Mention Germany and you think about world class cities. However, Germany is also blessed with many islands that offer an escape from big city life. In this article, we profile Germany’s most beautiful islands.
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Rügen
Rügen is located in the Baltic Sea and is the biggest German island.
Rügen covers an area of 926 km2 and is connected to the mainland by a causeway and a bridge. The island is popular among tourists because of its bays, pristine beaches, and holiday resorts which offer everything that a tourist needs to enjoy their holiday. The Jasmund National Park is another popular attraction on the island.
Area: 926 km2
Location: The Baltic Sea
Population: 77 000
How to get there: The best way to travel to Rügen is from Berlin which is a by car which is a 2h41min journey.
Tourist attractions: Karls, the Kreidefelsen, Naturerbe Zentrum Ruegen, the Granitz Hunting Lodge, and the Nationalpark Jasmund Königsstuhl.
Places to stay: the Pension Manthei, the Märchenhotel, and Apartments Boddenhof Stedar.
Things to do: There are plenty of national parks and historical monuments that can be visited on the island.
Annual visitors: 1,5 million visitors.
Make sure you know how to respond to an emergency when travelling abroad.
Further reading: travel emergency tips.
Hiddensee
Another popular island among nature lovers is Hiddensee. This car free island truly means that you can connect with nature. If you’re looking to escape the hustle and bustle of city life, then Hiddensee is the perfect place for you.
You better work on your summer body at the gym because navigating the island can only done by foot or by bicycle. This however, allows you to enjoy the islands idyllic surroundings. There are regular ferries which connect you to the island.
Area: 19.02 km2
Location: The Baltic Sea
Population: 992
How to get there: The best way to get to Hiddensee from Hamburg is by train and ferry which is a 5h28min trip.
Tourist attractions: Insel Hiddensee, the Dornbusch Lighthouse, the Seebuhne Hiddensee, the Leuchtfeuer Gellen, and the Gerhart Hauptmann Haus.
Places to stay: the Gästehaus & Restaurant Seemannshus, the Hotel Heiderose auf Hiddensee, and Hotel Hiddensee Hitthim.
Things to do: Things to do in Hiddensee include visiting the beach and enjoying various nature hikes.
Annual visitors: Over 500 000 visitors/year
Want to make the best of your trip abroad? Make sure you are using a top travel app.
Further reading: Top 110 Best travel apps.
Fehmarn
Germany’s third largest island, Fehmarn is also located in the Baltic Sea. The island has an area of 185.45 km2.
Fehmarn is a popular tourist destination as the island is connected to both Germany and Denmark. Nature lovers flock to the island because of the fact that thousands of migratory birds call the island home. Be sure to visit the Fehmarn lighthouse when staying on the island.
Area: 185.45 km2
Location: The Baltic Sea
Population: 12 552
How to get there: The best way to get to Fehmarn from Hamburg is by train which is a 2h1min trip.
Tourist attractions: the Fehmarnsundbrücke, the Meereszentrum Fehmarn, the Leuchtturm Flugge, the Galileo Museum, and the NABU-Wasservogelreservat Wallnau.
Places to stay: the Strandhotel Bene, the Ferienpark Wulfenerhals, and Bauernhof Köhlbrandt.
Things to do: Things to do in Fehmarn include visiting a number of speciality museums, birdwatching, and the islands aquarium.
Annual visitors: 2.5 million visitors/year.
Planning a trip during winter?
Further reading: Top 10 Best places to visit in Winter.
Sylt
The island of Sylt encompasses an area of 99 km2 in the North Sea in northern Germany.
If you are looking for a break from the Baltic sea, then Sylt is for you. Like Rügen and Usedom, Sylt is home to a number of seaside resorts that cater for every travellers need. There are also a number of speciality museums on the island that will interest history enthusiasts. The Hindenburgdamm causeway connects the island to the mainland.
