I was hosted but opinions expressed are my own.
If you’ve already savored the beer, brats, and big cities of Germany, it may be time to escape the crowds and dig deeper by visiting the country’s smaller heritage cities.
Though I had traveled to Germany several times, I had never ventured off the typical tourist routes until last summer. At the invitation of Historic Highlights of Germany, I explored Rostock, Lübeck, Osnabrück, and Münster in northern Germany.
History without a Bus Tour
Their cobbled streets, massive brick churches, and gabled merchant houses transported me back to the Middle Ages. But these cities are not relics. They are walkable, modern urban centers with gourmet restaurants, chic local boutiques, contemporary art museums, and classy hotels. The best part? No tour buses clogging traffic.
I’ve provided an overview for each city, listed my favorite Must Do Activities, and added recommendations for where to eat and stay, and how to get around. For more information about the Historic Highlights program, please scroll to the end.
SheBuysTravelTip: Take a city walking tour with a local guide to learn about the major attractions before setting out on your own.
Rostock
This Baltic Sea port’s vibrant mix of medieval and maritime attractions made this northern city of 210,000 an entertaining first stop on my itinerary.
After arriving by train, I strolled through Rostock’s Old Town as merchants set up festive stalls in Neuer Markt. Towering Gothic churches, gabled merchant houses, and ancient city gates surround the lively pedestrian market in Rostock, which was part of East Germany until reunification in 1989.
The next day, I took a tour boat to Warnemünde, the city’s seaside resort town and port for cruise ships and ferries to Scandinavia.
Must Do Activities
- Old Town. This is the place to stroll while admiring the brightly colored merchant houses with stair-step gabled roofs. They were built in the Middle Ages, when the city was the main port for the Hanseatic League. University Square is nearby and home to the University of Rostock, one of Europe’s first universities founded in 1419. The square is a relaxing place to people watch.
- St Mary’s Church. This enormous brick Gothic church dominates the skyline and anchors Neuer Markt. Be sure to go inside to marvel at the ornate 15th-century astronomical clock that still tells time with its original parts.
- Town Hall. Seven brown brick pillars protrude from the eye-catching pink facade of the city’s Baroque-style Town Hall near Neuer Markt. The sculpture of a snake wraps around one of its pillars; stroking its head is believed to bring good luck.
- Warnemünde. Salty air greeted me on a boat ride to this seaside town, once home to shipbuilders and mariners. I walked along the Alter Strom, a waterway dense with boutiques and restaurants, before heading to the beach to dip my toes in the cold Baltic Sea.
Favorite places to eat
- Warnemünde is famous for its Fischbrötchen, or fish on a bun. I perused several food stalls along the Alter Strom before deciding on fried cod served on a crunchy roll, slathered with horseradish sauce, and topped with onions and pickles. Delicious.
- Cafe Likorfabrik, a neighborhood restaurant near Neuer Markt, makes its own flavored liqueurs and serves fresh farm-to-table cuisine, including soups, cheeses, and seafood.
Where I stayed
The Vienna House by Wyndham Sonne Rostock overlooks Neuer Markt, with picturesque views of the Old Town. I felt privileged to stay in a suite dedicated to Walter Kempowski, a Rostock native and author of several books chronicling the rise of the Nazi regime.
Getting around
If you arrive by train as I did, you can take a tram to the Old Town, where most hotels are located. Taxis also are available. Old Town is small enough that you can walk everywhere. Tour boats whisk visitors from the city harbor to Warnemünde, but you can also take a tram.
Who should go
Rostock combines history with a beach, appealing to:
- Families with children and couples.
- Solo travelers and small groups traveling together.
Lübeck
Colorful umbrellas were floating above the Town Hall when I arrived in Lübeck during a lively cultural festival. The Gothic building’s five-pointed spires reminded me of a fairytale castle.
I spent my first day exploring Lübeck’s impressive Old Town, whose brick architectural treasures led to its designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Old Town also is surrounded by scenic waterways that connect Lübeck to the Baltic Sea.
Known as the “Queen of the Hanseatic League,” the city of about 220,000 people is home to Europe’s largest museum dedicated to the medieval alliance of merchant cities that ruled trade along the Baltic.
Must Do Activities
- Holsten Gate. This Gothic brick gate with two barrel-shaped towers is one of the entire country’s most distinctive landmarks. Built in the 15th century as part of the city’s walls, the gate makes a stunning backdrop for Instagram photos.
