You might’ve not thought about flocking to the German seaside this summer.
Most beach goers seek out the Italian, Greek, or Spanish coastlines. But if you’re looking for beautiful white beaches, blue waters, wildlife diversity, and plenty of fish to eat — then consider the northernmost island of Germany, Sylt.
(You only have to cope with the unwieldy North Sea weather.)
Where is Sylt?
Sylt is a northernmost island of Germany in the district state of Schleswig-Holstein.
Its pristine white beaches stretch for 40-kilometers (25-mile) along the North Sea coastline. Sylt is also the largest German island in the North Sea, and is nestled next to the border of Denmark.
You can literally yell to your Denmark friends from the most northern point of the island.
How to get to Sylt?
Sylt is only accessible by ferry, airplane, or train.
The most planet conscious method to travel to Sylt is by train. As I’m an environmentalist, I believe Sylt is very accessible by train from the mainland. And once on the island, all major areas are also reachable by the island bus line.
You do have the option to travel to the island by car freight via Deutsche Bahn. Basically, they park your car on a train and ship it across the only railroad track leading to the island.
If you’re a camper van and camping on the island, I can understand the allure of this. However, for everyone else, make Sylt more eco-conscious — and travel to the island by passenger train.
I spent two days on Sylt, each time I took the 25-minute train ride from the mainland to Westerland main station. You can board the regional train from as far away as Hamburg and Husum, but everyday, we parked the car at Klanxbüll and took the train to the island.
Once on the island, you can walk, rent a bike, or take the public bus (which is possible with the 49 EUR Germany ticket).
Best places to visit on Sylt
I actually rearranged my travel plans to spend two full days on Sylt.
I knew I’d enjoy the seaside flair, and discovering the island’s magical landscape more in depth. And I’m glad I did!
These are the places I enjoyed the most when visiting Sylt.
- The southern tip, Hörnum — As a little fishing village at the southernmost tip of the island, this town was my favorite. It felt cozy and more nature-focused. It was nestled away from the hustle and bustle of Westerland, and I enjoyed walking to the nature park. Things to do: Walk Hörnum Odde, visit the Hörnum lighthouse, and sit on the quiet beach of Hörnum. The area is also well known for sailing, windsurfing, and regular surfing. As a last stop, visit the Home Of Salty Elements surf shop for local treasures and to soak in the island’s surfer vibe.
- Step into the past at Brandenburger Strand – Or known in English as Brandenburg beach, this beach has a historic vibe. One can walk the boardwalk all the way to the Northern lighthouses (which we did), sit on the beach, or windsurf. The old beach chair rentals also give off the historial 1900s vibe.
- Dunes of the Red Cliff – Known for its breathtaking sunsets, which I wasn’t able to experience, but is worth seeing on the next holiday trip. Instead, we walked the dunes trail, which gave magnificent views onto the sea and the coastline. It was simply a beautiful hike along the cliffs. One can also see the Red Cliff Lighthouse and the Langer Christian Lighthouse along the way.
If you want to do Sylt justice, I think a stay of two days on the islands is enough. However, if you’re looking for an active beach holiday, I think a week-long visit to Sylt to windsurf, sail, and regular surf would be a magical holiday.
As you plan your end of summer holidays (or next year’s holidays), remember traveling locally will always have a smaller travel carbon footprint than jumping on an airplane to Mallorca or Greece.
Consider taking the Deutsche Bahn to Sylt or any of the other beach destinations along the Northern Sea or Baltic coast, for a more eco-conscious holiday destination.
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