Germany (Lonely Planet, 6th Edition) - Andrea Schulte-Peevers [664]
Steigenberger Baltic ( 2040; www.stralsund.steigenberger.de; Frankendamm 22; s/d incl breakfast from €89/119; ) Try for a north-facing room at central Stralsund’s most upmarket hotel for breathtaking views (especially at twilight) over the Altstadt’s rooftops and across the harbour to Rügen. Contemporary rooms are spacious and well equipped, with huge desks and minibars, and service is impressively personalised.
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Eating
Kaffeehaus Strahl ( 278 566; Mönchstrasse 46; cakes €1.60-3.20; 10am-8pm early Jul–mid-Sep, 10am-6pm mid-Sep–early Jul; ) Displays of huge homemade cakes tempt you into this charming, old-fashioned cafe and on down to its medieval cellar.
Fischermann’s ( 292 322; An der Fährbrücke 3; mains €9-16.50; from 10am; ) Don’t be dissuaded by Fischermann’s touristy location in a tall redbrick warehouse on the waterfront. Many of the diners packing its terrace like sardines on sunny days are locals, who head here for its small but stellar selection of fish dishes – the views across to Rügen are just the bonus.
Hansekeller ( 703 840; Mönchstrasse 48; mains €9.80-13.90; 11am-midnight; ) Entering an inconspicuous archway and descending a flight of steps brings you to this 16th-century cross-vaulted brick cellar illuminated by glowing lamps and flickering candles. Taking a seat near the open kitchen lets you watch its chefs prepare regional specialities.
Altes Bankhaus ( 303 388; Heilgeiststrasse 43a; mains €11.90-18.90; lunch & dinner; ) This sleek modern bistro housed in a 1913-built bank turns out creative dishes such as goat’s cheese and smoked salmon gnocchi with whisky-mustard sauce, and Baileys ice cream with mint leaves for dessert.
Tafelfreuden ( 299 260; Jungfernstieg 5a; lunch menu €15, dinner menus €37-46.50; lunch & dinner Tue-Sun) This sunflower-yellow, poppy-red-trimmed wooden villa was built in 1870 as a summer house and is now home to a wonderfully convivial restaurant where set menus utilise fresh produce and are accompanied by an inspired wine list. If you can’t drag yourself away, it also has three charming guest rooms (singles €45 to €60, doubles €60 to €75) with beach themes: ‘lighthouse’, ‘shell’ and ‘Strandkörbe’, for the region’s iconic sheltered ‘beach basket’ seats.
Also recommended:
Nur Fisch ( 306 609; Heilgeiststrasse 92; dishes €2.50-13.90; 10am-6pm Mon-Fri, 11am-2pm Sat) Simple canteen-style bistro dedicated to marine delights – from fish sandwiches to sumptuous platters of seafood.
Torschliesserhaus ( 293 032; Am Kütertor 1; mains €7.90-11.30; lunch & dinner; ) Photogenic 1281 half-timbered gatehouse in the city wall, dishing up solid staples such as steaks.
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Drinking & Entertainment
Whiskyhaus ( 289 280; Wasserstrasse 25; 10am-6pm Mon-Fri, 10am-4pm Sat, 2-5pm Sun) Deliberate over more than 500 different whiskies at this specialist ‘whisky house’, which has a small bar for tastings and organises regular talks and events.
8cht Vorne ( 281 888; www.carpediem-hst.de, in German; Badenstrasse 45; from 8pm) A scene stalwart that furnishes Stralsund’s student population with DJs, dancing and plenty of drinks specials.
T1 ( 282 8111; www.t1-stralsund.de, in German; Heilgeiststrasse 64; from 8pm) A (somewhat) older crowd heads to this hip bar inside a central, step-gabled town house.
Fun/Lollipop ( 399 039; Grünhufer Bogen 11-14; from 9pm Wed-Sun) Stralsund’s only large-scale club is inside a shopping complex out by the HanseDom.
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Getting There & Away
BOAT
Click here for details of services to Rügen Island, and Click here for boat services to Hiddensee Island.
CAR & MOTORCYCLE
If coming from the west – Lübeck, Wismar or Rostock – take the A20, then the B96.
TRAIN
Regional trains travel to/from Rostock (€13.30, 1¼ hours), Berlin Hauptbahnhof (from €36.50, 3½ hours) and Hamburg (from €39.10, 3½ hours) at least every two hours. There are frequent trains to Sassnitz (from €8.40,