Germany · BALTIC COAST TOURS
The 15 baltic coast tours worth booking today, with what each costs, how long it runs and who it suits. Number one is top for a reason, so start there.
Meet your German-speaking guide at Schwerin Tourist Information for a 90-minute walk through the old town. Hear the curious Buttocks Parade story, see the Henry the Lion Monument, Cathedral, Pfaffenteich, former post office, Schwerin Castle, and State Museum. The tour costs $12 and is wheelchair accessible.
Meet your German-speaking night watchman at Schwerin’s historic market square for a 90-minute walk through the old center. You’ll see the cathedral, Bischofstreet, the town’s narrowest house, old post office, castles, theatre, and museum. Guides such as Dieter and Michael are known for mixing facts with humor.
“Es war sehr informativ und lustig, tolle Führung. Unser Guide Dieter (sorry falls nicht richtig) hatte einen super Humor und hat den Abend zu einem tollen Erlebnis gemacht. Vielen Dank!”
Board the Altefähr for a one-hour German-language harbor cruise from Stralsund. Your captain shares facts and amusing stories about the Hanseatic city while you pass Danhölm, Rügen Bridge, the Gorch Fock, Ozeaneum, shipyard, and church spires. Sit inside or on the roof, and buy drinks aboard.
Board the MS Kleine Freiheit in Baabe for a 2.5-hour seal-search cruise through southeast Rügen’s biosphere reserve. A German-speaking biologist explains gray seals, their history, and population monitoring while you scan the Greifswalder Bodden with provided binoculars. Sightings depend on weather, and seals are never baited or attracted.
“Friendly, open-minded people. Information from a biologist. Animals are not attracted - Bravo! Also good for children! WC very well maintained!”
At the Flensboat.de jetty, a German-speaking instructor shows you how to handle a quiet electric boat before you set off on the Flensburg Fjord. You choose a 1, 2, or 3-hour rental for up to six people, with cushions, a table, life jackets, and possible porpoise sightings along the way.
Take the DARSSBAHN from Fährbrücke through Stralsund’s old town, passing city walls, gates, churches, monasteries, restored brick Gothic houses, and views toward the Rügen Bridge. The 45-minute tour includes German commentary and returns to the harbor. Expect a slow, scenic ride, but know that cobblestones can make the audio hard to follow.
“leider war die Fahrt sehr rumpelig und daher laut, daher war der Guide schwer zu verstehen. das war schade.”
Join skippers Detlef and Jane Bothe aboard the 45-meter Weisse Düne, a former Dutch freight sailer, for a 2.5-hour cruise from Neppermin. You need no sailing experience. A welcome drink is included, while the onboard kitchen and bar offer food and drinks for purchase during the calm Achterwasser crossing.
“Ein tolles Erlebnis ,eine super Kapitänin und Crew.”
At Rügener Insel-Brauerei in Rambin, a brewer or master brewer leads you through the brewhouse and explains the making of classic and rare beers. You will taste four 0.125-liter samples after the tour. The experience lasts about 90 minutes, runs in German or English, and costs $23 per person.
Follow an English VoiceMap audio walk from Kiel’s Ostseekai cruise terminal to St. Nikolai Church. Over 60 to 90 minutes, you’ll hear about the Imperial Navy, Kaiser Wilhelm I, the Sailors’ Mutiny Memorial, Kiel’s seals, Einstein’s compass, and the city’s harbor while moving at your own pace.
“I could pause and resume the tour and take the tour at my own pace. Overall, a very nice experience.”
Paddle around Stralsund’s harbor island with a guide, looking up at the sailing school ship Gorch Fock, circling the Ozeaneum, and hearing stories of the Hanseatic city. The two-hour tour is offered in English, suits first-time kayakers with moderate fitness, and returns to the meeting point.
“If you want to experience a completely different kind of city tour. You are challenged by kayaking and that's why you're at it.”
Walk Stralsund’s Old Town for 90 minutes with a German-speaking night watchman or his wife. Hear stories of thieves, murderers, and medieval crimes while seeing Alter Markt, Rathaus, St. Nicholas’ Church, St. Marienkirche, city gates, walls, and the harbor. Guides including Susanne and Detlev bring the past to life.
“Hallo, die Tour mit dem Guide Detlev hat uns sehr gut gefallen. Kann man mit ruhigem Gewissen weiterempfehlen.”
Join skippers Detlef and Jane Bothe for a 3.5-hour sail from Neppermin aboard the 45-meter Weisse Düne, a former Dutch freight ship carrying up to 53 people. Expect calm Achterwasser views, a welcome drink, onboard food and drinks for purchase, and maritime stories in German.
“Es war ein tolles Segel-Event. Die Segeltour wurde zu einem entschleunigenden Ereignis. Auf dem Deck gab bequeme Sitzgelegenheiten. Die Kapitänin versorgte interessierte mit Infos zum Segelrevier. Während der Fahrt konnte man Getränke und Essen bestellen. Tipp: Auch bei guten Wetter sollte man wärmende Bekleidung dabei haben. Auf dem Wasser wird es mit unter Frisch durch den Wind.”
At Ostsee-Probiotika GmbH in Stralsund, a live guide in German, English, or French takes you through production rooms where organic fermented foods, animal products, and soil treatments are made. You will learn about herbs, berries, roots, spices, and nine lactic acid bacteria strains, then finish with a tasting. The small-group tour lasts one hour.
“Wirklich sehr informative Führung, große Gerätschaften und Einblicke in die Kunst der Fermentation. Ein kleiner Familienbetrieb, mit Herz und Seele dabei. Weiterhin viel Erfolg, es braucht viel mehr Manufakturen mit Charakter als Gegengewicht zu gesichtslosen Großkonzernen.”
Meet your private English or German-speaking guide at Schwerin Castle for a 90-minute walk through the palace grounds, old town, cathedral story, and major turning points from the Middle Ages to German unification. Guides such as Jürgen and Theresa have led engaging, flexible tours, though the castle meeting point needs careful attention.
Schwerin Zoo gives you one day to explore 25 hectares of forest and lakes, home to about 1,700 animals from 150 species. See Asiatic lions, David’s deer, Rothschild giraffes, and southern white rhinos. Entry includes the unique Red List Center, playgrounds, rest areas, food options, and dog access on a lead.
A city, a river, a castle ridge, a brewery.
