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The Baltic Sea weather is unfortunately not very good during our vacation in Kuhlungsborn. Strong wind, fine drizzle and fog are the order of the day. What to do? Are there any sights in and around Kuhlungsborn that we can visit? How good that I had already researched in advance for interesting excursion destinations! So here are my excursion tips, in case you also experience a rather mixed Baltic Sea weather during your vacation there.
Beach promenade and pier in Kuhlungsborn
Kuhlungsborn has a very nice beach promenade. It stretches for about 3 kilometers along the Baltic Sea coast from Kuhlungsborn-West to Kuhlungsborn-East. A very nice walk that you can do in any weather with the right clothes – after all, there are places to stop for a bite to eat along the way. In the cozy coffee house Rontgen in Kuhlungsborn-West, for example, where there is a wide selection of fine cakes. With hot tea or coffee and a delicious piece of cake, even the sluggish weather can be endured – or?
At the other end of the beach promenade is the yacht harbor with the marina. There are also numerous restaurants and cafes here. Many of them have a roofed and heated outdoor terrace, so you can stop there even if the weather is not so good. We did that, warmed up with a glass of hot sea buckthorn drink and enjoyed the view over the marina to the Baltic Sea.
When we talk about Kuhlungsborn sights, the long pier is definitely one of them. Although it does not have superstructures, as is the case, for example, with the pier in Sellin on the island of Rugen, it is still very impressive with its 240 meters. From here ships go for example to Warnemunde. The pier is also a popular destination for all (amateur) photographers, especially at sunset time.
Parallel to the promenade runs of course the wide, fine sandy beach of the Baltic Sea resort. For children a single large sandbox, also great for a beach walk.
A ride with the Molli to Bad Doberan
Not only children's eyes start to light up at the sight of it: the Molli is at the top of my list of Kuhlungsborn attractions.
Already for many decades – since 1886, to be exact – there is this bathing train. The historic train runs on a narrow gauge track between Kuhlungsborn and Bad Doberan.
Is it actually called DER or DIE Molli??
Surely you noticed that I just talked about THE Molli. Yes, it is actually called "the Molli" – but why is that?? I read a funny story about this:
The name allegedly goes back to an incident that happened more than one hundred years ago: A lady with her little dog wanted to take a ride on the train, which was still quite new at the time. Apparently the dog didn't really want to go on the ride – in any case he got loose and took off. This happened just in the moment when the train arrived. The lady probably saw her beloved dog already ending under the wheels of the train and is said to have called out in a shrill voice: Molli, bliew stahn! (for all non-North Germans: Molli, bleib stehn!) So Molli was the name of the dog – but in its place the locomotive "listened" to the desperate call of the lady. The driver braked abruptly and the train came to a screeching halt. According to the legend nothing happened to the little dog and since then the train has its name: the Molli.
But no matter if it is the Molli or the Molli – in any case a ride with the historic train is a must for a vacation in Kuhlungsborn! It's best to start in Kuhlungsborn West, because there is also a small Molli museum there.
The station in Kuhlungsborn West
It is pretty, the station in Kuhlungsborn West! With a lot of love for detail, they tried to revive the historical charm of this place. And so it is indeed, as if you were in the end of the 19th century. Century on the platform, when the Molli comes steaming and snorting on the track.
To get in the mood for the trip, I took a look at the small Molli museum beforehand. This is not just about this historic train, but there are exhibits from railroad history in general.
I also found the museum cafe very nice and especially liked the open freight car in front of the cafe, which has been prepared as an outdoor terrace and invites you to linger with some tables.
A ride in the saloon car
We decided to enjoy the ride from Kuhlungsborn West to Bad Doberan in the saloon car. We are greeted by the charm of the past – velvety red upholstered seats, small table lamps, a coat rack, historic photos on the walls. The saloon car is open for service and so we enjoy a delicious strawberry punch, while the Molli is running through the beautiful Mecklenburg landscape. After short stops at other stations in Kuhlungsborn you pass rape-yellow fields and a picturesque linden avenue. The journey to Bad Doberan takes just under 40 minutes.
Arrival with the Molli in Bad Doberan
The friendly conductor on the Molli recommended that we get off directly at the Stadtmitte station. We follow this advice. It's Sunday and not really much going on – we pass the time until the arrival of the next Molli train with a walk in the nearby park. Because actually I would like to photograph the Molli, as it steams and snorts through the pedestrian zone in the center of Bad Doberan. So we also return in time before the arrival of the next train, take a seat in a small cafe and wait.
