The German North Sea Islands are divided into the island kingdom of North Frisia and the East Frisian North Sea Islands. In the popularity scale, the North Frisian island of Sylt is likely to claim undisputed first place. But the other island beauties are in no way inferior to Sylt. Unfortunately, not even in terms of real estate prices. However, the popularity of German North Sea islands is not defined by real estate prices, but by the island’s own natural areas, numerous excursion, sports and leisure facilities, as well as family-friendliness and recreational value.

The North Frisian North Sea islands include Sylt, Föhr, Amrum and Pellworm as well as the offshore island of Heligoland as an outpost. The still inhabited Halligen Hooge, Langeness, Oland and Gröde as well as Nordstrandischmoor are by definition not islands. They play a subordinate role in tourism. Nevertheless, they are attractive and worth experiencing. The East Frisian Islands include Borkum, Juist, Norderney, Baltrum, Langeoog, Spiekeroog and Wangerooge. From a tourist point of view, Borkum is the most popular holiday resort in East Frisia with over 300,000 guests per year.

Fans of the German North Sea often fall in love with one of the islands and remain loyal to it for years by rebooking their holiday apartments on the North Sea , often directly during their stay.

The most popular North Frisian islands

1. Sylt

Sylt is the most sought-after destination for the German chic. But not only. With an area of 99.14 square kilometers, the island is the largest North Sea island in Germany. At the same time, Sylt has the highest density of celebrities to offer. In keeping with the image, gourmet chefs, luxury brand shops and posh hotels cavort here alongside accommodation for ordinary consumers. What attracts everyone equally are the miles of sandy beaches, the Sylt heathlands and the quick journey via the Hindenburgdamm.

2. Föhr

Föhr advertises neither heathland nor dune belts, but flat marshland. This does not detract from the popularity of the 82.82 square kilometre island below Sylt. Many regular guests come back again and again. The island’s capital Wyk offers numerous shopping opportunities. At the same time, the oldest local history museum in the North Frisian Islands can be found here. The other island towns on Föhr still have a typical Frisian character. The mudflat hike to the Amrum Nordspritze is just as popular as bicycle tours or horseback rides.

3. Amrum

The 20.47 square kilometre North Sea island of Amrum is now called Sylt II – mainly because Sylt conditions are increasingly establishing themselves here. However, the celebrity density is not yet at Sylt level. Family-friendliness is a top priority. In terms of landscape, Amrum scores with protected mudflat landscapes, extensive heathland and a wide dune belt, which is preceded by the 1.5 kilometre wide and 15 kilometre long beach “Kniepsand”. The once typical Frisian character of Amrum’s island villages is increasingly being corrupted by new buildings in the Sylt style. The island village of Nebel has been a tourist attraction for years.

4. Pellworm

Pellworm is a remnant of the formerly existing North Sea island of Strand, which no longer exists since a storm surge in the 17th century. This North Frisian island has so far been overshadowed by the island of Sylt and Amrum in terms of tourism. The landscape is dominated by flat marshland. Because of the density of sheep, some are already talking about “Little Ireland”. On the other hand, Pellworm has been scoring points since 2021 by being recognized as one of two German “star islands” by the “International Dark Sky Association”. If you want to watch the night sky after the island day, this is the place to be.

5. Heligoland

Heligoland is the only German offshore island. It belongs neither to the North Frisian nor to the East Frisian islands. Heligoland is popular with day tourists, but has so far been underrated by long-term holidaymakers. The stay on the North Sea island, which is only 4.21 square kilometres in size, offers duty-free shopping as well as nature experiences. On the offshore bathing sandbank, grey seals and seals often sunbathe. Heligoland’s landmark is a red rock called “Lange Anna”.

The most popular East Frisian North Sea islands

1. Borkum

The North Frisian island of Sylt is located near the Danish border. The East Frisian island of Borkum near the Dutch. As the largest of the East Frisian Islands, Borkum scores with long sandy beaches, mild climate and a location in the “Lower Saxony Wadden Sea” National Park. The historic Borkum lighthouses illuminate a popular holiday island with an area of square kilometres.

