By Nicola Radde
Schleswig-Holstein borders the North Sea in the west, Denmark in the north, the Baltic Sea to the east and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Hamburg and Lower Saxony to the south. It can be roughly divided into western, central and eastern regions.
The west coast reaching from the border with Denmark to the river Elbe consists of islands, flat marshy treeless land and is known for its ditches, dikes and ponds. The shallows and flats are exposed to the tides. Some flats and marshes have been reclaimed and planted with grass and used for livestock grazing, especially, sheep. You will also find dunes and the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Schleswig-Holstein Wadden Sea and Hallingen (small islands not protected by dykes).
The largest of the North Frisian Islands and the fourth largest island in Germany is Sylt. Sylt is known for its tourists resorts as well as for its 40-kilometre-long sandy beach. Sylt has been connected to the mainland by the 11-km-long Hindenburgdamm railway causeway since 1927. Later on, Sylt has become the resort island for the German jet set. The only oyster cultivated in Germany are the Sylt Royals which you can find here. Three of Sylt’s restaurants are listed in the Michelin Guide with the Michelin Plate.
Located south of Sylt are the islands of Föhr, Amrum and Pellworm and some Halligen. Föhr and Amrum are easily accessible by ferry via Dagebüll. The ferry ride is just under an hour to Föhr and about 90 minutes to Amrum. Föhr, the second largest Frisian island is also called “The Green Island”. Here, you can get away from the hustle and bustle and enjoy wellness session, boating, walking, hiking, cycling, horseback-riding, golfing and tennis. Amrum’s landscape is characterized by its sand dunes resulting in a vegetation that is largely made up of shrubs and heath. Visit Kniepsand, a 15 km long and 1.5 wide sandbank that was located just off the coast of Amrum but is now lying directly on the west coast forming a 10 km² beach. The sandbank will continue to “wander” around Amrum. Another highlight is the “Eisenzeitliches Haus”, an archaeological excavation area where traces of a settlement from the Iron Age were found. During low tide it is possible to hike through the mudflats between Föhr and Amrum.
Back to the mainland Friedrichstadt, Husum, Sankt Peter Ording, and Büsum are all well worth a visit.
The town of Friedrichstadt is located on the rivers Treene and Eider and feels a bit like Amsterdam with its canals and gabled houses. The town was founded in 1621 by Dutch settlers to house religious refugees from the Netherlands especially Mennonites and Remonstrants. Dutch became the official language. While Friedrichstadt never became the big city it intended to be, it did attract waves of immigrants and earned a reputation for remarkable tolerance which can still be seen in churches of numerous different denominations. The town’s design is also very “Dutch” with waterways reminiscent of the canals of Amsterdam.
Just a few kilometers from Friedrichstadt lies Husum a maritime town where colourful houses line the harbour. It is also the birthplace of Theodor Storm, who wrote among others “The Rider on the White Horse” Husum was originally not located directly on the coast but a disastrous storm tide in 1362 flooded the town and carved out the inland harbour. Disaster turned into opportunity when the people of Husum built a marketplace which led to great economic gain. Stroll through the old town and the Market Square bordered by 17th and 18th century buildings including the town hall or visit one of the museums or climb up the city water tower to get a better view of the city and its surrounding area.
Sankt Peter Ording is one of the many popular seaside spa resorts on the west coast. It has a Sulphur spring. The air contains high levels of aerosolized salts and iodine and is known to be a cure for many ailments, especially respiratory diseases. It is also a surfing and kite-surfing paradise and also great for sail-racing or sand yachting, a three wheeled vehicle using a sail for movement that can reach up to 130 km/h. The beach is 12 km long and up to 2 km wide. During tide one can walk forever and to feel the mud between your toes during a Wattenwalk is extremely satisfying. Just make sure you know when the tide is coming in or you could find yourself in trouble. Because of the salt meadows, the Salzwiesenlamm (Salt Meadow Lamb) that grazes in these salt pastures is especially delicious.
Büsum is a fishing, tourist and a spa town because of the healing effects of the seawater and the mudflats. Well-known for its Büsumer Krabben (tiny brownish shrimp) that can, if you are lucky, be bought and enjoyed right off the boat. I always loved sitting at a table and peel these tiny crustaceans. If you can’t find any, try Büsumer Krabbensuppe served in most restaurants. Visit the “Museum am Meer“and learn about the life and work of the fishery through interactive exhibits and harbour tours. The Museumshafen Büsum displays historic restored ships or you can visit the lighthouse.

The region of Dithmarschen bordered by the Eider, Kiel Canal, Elbe and North Sea is a flat countryside consisting of marsh, bog and Geestland. The marshes are among the most fertile soils in Germany and vegetable farming produces the highest yield in Schleswig-Holstein. It is Europe’s largest cabbage producer. Commercial wind farming in Germany began in Dithmarshen and the first wind park was opened in 1987.
Helgoland is a small archipelago in the North Sea and part of Schleswig-Holstein even though they are located about 69 km by sea from Cuxhaven at the mouth of the river Elbe. They have been part of Schleswig-Holstein since 1890, but were historically possessions of Denmark and between 1807 to 1890 belonged to the United Kingdom. The smaller island, Düne, is located to the east and is uninhabited. On Helgoland you find small beaches, many different bird species and seals. Among 430 recorded bird species are the 'Big Five' that breed in the red cliffs are the Northern Gannet, Common Guillemot, Razorbill, Kittiwake and Northern Fulmar. There are also many restaurants and hotels if you like to stay a few nights to relax. Enjoy the many view points, lighthouse, the crater of a 5,000 kg bomb and you can't miss the remarkable landmark of the lobster houses when you arrive by ferry. There is a high-speed ferry direct from Hamburg or Cuxhaven and added service from Büsum, Bremerhaven and Wilhelmshaven in the summer months.
There are no cars or bikes permitted on Helgoland except for a ambulance, fire truck and a few electric cars.

Typical dishes you'll find in Schleswig-Holstein are: Grünkohl (stew of kale, sausages and Kassler served with fried potatoes), Holsteiner Sauerfleisch, Swattsuer, Holsteiner Katenschinken, Herring, Kieler Sprotten, Nordseekrabben, Oysters. Dessert, Cakes and other Specialties are: Elderberry Soup, Buttermilk Soup, Rote Grütze. Heißwecken, Förtchen, Futjens, Lübecker Marzipan and lets not forget about the special beverages like Flensburger Pilsener, Ditmarschener Pilsener, Lütt un Lütt, Tote Tante, Pharisäer and Grog.
These are only a few suggestions because there is so much more to see. Did you know that the largest Heavy Metal Music Festival in the world is held annually in the village of Wacken? For the food lovers, Schleswig Holstein has 46 restaurants in the Michelin Guide: 12 of those are Michelin-star restaurants and the remainder have either earned the Michelin Bib Gourmand or The Michelin Plate.
People you might know that were born in Schleswig-Holstein include:
Eric Braeden (Kiel) - Young & The Restless
Judith Malina (Kiel) - Co-Founded the Living Theatre in New York
Thomas Mann (Lübeck) - author and 1929 Nobel Prize in Literature
Theodor Storm (Husum) - Poet
Willy Brandt (Lübeck) - German Chancellor 1969 - 1974
The Central part and East coast of Schleswig Holstein will be in my upcoming blogs. Stay tuned.