Münster - Osnabrück - Rostock

During the Middle Ages, Northern Europe bustled with busy ports of trade and thriving inland cities due in great part to the Hanseatic League. An alliance of merchant associations and the cities they represented, the League maintained a trade monopoly from the Baltic to the North Sea and inland. The 200 member towns had their own law system and furnished their own protection, allowing them to exercise great naval, diplomatic, and economic power—and to prosper economically.

Membership in this powerful association afforded Rostock, Münster, and Osnabrück considerable wealth. This resulted in extensive construction during the Hansa period from which many buildings still remain. The grand, medieval homes and public buildings still stand today in monument to the booming commerce of the Middle Ages.

Start your tour of Germany’s historic Hanseatic cities of Osnabrück and Münster. Just 50 kilometers apart, these cities also put their stamps on history as the setting for negotiations of the Peace Treaty of Westphalia that ended Europe’s Thirty Years’ War in 1648. These charming cities remain committed today to maintaining a civic theme of “peace” in their own ways.
After soaking in history in these cities, head north to the Baltic and Rostock, where you can soak in the sun and sea of coastal Germany. History lovers can explore this fascinating port city while making time to relax at one of the many nearby beaches or resort towns.