Two different themes stand out when planning a stay in Pölchow: the village’s tangible history and the Warnow Tour from Schwaan to Rostock, which passes by the village. There is also an S-Bahn station with a specific address. You can plan your trip according to whether you are primarily interested in the village’s historic character or want to take a longer trip on the water. The places and information below help you distinguish clearly between these highlights.
Village history in specific places
Pölchow is described as a circular village. The oldest surviving documentary mention of the village, under the name “Polchowe,” dates from 1275. This gives us two historical reference points: the description of the village layout and a precisely dated record relating to the history of its name.
A war memorial for 1914–18, with a peace oak, stands on Alte Dorfstraße. The Rostock district’s list of historic monuments, dated 14 May 2024, records the memorial. The same list also includes a former double-cottage residential building at Alte Dorfstraße 6. A former school building is located at Alte Dorfstraße 14. There is a residential building with a barn at each of Rostocker Straße 6 and 7; these buildings are also listed. These named places represent different building and usage histories: a memorial, a former type of residential building, a former school, and residential buildings with barns.
Getting here and planning your trip
Pölchow has an S-Bahn station at Bahnhofsweg 17b. This specific address gives you a reference point when planning your journey. Check the current timetables for your connection. The station is a separate aspect of planning a visit to the village; the Warnow Tour is a different matter and should be considered in terms of its route and the time available.
The Warnow Tour and its natural areas
The Warnow Tour from Schwaan to Rostock passes through the “Unteres Warnowland” nature reserve and by Pölchow. It also runs through the “Warnowtal mit kleinen Zuflüssen” FFH site and the “Warnowtal, Sternberger Seen und untere Mildenitz” bird sanctuary. During the tour, white-tailed eagles, kingfishers and woodpeckers can be spotted from the water; with a little luck, you may also see beavers. This gives you a different perspective from the village’s named buildings and memorial: the focus here is on the river landscape and the wildlife you might spot from the water.
On the Warnow Tour from Schwaan to Rostock, canoeists reach the Mühlendamm in Rostock after about 4–5 hours, depending on their pace. The approximate duration and destination help you treat this activity as a separate item on your itinerary. It is a longer water route between Schwaan and Rostock, not simply a single attraction in the village. When planning your stay, you can therefore consider Pölchow’s historical sights and the tour as separate highlights.
More things to do in the Rostock travel destination
The wider Rostock travel destination offers additional cultural and nature-related activities of a different kind. At Wildpark-MV, visitors can explore the park on their own or join guided wolf, owl and evening walks. The Wolhynier Umsiedlermuseum in Linstow offers guided tours for groups and individuals. Using ethnographic objects, photos and documents, the tours tell the story of the Volhynian Germans from the mid-19th century until their settlement in Mecklenburg after the Second World War. These examples broaden the view of the Rostock travel destination; Pölchow’s own highlights remain its village history and the Warnow Tour that passes by.
Discover more destinations: Ziesendorf, Lambrechtshagen, Stäbelow, Elmenhorst/Lichtenhagen, Kritzmow, Papendorf.
View the wider travel overview: Amt Warnow-West.
