Stralsund, Germany - Location: 4°19`N, 13°51`E
9 metres above sea level
Distance to:
Greifswald-35 km
Rostock-73 km
Hamburg-266 km
Berlin-289 km
Schwerin-163 km
Former East Germany, on the Baltic Sea, a few km from the German resort island of Ruegen.
Stralsund, Germany - History: Founded in the early 1200s, Stralsund has always been a coveted harbor spot and saw its most glorious days during the first few hundred years as a member of the Hanseatic League. In 1625, the city was taken over by the Swedes who ruled until 1815 when Stralsund became a Prussian city. WWII sent the city into turmoil, but much of the medieval city was spared from bombings. After years of rule under the DDR, Stralsund is again a destination for travelers from around the world.
Stralsund, Germany - How to Get There: The easiest way to get to Stralsund is by train from Berlin if you are interested in viewing some of the former East Germany. Buy an Ostsee Ticket from the Deutshe Bahn or consider taking the train from Hamburg or Kiel.
Ferries run regularly from Stralsund to the islands of Ruegen (around 15 minutes) and Hiddensee (around 2.5 hours), both popular resort destinations. If you are into cycling, you can cycle one of the Baltic coastal routes and the city is easy to access by auto.
Stralsund, Germany- Historic Sites: Stralsund has a wealth of medieval architecture to view, romantic cobblestone streets to stroll. A fine example of medieval architecture, the red brick buildings take visitors back to another time. The St. Nicholas Church, (Nikolaikirche) is a beautiful example of Gothic architecture and the Aldstadt is surrounded by houses from different periods, including the Gothic Wulflamhaus and the Baroque Commandantenhaus, seat of the old Swedish command headquarters.
The Stralsund Wallenstein Festival and Other Stralsund Events: The Wallenstein festival in July (July 20-23, 2006 - July 19-22, 2007)is great fun when the townsquare is transformed into a market from the 1600s bustling with traders, craftsmen and people in period costumes. Baroque fireworks and a Wallenstein party round off the event.
Hundreds of cranes return to Stralsund duringCrane Week, usually the last week in September - a true delight for bird lovers.
The Stralsund Tourism Site maintains a list of various festivals and events in the town.
Stralsund Hotels and Restaurants: Although Stralsund has only 48,000 people, there are plenty of hotels and restaurants to choose from or you can stay on the island of
Ruegen, a popular island resort destination just 15 minutes from Stralsund.
Consider staying at the Hotel zur Post which is both charming and has a great restaurant with plenty of fresh seafood and great regional dishes to choose from. Try out the restaurant, Nur Fishe which serves great cheap seafood or the Brasserie for good German food.
Stralsund, on the Baltic Sea and almost totally surrounded by water is in the former DDR (East Germany) and is a UNESCO city. The rich history of this town just a few miles from the lovely island of Ruegen, is complimented by the fact that many of the medieval structures remain intact and the cobblestone streets and gabled houses lend to the charm of this city that shares much in common with Denmark and Sweden as well as Germany.
With only 48,000 residents, Stralsund still maintains the atmosphere of a small town and people are generally friendly and helpful. Stralsund is gaining once again in popularity with the Germans as a weekend getaway spot and hosts several harbor activities each year including their annual regatta in June and the Stralsund Swim in the Sound,
Germany’s oldest long-distance swimming event. About one thousand swimmers jump in the water and splash their way from Ruegen to Stralsund where a huge party follows at Stralsund’s Seebadeanstalt.
Every year from June to mid-August, you can view Operas in the Open Air with a brilliant vista of the Harbor at the Sea Stage Stralsund. A great time to visit is during the Wallenstein Festival so you can take in both the festival and the opera as well as bask in the great July weather.
Try to rent bicyles so you can cycle along the coast, there are beautiful bike trails and you can cycle from town to town or out to Ruegen or Hiddensee.
While Stralsund may not be up there with the more famous German tourist destinations, it makes for a lovely, if quiet, provincial holiday.