First you can hear it and then you can see it; the arrival of the Molli in Bad Doberan, just before the stop Stadtmitte, is really something special!
Information for your trip with the Molli … and a photo tip
Have you made my report and the photos desire on a trip with the Molli? All necessary information about departure times, prices and ticket purchase can be found on the official website of the Mecklenburgische Baderbahn Molli.
At the station Kuhlungsborn West there is a small paid parking lot.
If you want to photograph the Molli in the pedestrian zone of Bad Doberan, choose a train in the direction of travel Bad Doberan. The locomotives are not turned for the return trip, so that you only see the less attractive back of the locomotive when the train is coming towards you.
Analogue in the station Kuhlungsborn West: with the arriving trains you see the steam locomotive from its less beautiful side, while it stands with the departing trains again 'correctly' around.
The harbor at the Reriker Salzhaff
The Baltic resort of Rerik is the place that probably started my Baltic love many, many years ago. During my childhood I regularly spent summer vacations there with my parents. The memories of it are not very precise anymore, because it was so long ago. For example, I don't remember a sandy beach in Rerik at all – but directly opposite the new marina at the Salzhaff we discover this beautiful wide fine sandy beach during our excursion. However – beach weather is at the time of our visit anyway not. So we turn to the harbor area.
Fishing boats are moored here and also passenger ships start here for round trips on the salt lagoon. At the harbor promenade various stores, restaurants and cafes invite you to stroll around. In addition, it smells seductively of smoked fish – the perfect place for a delicious fish roll!
The barrows near Rerik
As a child I always imagined that giants were buried under these big stones. But no, of course it is not like that. In the surroundings of Rerik there are several large stone, megalithic or mound graves.
In fact, the megalithic tombs are millennia-old relics. They originate from the time around 3500 years v. Chr. Whether they really were graves is not proven. Maybe they had a completely different meaning for the people in the Neolithic Age. In any case, it is impressive how the facilities were created from the huge stones in this time. The stones had to be brought to the place of destination and placed there. Somehow the heavy capstone had to be put on top of it.
We visit two megalithic tombs near Rerik. Both lie only ca. 150 meters from each other and there is also a parking lot nearby.
First we visit the Hune Grave on the right side, seen from the main road. An apparently specially created trail leads from the edge of the field to the small hill, on which the facility is located. At the edge of the hill there is a plaque, which shows among other things a sketch of the original site.
Through the field in eastern direction we again reach the second site of this kind via a path. Here again there is a plaque with explanations.
More than five thousand years the stones lie at this place, isn't that impressive?
Information for visiting the megalithic tombs near Rerik
The Huhnengraber are located at the country road L122. Driving on this road in the direction of Rerik, ca. 1.2 kilometers before entering the village there is a turnoff on the right side. There is a cemetery with a small parking lot. At the L122, the junction opposite, you can already see from the road the two hills with the megalithic tombs.
Be careful to use only the paths to the mounds!
The ghost forest Nienhagen
About halfway between Warnemunde and Heiligendamm, directly at the Baltic Sea coast, lies the small place Nienhagen. There is something there that is at the top of the results list of my research on Kuhlungsborn sightseeing: the Gespensterwald Nienhagen.
It is located directly above the steep coast and with its up to 150 years old trees it looks almost a little bit like a fairy tale. The sea wind, which usually blows from the north, has produced some bizarre shapes and the salty air has probably also contributed to it. The first time we visited the Gespensterwald was in sunshine and blue sky. But the cloudy and foggy Baltic Sea weather during our second visit is just absolutely perfect for this excursion destination.
In the interior of the forest high trees impress, which are almost bare in their lower two thirds and carry only above a green crown. Thus, the gray, smooth trunks dominate the forest and cast long shadows in the right light.
Another area is characterized by thin trunks growing in gnarled and twisted shapes. Wherever you look, there are interesting shapes to be discovered. Of course there are no real ghosts here. But through the fog the forest seems a little more mystical and lives up to its name.
Information for the visit to the Ghost Forest Nienhagen
The best time to visit the Ghost Forest is definitely in the early or late season. In summer I would recommend the early morning hours or the time shortly before sunset. Then it is also easier with the parking lot search. At the beach in Nienhagen, near the hotel "Nienhager Strand" are some paid parking spaces available – in summer, however, this could be quite difficult. The ghost forest starts directly behind the hotel.
Another parking lot is located at the edge of the forest at the western end of Nienhagen.
Very important: please stay on the designated paths, so as not to damage the sensitive nature that so bravely defies the adverse environmental conditions at this location!