2. Juist

On the 16.43 square kilometre island of Juist, tourism has been the largest employer since the 19th century. The East Frisian island is completely car-free. All consumables must be brought to their destination by horse-drawn carriage. This alone ensures numerous guests who appreciate peace and relaxation. Nevertheless, the island stay is not cheap. The reputation of exclusivity, which is reflected in the prices, precedes the Juist holiday. As the largest freshwater lake of all North Sea islands, the Hammersee greets you.

3. Norderney

Norderney is considered the most prominent North Sea island next to Sylt. Like all other North Sea islands, there are endless sandy beaches, dunes and the typical wildlife of the North Sea. The 26.29 square kilometre North Sea island is the second largest and at the same time the most populous East Frisian island. Water sports enthusiasts will also find an El Dorado here. Landlubbers and families with children will find all kinds of leisure activities on Norderney.

4. Baltrum

Baltrum is relatively small with an area of only 5.5 square kilometres. The island is only the size of the North Frisian Hallig Hooge. Those seeking peace and relaxation enjoy island tours, where you can discover something new every day. Baltrum’s landmark is the Old Island Church. The island offers a tidal path that tells the island’s history. A visit to the National Park House connects with the surrounding nature of the Lower Saxony Wadden Sea.

5. Langeoog

The car-free island of Langeoog also offers long island beaches and dune belts, which can be reached quickly from Bensersiel. Some people refer to this North Sea island with a wink as the “longest sandbox” on earth. Langeoog is predestined for spontaneous short breaks from Lower Saxony. Large hotels are in short supply. Small guesthouses and private accommodations dominate. The octagonal water tower is considered a sight.

6. Spiekeroog

Anyone who boards a ferry in Neuharlingersiel and sails to Spiekeroog, Germany’s second certified “Star Island”, is looking for peace and relaxation. The car-free North Sea island with its 18.25 square kilometers of area also magically attracts celebrities. In addition to nature and relaxing tranquility, there are unusual experiences with a historic cemetery called “Drinkeldooden-Karkhof” (drowning dead cemetery), the oldest island church among East Frisia’s islands, a shell museum or a museum horse-drawn tram.

7. Wangerooge

For relaxing short breaks, the 7.94 square kilometre North Sea island of Wangerooge is just the right place. Horseback rides on the mudflats or mudflat hikes are just as popular with holidaymakers, leisurely bike tours or walks through the island’s dune belt. The New Lighthouse of Wangerooge experienced a rush of more than 1,000 applicants in 2024 when the position of lighthouse keeper was publicly advertised. The National Park House opens up the flora and fauna of the Lower Saxony National Park near the island.

In addition to a number of small inland islands in rivers or lakes, such as the Lake Constance island of Mainau or the Weser island of Harriersand, Germany can boast more than three dozen sea islands in the North Sea and Baltic Sea. With the exception of the rocky island of Heligoland, which is about one square kilometre in size, all German North Sea and Baltic Sea islands are located less than 20 km from the coasts of Schleswig-Holstein, Lower Saxony and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. The larger of these islands in particular are extremely popular tourist destinations. Many guests rent holiday apartments on the Baltic Sea or North Sea and thus have the flexibility to explore the islands independently. Here is some brief information about the “Big Four” of these islands:

Rügen – Western Pomerania’s land in the sea

With an area of over 900 square kilometres, Rügen , which is rich in bays and peninsulas, hills, chalk cliffs and forests, is the largest German island by area. Rügen can also claim the insular German record in terms of population: More than 60,000 people have their primary residence on the island, which belongs to the Vorpommern-Rügen district. The central towns are the island’s capital Bergen (13,000 inhabitants), the port and seaside resort of Sassnitz (9,000 inhabitants) as well as Binz (5,000), Putbus (4,500) and Garz (2,500). And Rügen, which is economically oriented towards tourism, can claim another superlative for itself: With an average of five to six million overnight stays per year, Rügen is the record holder among the German holiday islands.

Rügen is geographically separated from the mainland with the Hanseatic city of Stralsund by the Strelasund branch of the Baltic Sea, which is up to two kilometres wide. This inlet can be crossed via the imposing, almost 3000-metre-long, multi-lane Rügen Bridge, which was opened to car traffic in 2007. Until then, the Rügen Dam, which opened in 1936 and continues to be used, was the only main connection across the Strelasund. The Rügendamm bascule bridge (113 metres long), which serves both car, pedestrian and rail traffic, connects the small island of Dänholm, which belongs to Stralsund, with Rügen. Dänholm, in turn, is connected to the mainland by the Ziegelgraben Bridge. The two fixed Strelasund crossings will be supplemented by a regular ferry service.

