You need to go on holiday to Mecklenburg-West Pomerania.
Never heard of it?
Well don’t worry, you’re not alone. If you had to name a German Bundesland (Federal state), your first thought is probably Bavaria, rather than Mecklenburg-West Pomerania, or ‘Meck-Pom’ as the locals call it.
But Meck-Pom is a great location that’s largely untouched by tourists. So if you’re looking for a destination that not everyone has been to, this German state could be the one for you. With hidden gems and plenty to see and do, it’s a perfect holiday destination. So here’s why you should visit (and why you’ll fall in love with) Mecklenburg-West Pomerania.
Getting To Meck-Pom
Located in North Eastern Germany, the federal state spans across a large area and borders Poland to the east. Despite being one of the country’s largest federal states, it is the least populated. (About 1.6 million people… but who’s counting?) Yet with its long coastline, an incredible, albeit rocky, history, and of course, beautiful port cities, the region offers plenty to visitors.
Getting there, however, isn’t straight forward. The region has a couple of international airports including Rostock, but with limited flights across Germany and Europe, your best bet is to fly to Hamburg or Berlin, and then take the train or bus.
Schwerin Castle – The ‘Neuschwanstein of the North’
Schwerin is a city well worth a visit. Being the capital of Meck-Pom, it attracts many visitors who come to gaze in wonder at its beautiful old churches and cathedral, its narrow cobbled streets and most importantly the ‘Neuschwanstein of the North’.
The ‘Neuschwanstein of the North’ is the parliament building which is located in an idyllic castle, enveloped by a large lake in the heart of the city. This Schloss (castle), is often compared with Schloss Neuschwanstein in Bavaria, which many may recognise from the film Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and is seen as the inspiration for the Disney castle. Whilst the Schwerin castle may not have Neuschwanstein’s mountainous backdrop, it still has turrets a plenty, beautiful gardens and stunning lake views. It is free to visit the grounds, but it’ll set you back 8 € to venture inside.
Rostock – Meck-Pom’s second city
Rostock is, in many respects, Meck-Pom’s second city. With a population of over 200,000 people and lying directly on the Baltic coast, it is one of the region’s most historically fascinating cities.
The summer months unsurprisingly see Rostock welcoming tourists from all over Germany and also those by ferry from Scandinavia.
Its mixture of colourful Germanic buildings alongside its stark reminders of its communist past, create a distinctive feel. Free access to a former Stasi interrogation unit in the heart of the city alongside speedy connections to the nearest beach, mean that the city offers each visitor a unique experience and can cater for all types of holiday.
Moreover, the Rostock Christmas Market, has been voted as the best market in Northern Germany, and is perfect for a cheeky mulled wine!
Visit Wismar
Wismar, a world heritage site city located west of Rostock is not only another lovely location to visit, but also the region’s second most important port city. Once under Swedish rule, the city has a very Scandinavian feel to it with its many fisheries, colourful harbour buildings and Swedish restaurants.
Like Rostock, it also offers a mixture of GDR history with old abandoned factories alongside beautifully painted narrow streets which follow small rivers towards the Baltic Sea. Walking around the city for several hours and stopping to eat a Fischbrötchen (Fish sandwich), is the perfect way to spend an afternoon in Wismar.
Meck-Pom as the perfect beach holiday
Despite Meck-Pom being home to the stunning above mentioned cities, its best attribute is perhaps its landscape.
When you think about going on holiday to the seaside, your first thought might be sunny southern Spain or perhaps even a Greek island… however, in my opinion, you need look no further than the Baltic coast.
With long golden beaches and beautiful seaside towns such as Warnemünde, Rerik and Kühlungsborn, it is unsurprising that so many Germans decide to head to this part of the world for their beach holiday every year.
The piers, clear blue sea and not forgetting the surprisingly warm temperature in the summer time (30 degrees Celsius), mean that it’s not only in southern Europe where you can enjoy warm weather. The beaches are also accompanied by beautiful white cliffs on the island of Rügen, which is located off the coast of Meck-Pom to the North East. Its white cliffs and gorgeous natural parks offer tourists the opportunity to experience beautiful landscapes.
Meck-Pom as a gateway to the rest of Europe
Its geographical location means that Meck-Pom is also the gateway to other European cities and countries. For example, you can buy a return ferry ticket to Copenhagen from Rostock with a sightseeing trip included for about 40€.
If you were looking to head east to Poland, it only costs 23€ to travel to Stettin, (the closest Polish border city), and is well worth the trip. Moreover, with direct and cheap train and bus travel to Hamburg and Berlin, Meck-Pom is ideal.
So plan a visit to Meck-Pom!
Mecklenburg-West Pomerania is fast becoming my favourite region of Germany. There is something very unique to this region, which you will not encounter elsewhere.
It may not have the chocolate box charm of Bavaria or the international standing of Frankfurt, but the imprints communism has left on the region’s architecture and the allure of the Baltic coast make the region especially unique.
If you want to experience a holiday where you can combine history, nature and beautiful harbour cities, then Meck-Pom is the place for you.
I live in the UK, in the country’s most uneventful city, where the most interesting story in the local paper is about banning dressing gowns in supermarkets.
I travel and I write, because surely there are more interesting stories than that to write about and share.