Surrounded by beech forests near Germany’s Baltic Sea coast, Bad Doberan is one of the earliest settlements in Mecklenburg. It is said to have been named by monks who heard swans shriek “dobre dobre” upon being startled by passing deer, with both animals featured on the town’s arms.
Things to do in Bad Doberan
An architectural highlight of Bad Doberan is the Doberan Minster, an impressive 14th-century North German Brick Gothic landmark. It forms part of a former Cistercian monastery and is richly adorned with one of Europe’s oldest winged altars, as well as a highly decorated chalice cupboard. In addition to hosting regular church services, the Doberan Minster also provides a setting for musical concerts.
At the west gate of the monastery grounds is the Möckelhaus, the former villa of master builder Gotthilf Ludwig Möckel. It houses the Stadt- und Bädermuseum, which tells the history of Germany’s first seaside resort. You can learn about everyday life in the town during the 19th and 20th centuries while browsing the paintings, bathing artefacts and swimwear on display.
No visit to Bad Doberan is complete without a ride on the Molli, a narrow-gauge steam railway that connects to Heiligendamm and Kühlungsborn. After chugging its way through the main shopping street of Bad Doberan, it makes its way past the oldest horse-racing track on the European continent to Heiligendamm. At the Molli Museum in Kühlungsborn, you can learn about the railway’s construction in 1886, then grab a bite to eat at the adjacent cafe.
Getting around Bad Doberan
Bad Doberan is a 15-minute drive from Rostock and 40 minutes from Rostock–Laage Airport, which has seasonal flights to destinations across Europe. The much larger Hamburg Airport is two hours away. Regular trains connect to the Bad Doberan railway station and buses travel throughout the town.