Germany and the sea

When it comes to planning a summer vacation, opinions usually differ as to what real relaxation looks like for you - is it the green of the forests and the high mountains, combined with physical activity while hiking, climbing or camping and a brave dip in a fresh mountain lake? Or rather the vastness of the sea, long walks along the beach and a good book?

While neighboring Switzerland invites you to exciting mountain tours along the Alps or in the Jura Mountains and people like to travel to Portugal or Spain for real southern European beaches, Germany also has a lot to offer for both ambitious mountain lovers and passionate admirers of the seaside.

Admittedly, our sea is in the north. On the beaches of the North Sea, it is therefore better to swap flip-flops for wellies and windbreakers for long walks in the mudflats, collecting shells and watching seagulls and lugworms*, and it is better to hold on to your favorite book while reading - as well as to your towel (*lugworm: grows up to 40 cm long and can live for five years, lives in 30 cm deep U-shaped tunnels in the sand).

But our sea also has a special flair, and many a coastal town or island has taken advantage of their special features.

On Borkum, the largest East Frisian island in the North Sea, for example, seals and grey seals are among the island's inhabitants and can be observed - at a distance of at least 300 m - while swimming in their nature reserve. Human residents and guests can pass the time with kitelandboarding (a skateboard with foot straps powered by the wind and a kite) or “Boßeln”, a typical Frisian bowling game.

Norderney, another North Sea island, with its 15 km of white, fine sandy beaches, offers both relaxation and sporting activities: as well as the opportunity to explore the island by bike or go for long beach rides on horseback, the conditions here are ideal for water sports such as kitesurfing, sailing or kayaking. On quieter stretches of beach, you can go fishing or relax in one of the beach chairs while taking in the view of the sea or reading a good book.

And because the island of Langeoog is completely car-free, your vacation starts on the mainland: park your car and board one of the ferries to get across to the island in the fresh, salty sea air. In Langeoog, birdwatchers can observe numerous water and wading birds or thousands of migratory birds that make a stopover here in spring and fall.

The Baltic Sea is a little milder: in places like Scharbeutz, wellness and relaxation in spas and beach bars are very popular - you can even sleep right by the sea in a beach chair, only to be woken up by the sound of the waves in the open air and jump on a stand-up paddleboard.

The only thing missing in southern Germany seems to be the salt in the sea: The large, turquoise Walchensee lake in Bavaria, surrounded by a mountain massif, with its (pebble) beach invites you to camp and is proudly called their “Bavarian Caribbean” by locals.

The southern shores of Lake Constance, which are shared by Germany, Switzerland and Austria, almost give you the feeling of being by the sea. Here you can explore by boat the expanse of water and the island of Mainau, which is also known as the “flower island” with its butterfly house and huge variety of flowers. The lake is also ideal for sailing, windsurfing and swimming. The Lake Constance cycle path runs around the lake for approx. 260 km.

In the middle of Germany, some people have made up for their distance to the nearest sea with their own city beaches: Dortmund, for example, located in the middle of the Ruhr region, has transformed a goods ship into a beach with beach chairs, palm trees and sun decks. In Frankfurt, some people satisfy their longing for a vacation on the roof of a high-rise building, the “Citybeach”, where there is even a beach volleyball court with view of the Frankfurt skyline.

The sea is and remains a desire for many travel-loving Germans. When the time comes to pack their suitcases, many Germans' favorite destination, alongside Spain, Italy, Scandinavia, Turkey, Greece and France, is - their own sea and lake landscape.