Warnemunde – Sights and the most beautiful beach at the Baltic Sea
To my excursion tips for Kuhlungsborn belongs absolutely also a side trip to Warnemunde. It takes about an hour to get there by car. Even in cloudy weather a stroll at the Alter Strom is very nice. Furthermore Warnemunde offers sights like Teepott, the old lighthouse, Westmole and of course a wide beach. The latter is often called the most beautiful beach at the Baltic Sea.
Parking in Warnemunde
If you come to Warnemunde by car, the question of a suitable parking space inevitably arises. In the town itself the search for a parking space is almost hopeless. Near the train station there is a very large parking lot, but there is a charge for it. In the pre-season this parking lot was relatively empty, which will probably be different in summer. But there is a parking guidance system – large signs show the available parking spaces in parking lots and parking garages.
A walk at the Alter Strom
The name says it all – the Alte Strom was the only way for ships to enter Rostock harbor for centuries until 1903. Today there is a bigger and wider harbor entrance – the Neuer Strom – and so the Alter Strom developed into what it is today: the most beautiful promenade in Warnemunde. Especially on the west side you can stroll along stores, cafes and restaurants, stop for a bite to eat and enjoy a snack or two. Or maybe it should be a fish roll on the fist? Near the fishing harbor there are several possibilities to enjoy this speciality.
Absolutely picturesque is also the "second row", a small alley directly behind it. Also it leads directly to the Old Lighthouse and the Teepott.
The old lighthouse and the Teepott in Warnemunde
The old lighthouse from 1897/98 and the Teepott are the landmarks of Warnemunde. Both are very worth seeing!
By the way, the lighthouse with its 31 meters height has two viewing platforms, which you can climb up to via a spiral staircase. The view from up there must be very nice.
The Teepott is a so-called hyparshell – or more precisely: the roof is a shell structure made of reinforced concrete in the shape of a hyperbolic paraboloid. Don't worry, I won't go into that in depth at this point. It is important to note: the building is something very special and is a listed building. And it really looks pretty too – doesn't it??
In the former GDR various structures were built in this special form. One of them is also in my hometown Magdeburg and was unfortunately left to decay in the past thirty years. In the meantime, due to the special nature of these buildings, there are plans to renovate them and use them at a later date. But back to Warnemunde – at this point it is not about Magdeburg. Let's turn to the west pier, which is very close to the old lighthouse and the teapot.
The West Pier
541 meters long and juts far into the Baltic Sea at the entrance to the harbor. The west pier serves as a breakwater and makes it easier for the arriving ships to enter the Rostock harbor. A walk to the top of the west pier is well worth it – from there you also have a very nice view of the Baltic Sea and the ships passing the harbor entrance. But be prepared for the wind to blow a little stronger around your nose there.
Warnemunde – the most beautiful beach at the Baltic Sea?
The wide, fine sandy beach in Warnemunde is often called the most beautiful beach on the Baltic Sea. I can understand that, even if there are of course many similarly wide and just as fine sandy beaches on the Baltic coast of Mecklenburg. Nevertheless – the location is of course unique. On one side the promenade with various stores and restaurants, the architecturally very interesting Teepott and the historic lighthouse – on the other side the view of the harbor exit of Warnemunde, which is passed by large cruise ships, ferries and also smaller yachts. Relatively empty in the low season, the beach is naturally more crowded in summer.
Pier 7 next to the cruise terminal Warnemunde
The Pier 7 in Warnemunde is an offshoot of Karl's adventure village. Much smaller than the big version in Rovershagen, but well worth seeing and experiencing. There is a market with typical Karls products as well as a rustic restaurant with indoor and outdoor areas. In the outdoor area the large sand figures of the annual Warnemunde Sand World are an attraction for young and old alike.
If you are looking for a souvenir: my personal recommendation is the strawberry jam from Karls – the "strawberry dream" is really an absolute dream!
More sea – more travel tips for the Baltic Sea coast
So, I have presented you in this post for the destination Kuhlungsborn sights and travel tips. Do you feel like more sea? More Baltic Sea? Then look nevertheless gladly once here past:
- In my report about a short trip to the largest island of Germany you will find useful travel tips and experience report for a varied short vacation on Rugen.
- Travel tips for a short vacation on Fischland-Darb-Zingst can be found in my report on natural wonders, cranes and crane rest and the impressive wind fledglings on the Darb.
- Should it go on the Easter holidays to the Baltic Sea? Then maybe my report about the Easter fire mile in Binz is the right inspiration for you!