20 Best Sights in Schleswig-Holstein and the Baltic Coast, Germany

You don’t need to be a model-railroad enthusiast or a 10-year-old to be blown away by the sheer scale and attention to detail of the Miniatur Wunderland. The largest model railroad in the world features almost 17,000 square feet of little trains click-clacking their way through wonderfully faithful miniature replicas of Hamburg itself as well as foreign towns in Switzerland, Austria, the United States, Italy, Scandinavia, and South America; a new Monaco section was added in 2024. Planes land at a little airport; every 15 minutes, day turns into night, and hundreds of thousands of LED lights illuminate the trains, buildings, and streets. The latest attraction is Yullbee Wunderland, when visitors, who are shrunk down as a small model figure on a scale of 1:87 thanks to the latest VR technology, can experience Wunderland from the perspective of the miniature inhabitants. Unsurprisingly, it's one of Hamburg's most popular attractions, so it's best to book ahead. If you do have to wait, there are free drinks and ice cream for children, and videos to watch ease the pain. Hours are extended on some Tuesdays and weekends.

In 1821, a botanist planted a sycamore tree in a park near Dammtor train station. From this tree, a sanctuary for birds and plants evolved and a botanical garden that resembles the current park opened in 1930. This 116-acre inner-city oasis features a grand Japanese garden, a minigolf course, an outdoor roller-skating and ice-skating rink, trampolines, and water features. If you visit between May and October, you'll see the Wasserlichtkonzerte, the play of an illuminated fountain set to organ music. Make sure you get to the lake in plenty of time for the nightly show, which begins at 10 pm.

One of the main attractions of Kiel, this aquarium is home to various animal species, fish, and crustaceans from the North and Baltic Seas, the Mediterranean, and the tropics. Especially popular are the feedings (daily at 10 am and 2:30 pm, except Fridays) in the outdoor seal enclosure.

The rule of the Baltics' most exclusive beach is "see and be seen." The 5-km-long (3-mile-long) and 54-yard-wide beach is the perfect place to sunbathe and swim, as well as stroll—there's a 135-year-old beach path promenade. The somewhat rocky beach is punctuated by the Seebrücke, a boardwalk that extends into the sea. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking; showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: partiers; surfing; swimming; walking.

Kampen's beach—divided into the Buhne 16 and the Rotes Kliff—is the place where the rich and famous meet average Joes. Buhne 16 is Germany's most popular nudist beach, and Germans call this section "the great equalizer," as social inequalities disappear with the clothing. The Red Cliff section is less crowded than Buhne 16 and clothing is required. The beach access point offers one of the best views of the Cliffs and North Sea; the viewing platform is wheelchair accessible. The beaches are surrounded by a ring of dunes. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking; showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: partiers; sunset; swimming; walking.

The Stralsund aquarium of Baltic Sea life is part of this three-floor museum, which also displays the skeletons of a giant whale and a hammerhead shark, and a 25-foot-high chunk of coral.

Westerland's beach bursts at the seams in the summer months. More than 6 km (4 miles) of pristine white sand is filled with more than 4,000 Strandkörbe, a kind of beach chair in a wicker basket, which are all for rent. There's also volleyball, soccer, darts, and other beach sports. Despite its popularity, it is easy to find some privacy on the many secluded bike and footpaths. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking; showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: partiers; snorkeling; walking; windsurfing.

The town of Hörnum is bordered on three sides by a rock-free, fine-white-sand beach that is perfect for paddling, quick dips in the sea, or simply lounging in one of the ever-present Strandkörbe beach chairs. The main beach is one of the most family-friendly on the island, and it's easily accessible from the promenade. A magnificent red-and-white lighthouse looms over the beach. Hörnum is the best place to take long walks along the Wattenmeer. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking; showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: surfing; swimming; walking; windsurfing.

