The North Sea spa town of Bensersiel with its 230 inhabitants is located on the North Sea in Lower Saxony. It is a district of the town of Esens. Due to its immediate proximity to the UNESCO World Heritage Wadden Sea, this place exudes a special fascination. The sandy beach of Bensersiel covers a distance of twelve kilometres and is therefore the longest sandy beach in Lower Saxony. Holidaymakers can enjoy swimming in the North Sea or set off on a relaxing walk on the beach.
Bensersiel is located on the green coastal road. This country road connects numerous holiday resorts that are located on the coast of East Frisia. The Bensersiel ferry departs for the car-free island of Langeoog . The crossing takes one hour.
The village also has a marina. Modern pleasure boats, up to a length of 11 meters, find their berth here.
Guests who stay in Bensersiel between mid-March and mid-November of a year are recommended to visit the Nordseetherme. In addition to the bathing area, this adventure pool offers a sauna world, a brine pool, a fitness centre and a bistro. The five pools of the thermal baths have different depths. There are also two slides. Bathers can pamper themselves in the relaxation pool with massage jets and bubble loungers. A steam bath invites you to sweat. The youngest are welcomed by Benni Bärenstark in the children’s pool.
At the Nordseetherme Bensersiel, not only the traditional Finnish sauna is used. In the outdoor area there is also a Russian banya sauna, the first of its kind in East Frisia. Attached is a Siberian bathhouse. Entertainment during the season in Bensersiel is provided by the beach and harbour festival and the light and bridge festival
Locals and guests spend contemplative hours in the Von-Thünen-Kurpark Bensersiel. Inaugurated in 1981, this park was converted to be barrier-free in 2021. A sports course and a boules court complete the beautiful green areas.
Bensersiel also has attractive holiday apartments and a large beach and family campsite. The site is equipped with five modern sanitary buildings. In addition to shower cabins, bathrooms are also available. Renting a separate bathroom is possible. Cooking with final washing up can be done in the scullery. A laundry room with washing machines and dryers completes the offer.
National Park House Wattenhuus Bensersiel
The Wattenhuus is an environmental education facility for interested people of all ages. Visitors are introduced to life in the Wadden Sea with its special significance for the flora and fauna. Special attention is paid to the native bird life and marine animals that live in the North Sea.
The National Park House offers mudflat hikes, guided tours and boat trips to discover this area. Guests are invited to experience the ebb and flow up close. Of course, the little guests are also thought of. The children’s mudflat safari was developed for them. If you want to treat yourself to a day of rest, you can relax in the Wattenhuus Garden.
Another highlight is an adventure boat tour through the Wadden Sea National Park. A seal sandbank is bypassed. Visitors can observe the animals up close. In addition, a shovel table will be organized for the participants of this tour.
Excursion tips from Bensersiel
In Esens is the August-Gottschalk-Haus. August Gottschalk was a teacher and cultural official of the Jewish community of Esens. The house is a Jewish museum and memorial at the same time. Visitors are given information about the recent history of the Jews in East Frisia. This building housed the town’s former Jewish community center. The ritual bath has been preserved to this day, as well as the remains of the synagogue destroyed in 1938.
The museum “Life by the Sea” is also located in Esens. Visitors receive information about the history of the city and the settlement history of the Harlinger Land. The museum is located in the picturesque Peldemühle of Esens. The museum was founded in 1980 as a local history room and opened as a museum in 1989.
On the church square in Esens is the tower museum of St. Magnus Church, the largest church in East Frisia. 113 steps have to be mastered to the observation level. Visitors are rewarded with a view of the East Frisian Islands. In the museum, they can find out about the history of the church’s construction.
A worthwhile destination for the whole family is the Werdum Pet Park. In the park, donkeys, pigs, goats and various types of poultry await guests. The park sees itself as an ark park for the endangered animal breeds. It is about two hectares in size. A herb garden with farm and medicinal plants can also be found on the grounds.
About 18 kilometres from Bensersiel is the Carolinensiel Museum Harbour. It is used as a berth for old flat-bottomed ships. The harbour is located in the centre of the village and used to be the second largest trading port in East Frisia. Today, traditional flat-bottomed sailors can be admired here. In August, a street festival with fairground events takes place in Carolinensiel. The highlight of this festival is the “Harbour in Flames”.