Rügen’s culture and landscape have a lot to offer its numerous guests. More than 50 kilometres of sandy beaches and seaside resorts such as Sellin, Putbus and Binz invite you to enjoy the water and walk in the white spa architecture typical of Rügen. History buffs will get their money’s worth in the Granitz hunting lodge (19th century) or in the holiday apartment complex “Koloss von Prora” (1930s), which is reminiscent of Rügen’s history as a KdF seaside resort.

Usedom – two-state island in the Baltic Sea

In the far east of the Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania coast near the Polish city of Szcesin (Szczecin) lies the 445 square kilometer island of Usedom. Usedom is separated from the mainland by the narrow Peene River. A 225-metre-long bascule bridge connects Usedom with the mainland near Wolgast. A special feature of the island in the Pomeranian Bight, which is considered the “Sun Island”, is its historically determined division into a German part (373 square kilometres) and a Polish part (72 square kilometres). With about 32,000 people, almost half of the island’s population lives in the German part. Before Corona, over 1.2 million tourists visited the island, each booking an average of five nights. Particularly attractive for spa tourism are the more than 40-kilometre-long sandy beach and the largest European beach promenade with a length of almost 13 kilometres, which leads from the German imperial spa of Ahlbeck to the Polish port city of Świnoujście. Typical for Usedom are also the piers that protrude up to 500 meters into the sea, an emphasis on the wellness aspect in hotels and spa facilities as well as numerous nature reserves. The most important German towns on the island are Heringsdorf (8,900 inhabitants), Zinnowitz (4,000 inhabitants) and the small town of Usedom (1,700 inhabitants), the only German island town with town rights.

Fehmarn – Schleswig-Holstein’s largest island

Fehmarn (14,000 inhabitants) is located one kilometre off the coast of East Holstein. In terms of landscape, the 186 square kilometre island is mainly characterised by pastures, dune landscapes and cliff coast sections as well as sandy beaches. Since 1963, the Fehmarn Sound, which separates the island and mainland, has been crossed by a road and railway bridge (“Fehmarnsund Bridge”). Ferries run regularly from the island port of Puttgarden to neighbouring Denmark. In addition to agriculture and wind energy, Fehmarn’s economy is based in particular on tourism. Like Usedom, Fehmarn is also called “Sun Island”. Politically, Fehmarn forms a single urban municipality. The largest district of the city is the Heilbad Burg (6000 inhabitants).

Sylt – North Frisia’s main island

In the north of the North Frisian Wadden Sea, the almost 100 square kilometre Sylt stretches over 40 kilometres off the west coasts of Schleswig-Holstein and Denmark. In addition to ferries and small aircraft, Sylt can be reached by rail via an eleven-kilometre-long track embankment (“Hindenburgdamm”). Motor vehicles can only reach the island on car trains or ferries. Typical for Sylt is the sandy beach on the west side in front of a cliff coast. Wide dune landscapes also invite you to relax. On the island, which is sometimes called the “island of the rich and beautiful” or “jet-set island” because of its above-average proportion of extremely wealthy, often prominent tourists and foreign second home owners, there is a wide range of gastronomic delicacies, entertainment options and health-promoting measures. Most of the approximately 18,000 islanders are at home in the municipality of Sylt, which was created in 2007 by the merger of the city of Westerland with the neighboring towns of Sylt-Ost and Rantum. In addition, there are the villages of List (northernmost municipality in Germany), Kampen, Hörnum and Wenningstedt.

Insular diversity – the next largest islands

In the size ranking, the “Big Four” of the German islands are followed by Sylt’s sister islands Föhr (83 sq km, 8,500 inhabitants) and Pellworm (37 sq km, 1,200 inhabitants). This is closely followed by Poel (36 sq km, 2,500 inhabitants) near Wismar. The group of East Frisian Islands belonging to Lower Saxony includes Borkum (31 sq km, 5,000 inhabitants) and Norderney (26 sq km, 6,000 inhabitants).