- Old Town. I loved walking around Old Town, admiring the varied architectural styles of its brick buildings. The ornate Town Hall has Romanesque and Renaissance features. Its five churches are Gothic, with seven steep spires that punctuate the skyline. Lübeck’s cathedral boasts the world’s tallest brick vaulted ceiling.
- European Hansemuseum. Interactive exhibits and dioramas brought the sights, smells, and sounds of the Middle Ages to life for me in this museum. The Hanseatic League, an alliance of merchant cities, dominated world commerce into the 1600s, when trade shifted to the Americas.
- Willy Brandt House. The life of the late chancellor and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate is explored in fascinating exhibits from the beginning of the Nazi regime to the Cold War. Brandt escaped Germany and survived the war to become Germany’s chancellor from 1969–74. A chunk of the Berlin Wall resides in the courtyard.
- Canal cruises. A scenic way to explore the city is aboard a boat. I had a blast piloting an electric motor boat from Boat Now around the city, but you can also take a tour boat. Some boats travel the River Trave to the Baltic port town of Travemunde.
Favorite places to eat
- Café Niederegger is a must-stop for a slice of legendary marzipan nut cake. I stayed for lunch and visited the museum that recounts the almond confection’s 200-year history in the city. The gift shop sells marzipan in every color and shape for gifts–assuming you can resist devouring them.
- Schiffergesellschaft. Models of sailing ships dangle from the wood-beamed ceiling of this restaurant in a former seafarers’ guild hall built in 1535. My dinner of grilled sea bream was well prepared, but I couldn’t take my eyes off the elaborate maritime decor.
Where I stayed
Motel One Lübeck is a fashionable modern hotel with a coffee bar that also serves craft cocktails in the afternoon. The hotel is adjacent to the Old Town.
Getting around
If you arrive by train as I did, you will need to take a taxi to the Old Town, where most hotels are located. The town is small enough that you can walk everywhere. Sightseeing by boat is a fun option; boat tours also are available to Travemunde.
Who should go
Lübeck’s proximity to the Baltic Sea makes the city an excellent destination for:
- Families with children and couples.
- Solo travelers and small groups traveling together.
Osnabrück
Peace is at the heart of Osnabrück’s heritage. This northwestern German city played a key role—along with Münster—in negotiating the 1648 peace treaty that ended the Thirty Years War and reshaped the map of Europe.
The charming city of about 170,000 people continues to advocate for peace by sponsoring events and recognizing authors, artists, and others for their efforts.
Osnabrück honors native son Erich Maria Remarque, author of “All Quiet on the Western Front.” A city museum also pays tribute to artist Felix Nussbaum, a Jewish painter born in Osnabrück who died in Auschwitz.
Must Do Activities
- Town Hall: A tour of this formidable Gothic building is essential for history buffs interested in the peace treaty ending the Thirty Years War in 1648. The negotiations, which took place in Osnabrück and Münster, changed the map of Europe. Portraits of the European leaders line the wood-paneled walls in Peace Hall.
- St. Mary’s Church: The city’s oldest and most ornate Gothic church is adjacent to the Town Hall on Market Square. The 14th-century church faces a row of colorful merchant houses with stepped roofs that date back to the city’s medieval past as an affluent Hanseatic city. I climbed the church’s spiral staircase for panoramic city views
- Felix Nussbaum Haus: World-renowned U.S. architect Daniel Libeskind designed this museum to mirror a concentration camp from which there is no exit. Nussbaum’s paintings, which are considered an act of resistance, show his increasing paranoia as the Nazis’ grip tightened on Europe. The Osnabrück native died in Auschwitz.
- Erich Maria Remarque Peace Center. The archives of the author of “All Quiet on the Western Front” document Remarque’s fascinating life as a writer. Born in Osnabrück in 1898, he recounted the horrors of World War I in his book, which was banned as “unpatriotic” during World War II.
- University of Osnabrück Botanical Garden: Strolling through the botanical garden is where I found peace. Situated in an old limestone quarry west of the Old Town, the green oasis displays 8,000 plant species along dozens tree-lined walking trails.
Where I stayed
The Romantik Hotel Walhalla is the city’s oldest hotel, dating back to the late 1600s. Originally a private home, the delightful Baroque-style timber-framed building is now a charming inn with 69 rooms and a wellness spa
Favorite places to eat
I didn’t have to go far for good food. The Walhalla hotel has two excellent restaurants onsite. At the David Lounge and Bar, I enjoyed a perfectly prepared chicken and spaetzle dinner and a glass of Reisling. Restaurant Walhalla is a more upscale French-style restaurant with fixed-price dinners and an extensive wine list.
