For some visitors, the beach - as wide as a football field is long - is the prime attraction. Boardwalks cross the dunes at frequent intervals, each marked with a number and a classification. Some parts of the beach are "FKK" - literally "Freie Körperkultur" or "free body culture" (a/k/a nude). Others are "Textil." Some mark sections that welcome pets or are wheelchair-accessible. Parts of the beach are also set aside for sports such as windsurfing, parasailing and sea-kayaking. General rule: If there's no sign, the default designation is "nude."

Many visitors come to Warnemünde and other Baltic resorts for their spa offerings. Area hotels offer wide-ranging treatments: sea peeling, algae packing, mud packing, ice (!) packing, massage, acupressure, facials, goat butter baths, and "gymnastics for problem zones."

 
Perhaps the best-known hotel in the area, the Neptun, has few challengers as one of the most luxurious, cosmopolitan hotels in Germany. Built in 1971 as a communist showpiece, it was once a reward and refuge for politicians, military leaders and other bigwigs. (How many hotels feature photos of Fidel Castro as a prominent guest?) Today, after a nearly $3 million renovation, the Neptun carries on its tradition of luxury - open to anyone with cash, rather than connections.

 
The hotel was built at an angle to the shore, so that each room has a sea view. Some corner "panorama" rooms offer nearly 180-degree views, and some luxury suites feature floor-to-ceiling windows. Guests can choose from a variety of motifs, such as "gull rooms" with a slightly masculine feel, or "rose rooms" that appeal mostly to women.

 
The 19th floor Café Panorama is Germany's highest café and its Sky-Bar the loftiest bar. On summer nights, the hotel roof is opened for starlit dancing. Extensive spa and fitness facilities offer a wide array of services.
Guests interested in historic dining locations have several options.

 
For more than a century, hungry sailors have been mooring their boats in front of what is now the Kettenkasten. Built in 1888 as a shop, it wasn't until a century later that it became a restaurant. A maritime theme features intricate model ships, antique maps, and oil paintings of ocean-going sailing vessels.
Among the better dishes are roasted Baltic herring wrapped in bacon, grilled salmon steak with caviar sauce, smoked salmon with peppercorns and horseradish, and a hearty fish soup. Another house specialty is Mecklenburger Rippenbraten, beef roulade filled with raisins, plums and apples, and served with red cabbage and boiled potatoes.

 
From 1866 to 1920, the windmill sails at Meyer's Mühle whirled in the Baltic breezes, forcing power through drive shafts and gears to the stones that ground the grain. When first built, the windmill, which was one of hundreds that lined the Baltic (most were dismantled for firewood during World War II), was in a field. Today, shielded from the wind by villas, homes and hotels, the sails are quiet, but the beams and millworks, along with paintings and old photographs, remind guests of a former time.

 
Service is casual and cordial at eight tables. Large candles cast a soft light on a peaceful, rustic setting. Food is plentiful and good with an emphasis on fresh ingredients. Bread comes straight from the oven with green, yellow and red pepper slices baked in - perfect for absorbing the last of a stew of fresh fish chunks and sliced vegetables in a light tomato broth.