Towns in Schleswig-Holstein - maritime impressions

Schleswig-Holstein is situated on the northernmost tip of Germany between the North Sea and the Baltic. Here, in this region sandwiched between two seas, everything revolves around fishing, the sea, tides and romantic lighthouses. The countryside is characterised by flat marshland, tree-lined avenues, moors and rape fields, gently rolling hills and coastal mudflats. The influences of neighbouring Denmark can be clearly seen in the architecture and language - the charming Plattdeutsch dialect is still widely spoken, particularly in the far north.

Husum - experience the North Sea up-close
Alongside the regional capital of Kiel and the Hanseatic town of Lübeck, whose Holsten Gate is listed as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site, Schleswig-Holstein has a wealth of towns and villages that are full of character. The tiny village of Husum is very popular with holidaymakers on the North Sea coast. It is an ideal place from which to explore the sea and the mudflats from close quarters, while walking along the dyke or encountering sea creatures on a guided walk through the mudflats. At the North Sea Museum, you can learn about historical storm tides and other natural forces, dyke construction, land reclamation and life on the Hallig islands, the small undyked islands in the North Frisian Wadden Sea. Husum's Schlosspark is a sea of flowers in the spring with more than four million purple crocuses. Home to a bust of the famous local author Theodor Storm, it is the ideal setting for fantastic photo opportunities.

Bad Segeberg - culture, architecture and art
Bad Segeberg owes its existence to the chalk mines underneath Kalkberg hill. The famous Karl May festival takes place here every year in one of Germany's most beautiful open-air theatres. Highlights for lovers of architecture include the Church of St. Mary. This triplenaved brick basilica is one of the most important Romanesque buildings in northern Germany and the first building to feature a brick vaulted roof. The Otto Flath gallery is also not to be missed. The permanent exhibition here has a superb cross-section of his work including around thirty sculptures and a number of watercolours.

Danish history in Flensburg
Situated right on the Danish border, Flensburg is not only famous for its beer. It also has a number of tourist attractions associated with seafaring, the coastal mudflats and the Vikings. The town has a wide variety of museums offering an insight into life at one of the foremost Viking settlements at Haithabu, the flora and fauna of Schleswig-Holstein as well as the history of Flensburg itself, which is closely associated with the sea.

Friedrichstadt - the "Venice of the North"
Based on the pattern of a chessboard, the layout of Friedrichstadt is one of the unusual features that makes this Dutch-influenced town so special. Two canals run through the older part of the town, earning it the nickname of the "Venice of the North". Visit the Fürstenburggraben canal in the south as well as the Mittelburggraben canal, and admire the old buildings whose red brick facades are typical of the Dutch Renaissance style. The medieval houses with their stepped gables and the historical pump on the market square give Friedrichstadt a special charm all of its own, making a stroll through the old quarter a real treat for the eyes.

Mölln - following in the footsteps of Till Eulenspiegel
People still laugh at the merry pranks of the well-known clown Till Eulenspiegel, the symbol of schadenfreude and ridicule. Thought to have been the place where he died in 1350, Mölln is closely associated with this remarkable historical character and has a number of attractions including the memorial stone and the Eulenspiegel Museum.

Culinary delights fresh from the sea
The towns of Schleswig-Holstein are famous for their fish rolls and North Sea shrimps.
Start your culinary tour at "Am Hafen" in Glücksstadt, one of the most beautiful riverside streets in the north of Germany where you can sample a delicious roll filled with herring or 'Matjes', the local term used only for a very young herring that has not yet spawned. Alternatively, you can try the typical Kiel speciality of sprats, small herring smoked over beech or alder wood. If you fancy something sweet, head for Lübeck and treat yourself to some marzipan, a tasty paste made from sugar, ground almonds and rosewater, which is available in all shapes and sizes and moulded into all manner of objects.