The Kaiserbäder Strand stretches for more than 12 km (7½ miles) along Usedom Island's northeast coast from Bansin to Heringsdorf to Ahlbeck. A promenade connects the three towns which charm with a mix of 19th-century beach architecture on one side and beach-chair relaxation on the other. A stroll through the windy sea air is said to have magical recuperative powers and locals claim that when the conditions are right, the sand actually sings when the grains rub together. The wide beach bustles with weekend Berliners and long-term visitors in summer. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking; showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: partiers; sunrise; swimming; walking.

At Germany's largest passenger-shipping harbor, you can always catch a glimpse of one of the many ferries leaving for Norway from the Oslokai (Oslo Quay) or for Göteborg from the Schwedenkai (Sweden Quay).

Hamburgers and tourists flock to the city's impressive port—Germany's largest—to marvel at the huge container and cruise ships gliding past, pick up maritime-themed gifts from souvenir stores, and treat themselves to something from the many snack and ice-cream stands. It's best to take a tour to get a complete idea of the massive scale of the place, which is one of the most modern and efficient harbors in the world. Barge tours leave from the main passenger terminal, along with a whole range of ferries and boats heading to other destinations on the Elbe and in the North Sea. There's frequently a breeze here, so it's worth packing something warm, particularly if you're planning on taking an open-top harbor tour.

No visit to this part of the country would be complete without a ride on this narrow-gauge steam train that has been chugging its 16-km (10-mile) route through the streets of Bad Doberan to the nearby beach resorts of Heiligendamm and Kühlungsborn since 1886. The train was nicknamed after a little local dog that barked its approval every time the smoking iron horse passed by. In summer Molli runs 11 times daily between Bad Doberan and Kühlungsborn.

This is one of the finest beaches on Rügen, and there's probably not another place like it in the world—think fine white beach bordered by a dense pine forest sitting in the shadow of the ruins of a monstrous Nazi beach resort. Prora actually sits in the Prorer Wiek, a pleasant cove with shallow water and plentiful sandbanks. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking; showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: nudists; sunset; swimming; walking.

Since 1895 this narrow-gauge steam train has run across the island of Rügen connecting a number of sea resorts with each other. Trains run every two hours from Göhren to Putbus and back. From May to October the Rasender Roland runs every hour from Binz to Putbus, and beyond Putbus to Lauterbach Mole. The ride takes 75 minutes each way.

Housed in a listed hall of the old fish market, this museum pays tribute to Kiel's impressive maritime history as a port city, as a naval and shipyard location, and as a place of sailing sports. 

One of the country's oldest and most popular zoos, the Tierpark Hagenbeck was founded in 1907 and is family owned. It was the world's first zoo to let wild animals such as lions, elephants, chimpanzees, and others roam freely in vast, open-air corrals. The Tropen-Aquarium, on the same property as the zoo, is like a trip around the world. Detailed re-creations of deserts, oceans, rain forests, and jungles are home to sea life, marvelous birds, fish, exotic mammals, insects, and curious reptiles from almost every continent.

Tucked away on the west coast of Hiddensee Island is a 5-km-long (3-mile-long) beach with shimmering turquoise waters and sand so fine that you might mistake it for the Caribbean. The 50-yard-wide beach is ideal for families with children. The water is quite shallow and it's easy to walk out to the sandbanks. Vitte is divided between a nudist section to the south and a "textile" section to the north. Locals decorate the beach with baskets of flowers in summer. Amenities: showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: partiers; nudists; swimming; walking.

The island's major town is not quite as expensive as Kampen, but it's more crowded. An ugly assortment of modern hotels lines an undeniably clean and broad beach. Each September windsurfers meet for the Surf Cup competition off the Brandenburger Strand, the best surfing spot.

The most thrilling museum in Schleswig is at the site of an ancient Viking settlement. This was the Vikings' most important German port, and the boats, gold jewelry, and graves they left behind are displayed in the museum. Be sure to walk along the trail to the Viking village, to see how the Vikings really lived. The best way to get there is to take the ferry across the Schlei from Schleswig's main fishing port.