Getting around
If you arrive by train as I did, you should take a taxi to the Old Town, where most hotels are located. The town is small enough that you can walk everywhere.
Who should go
The city’s botanical garden and nearby parks make Osnabrück a pleasant destination for outdoor enthusiasts, including:
- Families with children and couples.
- Solo travelers and small groups traveling together.
Münster
Münster is the bicycle capital of Germany, with a splendid Promenade, or bike highway, which circles the city where the old city walls once stood. Bicycles actually outnumber people: the dynamic town has 360,000 people, including 60,000 college students, and 400,000 bicycles.
Bike paths also crisscross the city’s Old Town, with bustling markets and restored medieval buildings like the 14th-century Town Hall, a Gothic beauty with steep gables. The treaty that ended the Thirty Years War was signed in 1648 in Münster’s Town Hall and in Osnabrück.
Despite massive destruction during World War II, the city rebuilt many of its historic structures, including St. Paul’s Cathedral and St. Lambert’s Church, while also adding new architectural gems.
Must Do Activities
- Old Town: Upscale boutiques and trendy cafes fill dozens of brick merchant houses along Prinzipalmarkt, the main pedestrian street. The ornate Renaissance-style houses adjoin the Town Hall, making this the place to shop and people watch.
- St. Lambert’s Church. A “tower keeper” has watched over the city since the 1300s from a tiny office atop this historic Gothic church.. Martje Thalmann, the first woman, signals the city is safe from fire by blowing a copper horn into the night sky. Though the tower is not open to the public, I could hear her foghorn-like blast from the street below. If you look closely, you can see three cages suspended from the tower. The bodies of three leaders of a radical Protestant movement were hung there in the 16th century.
- The Pendulum: German artist Gerhard Richter created an mesmerizing work of art in a deconsecrated Dominican Church damaged in World War II. Under the crossing dome, I watched a Foucault pendulum with a 100-pound metal ball swing between four rectangular, mirrored glass panels.
- Museums. Münster boasts the only Pablo Picasso Art Museum in Germany. It’s small but contains a thoughtfully curated collection of his lithographs. I found the LWL Museum of Art and Culture more interesting, especially the German Expressionist paintings in the new wing.
- Recreation: Hopping on a bike is the best way to explore the city’s parks and bike-centric streets. To avoid getting lost, I chose a bumpy but fun ride on a bike rickshaw from Leezen Heroes. You can also take a bike tour or ride a hop-on-hop-off bus.
Favorite places to eat
Pinkus Müller is the lone surviving brewery in Münster, which once had 150. Five generations have operated the brewery since 1816. I can vouch for the beer and the Würstkespfanne, a hearty plate of yummy German sausages atop fried potatoes with a side of sauerkraut. If you’re serious about German beer, don’t miss Pinkus.
Altes Gasthaus Leve. Window boxes of red geraniums welcome you to this traditional German restaurant. Wood-beamed ceilings reflect its 400-year-old history, but the menu includes healthy seasonal offerings like white asparagus and vegetarian dishes.
Where I stayed
The Stadthotel is a stylish modern hotel with comfortable rooms that is about a 10-minute walk from Münster’s Old Town. I enjoyed a generous breakfast buffet, but I didn’t have time to visit the sauna.
Getting around
If you arrive by train as I did, you should take a taxi to the Old Town, where most hotels are located. The town is small enough that you can walk everywhere.
Who should go
The city’s extensive bicycle trails and abundant parks make Münster a great place for cyclists and outdoor enthusiasts, including:
- Avid cyclists of all ages.
- Families with children and couples.
- Solo travelers and small groups traveling together.
History without Crowds
Germany’s past and present came to life for me during my history-focused visit to the four northern cities. Plus, I enjoyed traveling at a leisurely pace without crowds–something you can do in all 17 heritage cities in the Historic Highlights program. The cities all played significant roles in history and are located in scenic places, from the Baltic Sea to the Black Forest. Germany’s efficient train and highway systems mean they are easy to reach.
On my next visit, I hope to explore additional itineraries, such as Jewish heritage sites, Christmas markets, and food, wine and beer experiences. The other cities in the program are Aachen, Augsburg, Bonn, Erfurt, Freiburg, Heidelberg, Koblenz, Potsdam, Regensburg, Trier, Tübingen, Wiesbaden, and Würzburg.
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