Islands have always occupied a special place among the travellers and their imagination. Absolute of their finite geography, they’re inspiration is a romanticised and purely dramatic get-away, be it a simple off-shore excursion. Come to think of it, Germany is unlikely to be thought of as a beach escape but the Northern Germany features some of the most amazing and covert islands for you to step on with an EU passport.
For locals, they needn’t go anywhere in search of white beaches and dreamy endless horizons for there’re more or less 50 islands in the North Sea and the Baltic Sea that belongs to Germany. Almost all are slow-paced and pristine natural sanctuaries. The amazing contradiction of different water bodies would take you on an adventurous journey unlike anything experienced before.
Thunderous and crashing waves with brisk breezes in the North Sea whereas totally calmed waters in the Baltic are where you can you can dig in amazing offshore gems with a EU passport.
Sylt – the ritzy beauty spot
Maintaining its reputation as a Dionysian summer hotspot for jet-setters and celebrities, Sylt is often compared to the amazing Saint Tropez and Martha’s Vineyard. Indeed, there’re many glorified beach shacks and flashy bars with Michelin-starred restaurants to keep everyone occupies and entertained. Cruising is another fun-fact that you’ll find interesting with late-models of Ferraris and BMWs.
Sylt is more than that for it has all the features to a perfect and quintessential summer holiday. Champion windsurfers are drawn to the annual world cup competition hosted on the blustery western coast. Elsewhere on the eastern side is a calmed and sheltered sea with muddy ocean floor. Sylt has been labelled “Queen of the North Sea” due to many good reasons such as listed above.
Helgoland – the purely stunning island
Just as San Francisco has Alcatraz, Germany have its own rock however that isn’t a high-security prison. Approximately 70-kilometres from the mainland, Helgoland is small, wind-struck red sandstone that just out in the North Sea similar to a flooded Uluru.
The boat trip here isn’t for the weak heart and light-stomached however, landing here after a challenging trip would make you forget everything; such is the charm of the mystical island. In actual, there were two islands, torn apart by a killer storm in 1720.
History or Helgoland is as colourful as the traditional fishermen huts lined up on the diminutive harbour. It remained under the Danish rule till 1807 after which the Great Britain ceded Helgoland following the Napoleon Wars. It was traded to Germany in 1890 in exchange for Zanzibar; an African island. Although an ill-considered move, Germans made good use of the island during the world wars.
Most savvy day trippers carrying EU passport from Bremerhaven, Cuxhaven and Hamburg come to dig in amazing duty-free deals and local cuisine featuring lobsters. Other things you can explore are the remains of the World War II as well as resurging number of Atlantic grey seals.
Rugen – the modern all-rounder
Rugen is Germany’s largest island abundant in nature, history and architecture to as much extent as possible. With more or less 60-kilometre sandy beaches, the Baltic isle nowadays is among the most famous getaway for nature craved Berliner with the capital only 300-kilometres away. Before the World War II, some of the most smart, brilliant minded luminaries lived here such as Albert Einstein, Bismarck and Christopher Isherwood who even received child vaccinations here.
Conclusion
It’s about time you do something different and extraordinary with a European passport by visiting Northern Germany and step on its pristine islands that are family friendly as well.