Our destination takes us to the old Hansa town of Schwerin, which is located in the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Schwerin is located in a region whose landscape is dominated by lakes. Lakes are also common inside the city limits, which is one of the reasons why Schwerin has been nicknamed the Pearl in the Water. We take a stroll around the huge Pfaffen dike, past well taken care of townhouses, to a masterpiece of North German brick gothic architecture, the Schwerin Cathedral.
We climb the 220 steps to the top of the cathedral tower, and are rewarded with a breathtaking view of the surrounding area, and especially of Castle Schwerin, seat of the state parliament and the city's number one tourist attraction. We visit the castle which once served as the home of the powerful grand dukes of Mecklenburg. We move on to the nearby Schwerin State Museum, which features a permanent exhibition of the Mecklenburg sculpture, Ernst Barlach. Barlach was one of the most important 20th century German artists, who captured the spirit of the land and its people in his works. Finally, we pay a visit to the Mecklenburg State Theater Schwerin, which is considered to have been one of the birthplaces of the German national theater.