Baltrum
The island off the coast of East Frisia is located in the middle of the chain of seven inhabited East Frisian islands. Baltrum has about 600 inhabitants.
Healthy sea air, kilometers of sandy beaches, numerous play facilities for children and no cars far and wide - many islands in the North Sea are among the ideal destinations for a relaxing family or wellness vacation. We introduce you to six (almost) car-free islands on the German coast.
Table of contents
1. Langeoog
2. Juist
3. Baltrum
4. Spiekeroog
5. Wangerooge
6. Heligoland
The island off the coast of East Frisia is located in the middle of the chain of seven inhabited East Frisian islands. Baltrum has about 600 inhabitants.
On the about 20 km2 large island live about 1800 people. The neighboring islands are Spiekeroog in the east and Baltrum in the west. Parts of the island and the mudflats around the island belong to the Lower Saxony Wadden Sea National Park.
The longest of the East Frisian islands, at 17 kilometers, lies between Borkum in the west and Norderney in the east. A good 1500 people live here.
The 18.25 km2 large island with its 800 permanent inhabitants is the only one of the East Frisian islands without an airfield. Spiekeroog lies between Langeoog and Wangerooge
The island in the National Park in the Wadden Sea of Lower Saxony is the easternmost of the seven inhabited East Frisian Islands. The island is an official North Sea spa and has a good 1200 inhabitants.
The 4.2 km2 large North Sea island with its side island, called Dune, has about 1300 inhabitants. The biggest attraction is the Lange Anna, a 47 m high freestanding rock, and the guillemot rock populated by thousands of sea birds.
Wild dune landscapes, flowering pastures and a 14-kilometer-long sandy beach - Langeoog is a wonderfully pristine and natural North Sea island. Its landmark is the water tower built in 1909. From here you have a great view over the dunes, the village and the beach. The best way to get to know the fascinating flora and fauna of the island is to hike along the two nature trails "Osterhook" and "Flinthörn". On the way, with a little luck, you can observe seals on their moorings, as well as huge flocks of water birds. And all this in the midst of largely untouched nature. Langeoog is also the most child-friendly of the North Sea islands. A large playhouse, miniature golf, pony rides and a youth center by the sea provide the necessary variety on vacation. www.langeoog.de
Hoof beats instead of loud engines – rund 50 Gespanne und 100 Pferde dienen auf Juist als Taxi, Bus, Flughafen-Shuttle, Lebensmittellaster und Müllabfuhr. Zudem eignen sich die „2-PS-Hafermotoren" bestens, um als Gast bei einer Inselrundfahrt einen ersten Eindruck des Töwerlandes, wie Juist auch genannt wird, zu gewinnen. Die mit 17 Kilometern längste der Ostfriesischen Inseln ist an einigen Stellen nur 500 Meter breit. Juist ist tideabhängig und kann nur bei Flut mit dem Schiff angefahren werden, was die Besucherzahlen angenehm niedrig hält. Geführte Wattwanderungen des Nationalpark-Hauses eröffnen euch einen einzigartigen Naturraum voller Leben. Zudem ist Juist dank der frischen Seeluft und zahlreicher zertifizierter Thalasso-Angebote auch eine Gesundheitsinsel. www.juist.de
Just five kilometers long and just under one and a half kilometers wide is the smallest of the East Frisian islands in terms of area, which is located in the Wadden Sea World Heritage Site. The ferry ride from the harbor in Neßmersiel to Baltrum takes about 30 minutes and offers a first vacation highlight with the passing of the eastern tip of the neighboring island of Norderney and the seals lying there. You can expect short distances, numerous small hiking trails, lots of fresh sea air and tranquility far away from any car noise and everyday city hustle and bustle. The most stylish way to explore the car-free island is in a horse-drawn carriage. Don't miss a trip to the east end of the island. Nowhere else can you experience the vastness of the sea and the tranquility of the island better than there. www.baltrum.de
Endless dune landscapes, wide salt marshes, listed Frisian houses and all this without disturbing car traffic - on Spiekeroog you will be able to leave everyday life behind you in no time. In the idyllic village center, small stores, individual boutiques, inviting cafés and the oldest church of all the East Frisian islands await your visit. Fine-grained, white sand, beach chairs and a mostly free sports offer make the 15-kilometer-long beach the most popular destination on the island. Three adventure playgrounds, the children's playhouse Trockendock, the InselBad (island pool) and the Circus Tausendtraum (circus dream of a thousand) provide great fun for the little vacationers. And thanks to the car-free streets, the handcart is one of the most popular means of transport for the little ones. www.spiekeroog.de
Active island, family island, recreation island and in the middle of the UNESCO World Heritage Wadden Sea: On the easternmost of the seven inhabited East Frisian Islands, you can relax in the best possible way. You can spend entire vacation days here just on the beach with surfing, kiting, stand-up paddling, Nordic walking and fitness courses, or relax wonderfully thanks to the numerous Thalasso therapies and wellness offers on offer. Car-free roads, short distances and offers such as children's wristbands with beach chair numbers and contact details also allow families with smaller children to enjoy carefree days. If the weather is bad, we recommend a stroll through the island village, a visit to the museum in the Old Lighthouse or the National Park House Rosenhaus. www.wangerooge.de
If Germany's only high seas island is your eines der seltenen Autos entgegenkommt, dann wird es nur von einem leisen elektrischen Surren begleitet und gehört wohl zur Taxiflotte der Insel. Eigene Kraftfahrzeuge und sogar Fahrräder sind auf der Insel untersagt. Macht aber nichts, auf Heligoland ist eigentlich alles gut zu Fuß erreichbar. Zu den schönsten Sehenswürdigkeiten gehören die farbenfroh gestrichenen Hummerbuden am Binnenhafen und die „Lange Anna“, ein 47 Meter hoher Brandungspfeiler aus rotem Buntsandstein im Nordwesten Helgolands, auf dem zahlreiche Seevögel brüten. Zudem leben am Nord- und Südstrand der Insel zahlreiche Seehunde und Kegelrobben. Die Meeressäuger sind inzwischen so an die Menschen gewöhnt, dass Besucher bis auf 30 Meter an die Tiere herankommen dürfen. www.helgoland.de
Cover photo: Relaxed to the beach - cars don't play a major role on most of the East Frisian Islands © Doris Oberfrank-List/Shutterstock.com
