Baltic coast: Hanseatic towns and chalk cliffs
Red-brick Lübeck, Wismar and Stralsund, then the chalk cliffs of Rügen.
- Distance
- 342 km (212 mi)
- Driving
- 4 h 43 min
- Suggested days
- 4
- Stops
- 6
- Countries
- Germany
- Updated
- July 3, 2026
At a glance: 4-day road trip of about 342 km (212 mi) with 6 stops, from Hamburg to Königsstuhl chalk cliffs. About 4 h 43 min of driving in total.
Route description
From Hamburg the A1 leads north-east to Lübeck, whose old town on an island, with the Holstentor gate and brick churches, is a UNESCO site. The city is also known for marzipan.
The A20 (E22) runs east to Wismar, whose old town, with its market square and brick churches, is a UNESCO site together with Stralsund. Further east, Stralsund has the Ozeaneum marine museum on the harbour and the large St Mary’s Church.
From Stralsund, a bridge crosses to Rügen, Germany’s largest island, and the B96 leads to Sassnitz, a harbour town. Nearby, the Königsstuhl chalk cliffs rise above the Baltic in the beech forests of Jasmund National Park.
The Königsstuhl can be reached from the car park at Hagen by shuttle bus or on foot through the forest. In summer, traffic on Rügen is heavy, especially on the B96, so plan to travel early or late in the day.
Stop-by-stop itinerary
In driving order. Distances are estimates between consecutive stops.
- 1Start
Hamburg
Germany - 272 km
Lübeck
Germany - 364 km
Wismar
Germany - 4144 km
Stralsund
Germany - 554 km
Sassnitz
Germany - 68 km
Königsstuhl chalk cliffs
NatureSassnitz, GermanyWhite chalk cliffs above the Baltic in the beech forests of Jasmund National Park on Rügen.