Area: 99 km2
Location: The North Sea
Population: 15 169
How to get there: The best way to get to Sylt from Hamburg is by train which is a 2h31min trip.
Tourist attractions: the Altfriesisches Haus, the Sylt Aquarium, the Sylter Verkehrsgesellschaft, the Friedhof der Heimatlosen, and the Sylter Heimatmuseum.
Places to stay: the Hotel Strandhörn, the Haus Bomhoff Sylt, and Meer-Lust-Sylt Haus Mateika.
Things to do: Things to do in Sylt include visiting a number of speciality museums and the islands aquarium.
Annual visitors: 650 000 visitors/year.
Planning a trip during fall?
Further reading: Top 10 Best places to visit in fall.
Föhr
The fifth largest island in Germany is also located in the North Sea and is a part of the North Frisian Islands.
Föhr has a completely different landscape than Sylt having both beaches and marshes on the southern portion of the island. Being one of the smaller German islands, Föhr is popular amoung Germans that want to avoid the busier islands. Thus, Föhr has developed a significant tourism economy.
Föhr is well-connected to mainland Germany by ferry, road, and air transport services.
Area: 82 km2
Location: The North Sea
Population: 8 248
How to get there: The best way to get to Föhr from Hamburg is by car and car ferry which is a 2h55min trip.
Tourist attractions: the Museum Kunst der Westkueste, the Dr. Carl Häberlin Friesenmuseum, the Goting Kliff, the Robbenzentrum Föhr, and the Leuchtturm Olhörn.
Places to stay: the Rackmers-Hof Hotel garni, the Haus Seeadler, and Deichhof Knudsen.
Things to do: Things to do in Föhr include visting a number of speciality museums and the geological formations on the island.
Annual visitors: Over 500 000 visitors/year.
Are you planning a trip abroad for spiritual reasons?
Further reading: 6 Spiritual benefits of travelling to foreign countries.
Mainau
Mainau Island is located on Lake Constance. The island is famous for its beautiful gardens and is often referred to as the Flower Island of Germany. One of the most famous features of the island is the more than 10 000 rose bushes which fill the island with a beautiful fragrance.
Another popular attraction amongst tourists is the greenhouse butterfly sanctuary. With over 12 000 butterflies, it is the largest butterfly house in Germany which attracts over a million visitors annually.
Area: 0.447584 km2
Location: Lake Constance
Population: 185
How to get there: The best way to get to Mainau from Stuttgart is by car which is a 1h38min trip.
Tourist attractions: Schloss Mainau, the Schlosskirche St. Marien, the Wallfahrtskirche Basilika Birnau, Old Town (Niederburg), and the Konstanzer Munster.
Places to stay (near Mainau): the Waldhaus Jakob, the Hampton by Hilton Konstanz, and the Hotel Seehof.
Things to do: Things to do in Mainau include visiting the various churches (which are architectural attractions) in the area.
Annual visitors: Over 1 million visitors/year
Reichenau
Reichenau (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) is also located on Lake Constance. The island is home to several important historical sites, such as the Abbey of Reichenau (a Benedictine abbey) which was founded in 724 AD.
The abbey was once a center of learning and culture and is home to a number of important manuscripts from the Middle Ages. Another popular attraction is the Reichanau Museum. The museum features plenty of information about the island’s monastic history.
Area: 4.3 km2
Location: Lake Constance
Population: 5 118
How to get there: The best way to get to Reichenau from Stuttgart is by car which is a 1h38min trip.
Tourist attractions: Schloss Mainau, the Schlosskirche St. Marien, the Wallfahrtskirche Basilika Birnau, Old Town (Niederburg), and the Konstanzer Munster.
Places to stay (near Reichenau): the BodenSEE Apartments INSEL REICHENAU, the Ganter Hotel & Restaurant Mohren, and Seeglück22.
Things to do: Things to do in Reichenau include visiting the various churches (which are architectural attractions) in the area.
