The North Frisian Islands are the remains of former mainland or larger islands. Over the last centuries, the power of water movement and heavy storms literally washed away the existing land and created the islands as we know them today. Visit the North Frisian Islands and you will discover a dynamic nature, a wide-ranging ecosystem and a vibrant culture.
The Halligen make up a small patch of land, constantly battling against the natural elements in the heart of the roaring sea. Found on the North Sea coast of Schleswig-Holstein, the Halligen are truly unique. Six of the ten islands are inhabited and are open to visitors. The houses on these tiny islets are built on artificial mounds and, in a storm tide, only these hills rise above the sea while the remainder of the islet is flooded.
Tranquil harbour towns, wide sandy beaches, green beaches - the mainland area of the North Sea coast of Schleswig-Holstein offers everything the heart desires. Several polders with large wetlands - a paradise for birds and bird watchers – have been established through the embankment of tidal flats and saltmarsh areas.
Discover wildlife in its natural habitat. Observe large numbers of seals and one of the smallest whales, the harbour porpoise. Or meet large colonies of gulls, terns and waders and flocks of geese and ducks. And that’s just the start – the wondrous world of salt marshes and dunes is a habitat for truly amazing plants and animals!
Discover the constantly transforming and renewing forces of ‘walking’ dunes, wet dune valleys and sea inlets on the Islands of Amrum or Sylt. Or experience the fascinating transition zone between land and sea, ‘Neptune’s front garden’, on a salt marsh excursion in the area of St. Peter-Ording.
The Schleswig-Holstein Wadden Sea is the largest area among the five Wadden Sea regions. The gateway to the Hallig Islands, Northern Friesland and the green dikes and marshlands of Dithmarschen truly impresses with its never-ending expanse and infinite horizon.
Follow in the footsteps of famous writers and artists: Heinrich Heine was attracted by the rugged charm of the North Sea coast and immortalised it in his poems, while Emil Nolde painted them with magnificent colours. Theodor Storm, too, could not escape the poetry of the landscape and often wrote about the distinctive North German coastline.
Find out what is hidden in the depths of the North Sea and what plants and animals dwell here in the Wadden Sea in the largest interactive exhibition on the west coast of Schleswig-Holstein, at the Multimar Wattforum National Park Center and Whale House in Tönning.
Be sure to keep your eyes peeled for captivating Wadden Sea creatures. Meet the Small Five, Big Five and Flying Five with a National Park Guide on a mudflat walk, experience a ‘bird’s eye’ view of Husum Bay, or visit the Wadden Sea’s largest predators, the Harbour Seal and Grey Seal at Friedrichskoog Seal Center.
With grass-covered dunes, shifting sands, birds, seal colonies, lighthouses and rugged cliffs, there is always something to experience, explore and discover at any time of year. Let yourself be inspired by the unique nature of the Wadden Sea!