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Baltic Sea Coast

Along the german Baltic Sea coast you will find numerous historic and modern attractions. Some will be of the natural kind, others man-made. The following list gives you an overview of the most important sights in the area. All of them part of one of our tour offers. This is meant to give you a more distinct idea of what to expect.

Doberan - former summer residence of the Duke of Mecklenburg

The landmark of Doberan is the gothic Minster - the church of the former cistercian abbey Doberan. This monumental brick construction has one of most complete medieval interiors in Northern Europe. Some of the pieces (altars, wood carvings, figurines) date from the late 13th century. A visit to the Minster is an absolute must while in the region. The charming small town of Doberan was from the 18th century the summer residence of the ducal family and was thus designed as a complete piece of art in the style of classicism.

Heiligendamm

In June 2007 the annual summit of the G8 took place here in the Grand Kempinski Hotel of Heiligendamm. A landmark event in the resort's history. It all began much earlier in 1793, though. That was when Duke Friedrich Franz I founded the first seaside resort on the german Baltic coast in the tiny place that was to become the most noble resort in Europe later. A bathing facility, a casino and many lodges and residences were built in classicist style until the mid 19th century. Heiligendamm - also called the white town by the sea - is a complete piece of architectural art. Today many of the buildings have been restored to their old splendor while others look like sleeping beauties. An intriguing mixture with magnifcient views to the sea. The Kempinski hotel offers first-class dining and Cafés.

Molli Steam Train

From Doberan you could catch the nostalgic steam train "Molli" to Heiligendamm or Kuehlungsborn. This vintage train was inaugurated in the year 1886 and still runs on coal today. Engines and carriages have been carefully restored. They even have a "Saloon Car" in lush pink - just like in the 1920s. "Molli" runs on a once per hour schedule between the town of Doberan and the seaside resorts Heiligendamm and Kuehlungsborn. The carefully restored engines date back to the 1930s.

Ribnitz-Damgarten National Amber Museum and Gallery

The only amber museum in Germany is located in and around an old nunnery and convent in the charming small town of Ribnitz-Damgarten, about 25 miles from Rostock. The exhibition stretches from the origins of amber to its use in art, religion and medicine and the present day amber jewellry production. Find out how and when amber was developed, how it is found and how to make us of it. A special attraction are the inclusions in amber - a snapshot of ancient wildlife. The displays are in English and German. You will also find a well sorted amber shop.

Ruegen

The largest german isle measures 25 x 30 miles. No place on the island is more than 4 miles away from the Baltic sea or the lagoon. It is sparsely settled with only a few larger towns and resorts. The majority of the island's area is under nature protection. A visit to the Jasmund National Park with the famous White Cliffs of Königsstuhl is a must.  The nearby town of Sassnitz is situated on top of the steep coast with a grand view to the sea. A narrow winding road leads down to the lively fishing port with its fisherman's boats, cafés and boutiques. Here you will even find a british submarine used as a museum. Continue along the coast to the resort of Prora. In the 1930s the Nazis attempted to built the largest holiday resort in the world accomodating 20,000 tourists at one time here. They never finished the project. What remains today is a ghostly concrete skeleton of nearly 3 miles extension. Many related museums have found a home here. Only a mile from Prora lies the elegant resort of Binz. This is a grand example for seaside resort architecture of the 19/20th century. The dominating colour is again white, embellished with fine wooden ornamental works. Binz has a jetty, a wide sandy beach and a beach promenade lined with cafés and shops. Definitely worth spending an hour or two here in the afternoon. From Binz back to the mainland you drive along parts of the Deutsche Alleenstraße - tree-lined avenues which lead from Rügen all the way down south in Germany to the Bodensee. If you still have time, stop by in Stralsund. The city is the gateway to Ruegen and a UNESCO World Heritage site. More detailed information about Ruegen will be available on demand.