German islands
Islands in Germany worth visiting
Although when thinking about a holiday on the islands, the images of Oceania come to mind first, you would be surprised at how many amazing islands Germany has! The vast majority of the islands are located on the northern coast of the country. You can enjoy a car-free environment, beautiful and clean beaches, butterfly gardens or UNESCO World Heritage sites. The best part? The islands on the north coast are easily reached by travelling on the DFDS ferry route Klaipeda-Kiel.
Rügen Islands
This island is often referred to as the perfect German island. Located on the shores of the Baltic Sea, it is simply nestled in white chalk cliffs and sandy beaches. This island has been attracting tourists for a long time - Otto von Bismarck, Sigmund Freud, Albert Einstein visited here.
Rügen is the largest island in Germany with many impressive sights and activities. Try windsurfing or sailing. Visit Jasmund National Park, the smallest national park in the country. Here you will find the Königsstuhl (royal throne) - an observation deck as high as 118 meters above the sea. From here you can see the primeval beech forests and the birds flying underfoot.
History buffs will enjoy a tour of the steam-powered train around the island.
Hiddensee Island
On this small island west of Rügen, cars are banned, so you will have to move around by bike, horse-drawn carriage or on foot - a great medicine for those who want to relax from the pace of the city.
Much of the island’s territory is classified as a protected nature reserve, as Hiddensee is the largest island in the Vorpommersche Boddenlandschaft National Park. The west coast is distinguished by a long sandy beach bordered by dunes.
Enjoy the sunny weather on the precisely landscaped beaches. In the cloudy weather, let yourself explore nature - on the island you will find salt marshes and many fishing settlements.
Mainau Island
Lake Constance is the third largest lake in Europe. It houses the well-known island of Lindau, but the smaller and charming island of Mainau is nearby. This tiny, flowery island is famous for its greenhouses full of butterflies - in fact, they are the largest butterfly gardens in Germany. It attracts more than a million visitors here every year.
As you walk around the island, stop to smell the nearly 10,000 rose bushes, and sit down to cool off after the 150-year-old giant redwoods and Victorian lime trees that were planted in 1862 by the Grand Duke. Also standing here is the 13th century baroque palace of the Order of the Teutonic Knights, the island belonged to the latter for almost 500 years.
The island is open every day from sunrise to sunset.
