Cycle the Baltic Sea Trail from Lübeck to Stralsund

Arrival in Lübeck, where the cycling trip along the Baltic Sea coast begins. The magnificent old Hanseatic town was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List as early as 1987 and offers plenty of history even before you get on the bike. Holstentor, Thomas Mann, and marzipan are three names closely associated with the town. Take a stroll through the old quarters and start the holiday in true North German style with a Fischbrötchen – a simple fish sandwich that tastes best close to the sea.

Finally, the cycling begins! You leave Lübeck and head for Travemünde on the Baltic Sea, where Germany's oldest lighthouse is worth a short stop. After the ferry crossing, you continue along the coast and through the Brooker Wald nature reserve. The sea is never far away, and today's destination is either Groß Schwansee or Boltenhagen. The latter is Mecklenburg's second-oldest seaside resort and has attracted holidaymakers to the sea for generations. From the high coastal cliffs, fine views open up over the entire bay – a fitting end to the trip's first day of cycling.

Today's stage continues largely along the Baltic Sea coast towards Wismar. Sea air, coastal landscapes, and small communities accompany you along the way before yet another of northern Germany's beautiful Hanseatic towns appears. Once there, there's plenty of reason to park the bike and explore Wismar's historic town centre. Don't miss the harbour either. Here, the town's long maritime history becomes especially clear, with boats, quays, and a classic North German atmosphere. A moderately long cycling day that leaves time to explore the town on foot.

Today you can get acquainted with the island of Poel. The ferry takes you across to the small Baltic Sea island, where the pace is relaxed and the sandy beaches invite a dip. After that, the cycling continues through the coastal landscape. The program varies slightly depending on your chosen accommodation standard. With Comfort, the journey heads towards Kühlungsborn or Warnemünde and includes a ride on the charming steam train Molli from Kühlungsborn to Heiligendamm. With Standard, you instead continue towards Bad Doberan after today's boat trip. Regardless of the option, the sea and the classic seaside resorts are at the centre of it all.

Now you're approaching the Fischland-Darß-Zingst peninsula, one of the trip's finest coastal landscapes. If the route has taken you to Warnemünde, you can start with the widest beach along the German Baltic coast, or take a detour to the Hanseatic town of Rostock. From Warnemünde, the ferry takes you across to Hohe Düne, and the cycling continues towards Ribnitz-Damgarten, known for its amber museum. Today's destination varies depending on the accommodation option and may be the old fishing village of Wustrow, the artists' village of Ahrenshoop, Dierhagen, or Graal-Müritz.

One of the trip's true nature experiences awaits. Explore the Darß forest and take the chance to reach the wild Weststrand, a long and unspoiled beach often highlighted as one of Europe's most beautiful. From Prerow, the beach is only accessible on foot, by bike, or by horse and carriage – cars are kindly asked to stay elsewhere. After that, you continue via Zingst and eventually back towards the mainland. Today's final destination is Zingst or the old Swedish port town of Barth, depending on accommodation and route.

The last day of cycling leads towards Stralsund, and already from a distance, the town's three characteristic towers begin to appear on the horizon. They make a fitting exclamation mark after several days of pleasant cycling along the Baltic Sea coast. Stralsund was once a powerful trading centre within the Hanseatic League, and traces of its golden age are still evident among churches, merchant houses, and brick Gothic architecture. After arrival, you can park the bike and end the trip with a walk through the well-preserved old town, which, together with Wismar, is on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

After breakfast, it's time to say auf Wiedersehen to Stralsund and the Baltic Sea coast. The trip ends here, and you continue home on your own. If you're not quite ready to leave the Hanseatic towns and sea air behind, it's also possible to extend your stay. For the return journey to Lübeck, you can travel by train or pre-book our minibus transfer, which runs on Saturdays and Sundays and takes about 2.5 hours.