei: The oldest surviving house in Warnemünde, on the Alter Strom. Its inscription says 1605, but foundations found during restoration go back to around 1300.
  • The church: Warnemünde's neo-Gothic church was built from 1866 to 1871 and kept the carved Gothic altar, a statue of Saint Christopher and the pulpit from the older church. Two votive ships are on display.
  • Kurpark: The spa park between the promenade and the village center was laid out in 1910, and concerts are held on the open-air stage beside it in summer.
  • Summer events: Warnemünde Week in July, an international sailing regatta, and the Hanse Sail, a gathering of traditional ships, each draw around a million visitors.
  • In Rostock: St. Mary's Church is a huge brick Gothic church built from the 13th to the 15th century, with an astronomical clock of 1472, and Kröpeliner Straße is the main shopping street of the medieval center.

Warnemünde: Fishing Village to Resort to Cruise Port

For centuries Warnemünde was a small, poor fishing village that belonged to Rostock, and it only grew in the 19th century when sea bathing became fashionable. Railways, ferries and later cruise ships turned it into the port it is today.

  • First records: Warnemünde was first mentioned in Danish documents in 1195.
  • Bought by Rostock: On March 11, 1323, the city of Rostock bought the village to secure its access to the sea, and for centuries it was a detached outpost of the city.
  • Rostock and the Hanse: Rostock joined the Hanseatic League in 1251, and in 1419 it founded its university, the oldest in the Baltic region.
  • Sea bathing: Bathing in the sea is first recorded in 1821, and by 1834 the village of about 1,500 people was receiving about 1,000 bathing guests.
  • Railway and ferry: On June 26, 1886, a railway to Rostock and Berlin opened together with a mail steamer service to Gedser in Denmark. In 1903 a new station and a train ferry to Gedser followed.
  • The lighthouse: The lighthouse was put into service in October 1898; its light can be seen about 20 nautical miles away.
  • The GDR years: After the Second World War Rostock, in East Germany, became the country's largest seaport, and the state expanded the shipyards in Warnemünde.
  • Cruise port: The Warnemünde Cruise Center opened on May 1, 2005, and Warnemünde grew into one of Germany's busiest cruise ports.
  • Learn more: The Heimatmuseum at Alexandrinenstraße 31, in a fisherman's house built in 1767, covers fishing, seafaring, pilots and sea rescue, and furnished rooms show how a Warnemünde family lived.

Warnemünde with Children and Families

The beach, the lighthouse and the boats on the Alter Strom make up a family day here. Rostock's zoo is an option for a longer outing.

  • Younger children: The beach is wide, sandy and free of stones, reached from the promenade by paths over the dunes. The Planet Trail along the promenade shows the solar system to scale over two kilometers.
  • School age: Climbing the lighthouse spiral staircase to its two galleries is a good challenge from April to mid-October, and the Heimatmuseum shows how fishing families lived.
  • Teenagers: Watch the kitesurfers and windsurfers off the beach, or walk along the coast toward Nienhagen to see the twisted, wind-shaped trees of the Gespensterwald, the ghost forest near Nienhagen.
  • Rostock Zoo: The largest zoo on the German Baltic coast, founded in 1899, in the Barnstorf woods. In 2026 adults paid 24 euros and children 10 euros, and it opened at 9 a.m. Check before you go.

Accessibility in Warnemünde

The cruise berth is beside Warnemünde station, and the Bahnhofsbrücke footbridge over the Alter Strom links the station with the village center. The lighthouse is climbed by a granite spiral staircase.

  • From the berth: The cruise center is beside Warnemünde station, so the S-Bahn to Rostock starts right by the ship.
  • The beach: Paths from the promenade cross the dunes to the sand.
  • St. Peter's Church in Rostock: A lift replaces the old bell shaft and takes visitors up to the lower of the tower's two viewing platforms.
  • Ask your ship how far the walk is from the gangway to the terminal exit.

Shopping in Warnemünde

Warnemünde has the widest choice of souvenirs in the Rostock area, much of it along the Alter Strom. For a full shopping street, go into Rostock.

  • Alter Strom: Shops and boutiques share the old channel front with cafés and restaurants.
  • What to look for: Jewelry, crafts, sea buckthorn juice and Rostocker Pils are typical local buys.
  • Rostock: Kröpeliner Straße, in the medieval center, is the main shopping street.
  • Weekly markets: Rostock holds weekly markets with regional produce, including one on the Neuer Markt in the city center.

Warnemünde Beach and the Baltic Coast

Warnemünde's beach is the widest on the German Baltic coast, up to 150 meters of sand, and it runs for more than three kilometers. It narrows as it approaches the Stoltera cliffs.

  • Getting there: The promenade starts by the lighthouse and runs behind the dunes.
  • The sand: The beach is free of stones, with paths onto it over the dunes.
  • Water sports: Light currents and good wind make Warnemünde a sailing, kitesurfing and windsurfing center.
  • Farther west: The coast toward Nienhagen has cliffs and the wind-shaped Gespensterwald woods.
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