Schleswig-Holstein

Germany's northernmost state lies between two seas: on the west, the rugged North Sea with its tidal flats, Halligen, and islands; on the east, the calmer Baltic Sea with its steep coastal cliffs, fjords, and beach resorts. A vacation in Schleswig-Holstein combines beaches and dikes with Brick Gothic architecture in Lübeck and sailing culture in Kiel.

A Land Between Two Seas

Schleswig-Holstein consists of the former Duchy of Schleswig in the north, which was long tied to Denmark, and Holstein in the south. The Danish minority in the Schleswig region has its own schools and a party in the state parliament. The west coast is shaped by the Wadden Sea, a national park and World Heritage site, with the North Frisian Islands of Sylt, Föhr, and Amrum as well as the Halligen, tiny islands without dikes that are flooded during storm surges. The east coast is divided by fjords, narrow inlets of the sea such as the Flensburg and Kiel Fjords. In between lies a landscape of hills and lakes, the Holstein Switzerland region around Plön and Eutin.

Lübeck, Kiel, and Flensburg

Lübeck was the capital of the Hanseatic League. The old town island, with the Holstentor gate, St. Mary's Church, the town hall, and the merchants' houses, is a World Heritage site. Thomas Mann portrayed his family in Buddenbrooks, the Buddenbrookhaus recalls this, and the European Hansemuseum tells the story of the league of cities. Nearby is Travemünde with its beach, the four-masted ship Passat, and a ferry port for Scandinavia. Kiel, the state capital, is a naval city and ferry port; the Kiel Canal, the busiest artificial waterway in the world, ends here. Every June, Kiel Week takes place, one of the largest sailing events in the world. Flensburg, on the Danish border, is a rum town with captains' courtyards and a museum harbor; it is also home to the Federal Motor Transport Authority, which traffic offenders know well. The Holstein Switzerland region around Plön, Eutin, and Malente is dotted with many lakes; excursion boats run from lake to lake on the Five Lakes Cruise. Eutin has a palace and hosts summer festivals, while Plön has a palace above Great Plön Lake. In the south lies the Duchy of Lauenburg, with Ratzeburg on an island and Mölln, the town of Till Eulenspiegel, and on the Elbe the boatmen's town of Lauenburg.

Sights in Schleswig-Holstein: The North Sea

Sylt is Germany's best-known island, reached via the Hindenburg Causeway by car train. Kampen with its thatched-roof houses, Westerland with its promenade, the Red Cliff, the shifting dunes near List, and a fish sandwich at the harbor are all part of the Sylt experience. Föhr and Amrum are quieter, with the broad Kniepsand beaches on Amrum. Büsum in Dithmarschen is a family-friendly shrimp-cutter harbor with the Erlebniswelt Sturmflut (storm surge exhibit). The Eiderstedt peninsula with the Westerheversand lighthouse and St. Peter-Ording with its stilt houses on a beach miles wide are among the popular destinations in Schleswig-Holstein. Husum, the "gray city by the sea" of the poet Theodor Storm, blooms in spring with millions of crocuses.

The Baltic Sea and the Interior

Fehmarn, Germany's third-largest island, is reached via the Fehmarn Sound Bridge and is a destination for kitesurfers and cyclists. On the Baltic side, beach resorts such as Timmendorfer Strand, Scharbeutz, Grömitz, and Heiligenhafen line the coast. On the Schlei you will find Schleswig with its cathedral and the Viking Museum Haithabu, a World Heritage site, as well as the fishing village of Sieseby. Neumünster in the middle of the state is a transportation hub and shopping town, while Norderstedt, directly bordering Hamburg, is above all a home for commuters.

Food and Drink

On the coast you will find North Sea shrimp, pickled herring, and fish sandwiches; inland, Holstein cottage ham. Labskaus made from corned beef, potatoes, and beets, kale in winter, and pears, beans, and bacon are classic dishes. Lübeck marzipan is world-famous, and red berry pudding with vanilla sauce is the typical dessert. In North Frisia people drink Pharisäer, coffee with rum under a cap of whipped cream, and Tote Tante, with cocoa. Flensburger Pils is opened with its swing-top cap.

Getting There and Best Time to Visit

The nearest major airport is Hamburg; Sylt has direct flights in summer. Regional trains run from Hamburg to Kiel, Lübeck, Flensburg, and Westerland, and ferries reach the islands and Halligen. The best time to visit is from May to September; in July and August the Baltic resorts and Sylt are crowded. Spring and fall are well suited to cycling tours, and in winter, storms on the North Sea have their own appeal.