Helgoland is famous for the fact that August Heinrich Hoffmann von Fallersleben composed the hymn of Germany during his vacation in 1841. But apart from that, Helgoland is a great island for a day-trip or for weekend vacations. It is idyllic and beautiful – away from big city noises and in the middle of nature's sounds like crashing waves and chirping birds. As it is on Baltrum, there are no cars allowed on Helgoland and when you arrive at the island you will recognize where von Fallersleben got his inspiration from. The cover picture shows the beauty of the sun rising over the dunes of Helgoland. Also the nature reserve of Lummenfelsen and its famous rock formation, Tall Ann, is an amazing area and the perfect spot for bird observation. Keep reading to learn more about the smallest German island, its highlights and history. The island in the south-east of Sylt and 60 kilometres away from Germany's coastline with the closest big city, Hamburg, awaits you.
How to get there
Well as you can guess you have to cross the water to get to Helgoland. All year long it is possible to take a modern ferry from Cuxhaven. It drives with LNG (gas), which makes your journey more environmentally friendly and also less noisy. So you can lean back on deck and enjoy the trip without the disturbing sound of an engine.
Another possibility is to go from Hamburg over Wedel and Cuxhaven to Helgoland by catamaran. Because of its speed of up to 65 km/h the new ship (ship christening: April 2018) is called Holunder-Jet.
Other options, less sustainable, are by airplane over the North Sea from Heide/ Büsum and Cuxhaven/ Nordhold or by cruise.
Arriving in a different kind of world
On the island a sight worth seeing are the Hummerbuden, which means lobster huts, because formerly these wooden houses were used as storage for the lobster fisherman. Today they are well preserved and are shining bright in a wide variety of colors. Inside there are galleries, museums, small shops and restaurants.
Hummerbuden
Hafenstraße 1045, 27498 Helgoland, DeutschlandDiscover unique untouched nature
On the upper part of Helgoland you can discover unique and untouched nature. You can go high up either by choosing the lazy option – taking the elevator or by facing a sporty challenge – going up the 184 steps. Anyway up on the cliffs you will be rewarded with an incredible view of Helgoland’s dunes and at the sea. There is a hike along the border of the cliffs to the nature reserve of Lummenfelsen and Helgoland’s most famous symbol – the Tall Anna. A perfect spot for bird observation, because they nest in the cliffs.
Tall Anna
27498 Helgoland, DeutschlandGet to know Helgoland’s history
Helgoland has also an interesting and moving past. In the 2nd World War it was built up as a sea fortress and there are still some well-preserved sights which show that fact. For instance you can get to know more about this time in Helgoland on a guided tour through the 230 metre long bomb shelter tunnel, which takes about one and a half hours. Also there is a museum at Helgoland’s promenade with exhibitions about marine biological research and Helgoland's history.
Helgoland's museum
Kurpromenade 8, 27498 Helgoland, DeutschlandWe recommend to book your stays in Schleswig-Holstein in advance as it can get booked up quickly during certain periods. If you use this link, you pay the same price and we get a small commission - thanks for your support!
Want to plan this trip? Check out our recommended itinerary and customize it to your taste on Live the World, build your own package from scratch with Live the World, or reach out for personalized advice from one of our travel experts.
The author
Christian Stascheit
Plan a trip with Maya - your AI travel assistant