Annual visitors: Over 1 million visitors/year
Usedom
Germany’s second largest island, Usedom, is also located in the Baltic Sea.
Sovereignty of the island is split between Poland and Germany with Germany controlling about 80% of the island. This has been the case since the end of World War II. Receiving the most sun of all the German islands, Usedom is often referred to as the Sun Island. Like Rügen, there are plenty of seaside resorts on Usedom which makes it a popular tourist destination.
Area: 445 km2 (373 km2 belongs to Germany)
Location: The Baltic Sea
Population: 76 500
How to get there: The best way to get to Usedom is to travel from Hamburg. From Hamburg, it is a 3h14min journey by car.
Tourist attractions: the Hubbrücke Karnin, the Waldkabinett Forstamt Neu Pudagla, the Armee Der Tonkrieger, the Strandpromenade, and the Trassenheider Strand.
Places to stay: the Strandhotel Möwe, the Hotel am Kurpark, and Herman’s Hof.
Things to do: There are plenty of historical museums and beaches that can be visited on the island.
Annual visitors: 407.26 million visitors/year.
Museum Island
Berlin is known for its many museums. What you might not know is that some of these great museums are on an island. Museum Island (Museumsinsel) is located in the heart of Berlin’s city center on the River Spree.
Besides hosting five world-class museums, the island is also a UNESCO heritage site, one of the three such sites in the city.
Area: 0,086 km2
Location: Berlin
Population: 0 (tourist attraction)
How to get there: Museum Island is located within Berlin.
Tourist attractions: the Altes Museum, the Neues Museum, the Alte Nationalgalerie, the Bode Museum, and the Pergamon Museum.
Places to stay (near Museum Island): the Schulz Hotel Berlin Wall at the East Side Gallery, the Hotel Neuer Fritz, and Maritim proArte Hotel Berlin.
Things to do: visit the various museums on the island.
Annual visitors: Over 2.3 million visitors/year.
Juist
The Island of Juist is one of Germany’s smaller islands and is popular with tourists who want to experience a quieter holiday.
Juist offers some of the most beautiful beaches and sceneries in Germany which is why it is one of the country’s popular tourist destination. The island also boasts ruggeed terrain which is a treat for nature lovers.
Area: 16.43 km2
Location: North Sea
Population: 1 534
How to get there: The best way to get to Juist is via Bremen by car and ferry which is a 3h15min trip.
Tourist attractions: the Billriff, the Otto-Leege-Pfad, the Meerwasser-Erlebnisbad im TöwerVital, the Das Küstenmuseum, and Hammersee.
Places to stay: the Nordseehotel Freese, the Heimathafen Juist, and the Winkelschiffchen I mit Sauna.
Things to do: Things to do on Juist include visiting the beach and various nature walks.
Annual visitors: Over 1 million visitors/year
There is more to Germany than the big cities. Germany also offers plenty of island get-aways where you can reset and enjoy the simple life.
Germany’s top 10 biggest islands FAQ
- Will I have to speak German when visiting one of Germany’s top 10 biggest islands?
While English is widely spoken in Germany, it is limited to the main cities such as Berlin, and Munich. You may find one or two people on a German island that can speak English; however, a basic knowledge of German as well as a translation app is recommended when visiting one of Germany’s top 10 biggest islands.
- What currency do they use on Germany’s top 10 biggest islands?
The official currency of Germany is the Euro (€). While card facilities will be available on the islands, connectivity may be an issue. It is recommended that tourists do carry some cash with them.
- How do I know what to pack when visiting one of Germany’s islands?
Make sure that you make use of a weather app in conjunction with a packing app.
- Is it easy to get to one of Germany’s most beautiful islands?
Most of Germany’s most beautiful islands are connected to the mainland by roads. There are regular bus and train schedules to the islands and some islands are only accessible by ferry which run at regular intervals.
- Will there be emergency services on one of Germany’s islands?
Yes, emergency services will be available. However, you may be transferred to a bigger town for more serious emergencies
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