Northern Germany Road Trip | Campervan Hire

Stop 1: Hamburg

Worth a visit:

Kunsthalle: One of Germany's most important art museums.
Historic Christmas Market: Everything from gingerbread to wood carvings.
Miniatur Wunderland: The world's largest model railway.

Where to Eat:

Café Paris (€€€): French brasserie in an Art Deco setting.
L’Orient (€€): Lebanese food, very popular, book in advance.
Alt Helgoländer Fischerstube (€€): A modern take on traditional seafood dishes.

Where to Park for the Night:

Landesbetrieb Verkehr, Hopfenmarkt (€€€€): Central open-air car park.

Raising the bar

Success is no stranger to Hamburg. Throughout history the city has done well for itself through international trade and today has more millionaires than any other German city.

But don’t panic if your bank balance isn’t quite as impressive. You can still have a great time in this vibrant port city, the first stop on your road trip through northern Germany, and it has something for every traveller, no matter your mood or taste.

Begin with the Altstadt, the historical heart. Then move into modernity with a visit to the Elbphilharmonie, a futuristic building of glass and brick. You can also relax with a view of the Binnenalster, one of the city’s large lakes.

Get up early to check out the fresh fish at Altona Fischmarkt, which also, oddly, sells parrots and palm trees. And go on a tour of the Holsten brewery, because this is Germany, isn’t it?

Don't miss this city on your route across northern Germany, even if it's only for a weekend in this city full of history, amazing museums and stunning architecture!

Stop 2: Bremen

Worth a visit:

Worpswede: Former artists' colony on the moors.
Oldenburg: Historic city with a castle.
The Universum: Interactive science exhibits — a hit with kids.

Where to eat:

Bremer Ratskeller ($$$): Restaurant in the wine cellar beneath the town hall.
Scharfrichter Lounge ($$): Serves over 100 varieties of Currywurst.
Das Theaterschiff ($$$): Floating restaurant with views over the river.

Where to park for the night:

Irresistibly idyllic

Bremen is the final stop on the 600 km (~ 373 miles) long German Fairy Tale Road — which should give you some idea of what you’re in for. The popular fairy tale of the Bremen Town Musicians by the Brothers Grimm is just one reason for this city’s magical, romantic feel.

While Hamburg calls itself the "gateway to the world", Bremen likes to retort, "But we have the key." Head on to the next stop on your northern Germany road-trip itinerary to see what they’re on about.
Begin with the Marktplatz, bordered by a majestic Gothic cathedral and those quintessentially German gabled houses. And of course, check out the bronze statue of the four Bremen Town Musicians — whose story is re-enacted each Sunday by performers.

Explore the narrow streets of Schnoorviertel, full of artists selling everything from porcelain dolls to pipes — you could do all your Christmas shopping in one go. Then trade the twee for the terrifying at Bremen Cathedral with its eight 400-year-old mummies in glass coffins.

Stop 3: Schwerin

Worth a visit:

Galerie Alte & Neue Meister: Gallery with an extensive Marcel Duchamp collection.
Mecklenburg State Theatre: Catch a play, opera or ballet.
Ludwigslust Palace: Considered the Versailles of Mecklenburg.

Where to eat:

Buschérie ($$): Modern bistro with seasonal dishes.
Zum Freischütz ($$): Atmospheric pub with affordable daily specials.
Weinhaus Wöhler ($$$): Traditional beer house with a terrace and plenty of character.

Where to park for the night:

For fairy-tale fantasies...

Think German romance. Look no further than the next stop on your northern Germany road trip: Schwerin. Home to a castle plucked straight from the pages of a fairy-tale... On an island surrounded by lakes...
The 15 turrets, onion-shaped domes and classically Hanseatic gables of Schwerin’s Schloss are charmingly over-the-top. When you’ve had enough of pretending to be a 14th-century courtier, you’ll find the rest of Schwerin also seems designed to delight.

Begin in the Alter Garten, taking in the extravagant neo-Renaissance state theatre, and perhaps visiting the Kunstsammlungen art museum. Climb to the top of the Gothic cathedral for views of the old town and lake — don’t let the 219 steps defeat you.

Of course, you must also visit the palace — and its gardens, with the orangerie and ponds. Top tip: before you go, pop into Der Käseladen Mühlenberg, a delicatessen with everything you need for a picnic fit for a king.

Stop 4: Warnemünde

Worth a visit:

Rostock Zoo: Over 4,000 animals.
Stasi-Knast Rostock: Former prison where you can learn about the Stasi.
Edvard-Munch-Haus: House where the painter Edvard Munch lived.

Where to eat:

Fischerklause (€€€): Traditional German seafood on the quay.
Restaurant Hopfen Keller (€€€): Steakhouse in a former brewery cellar.
Herberts Restaurant & Café (€€€): Patio with a view.

Where to park overnight:

Last stop on your whistle-stop tour

The final destination on your northern Germany road trip itinerary is all about relaxing. The Blue Flag-winning white sands of Warnemünde’s seaside resort are the perfect complement to a trip full of high culture and history.

Brimming with maritime charm, Warnemünde doesn’t demand much from its visitors. It just encourages you to take it easy, stroll the promenade, eat plenty of seafood, and while away the afternoon in a Strandkorb — a sheltered straw 'beach basket' seat.

Stroll the Alter Strom, the boat-lined main canal, with its adorable cottages. Check out the Rathaus, which looks straight out of a Wes Anderson movie. Climb the 135-step spiral staircase of the lighthouse for spectacular views.

Grab an ice cream and engage in some people-watching on the beach — where you can also have barbecues and campfires. And be sure to try Fischbrötchen — Warnemünde’s famous fish sandwich, made with a range of fish, from halibut to herring.