Places to Visit Around the North Sea Region of Germany

Moin! There are no Alps, medieval castles, or gigantic gothic churches here. In fact, The North Sea region of Germany feels more Dutch then German. The landscape is flat, fairly wooded, but agriculture and wind turbines dominate the landscape in this area of Germany 🇩🇪 . Visiting coastal areas and port towns in the North Sea region actually feel more Nordic then German. But it’s these differences that make the North Sea region of Germany so unique and beautiful. The country side is beautiful, the small villages hugging the coast are what you imagine a European fishing village to be like, and the architecture of the buildings and structures is unique to the area. A Visit to the North Sea of Germany promises a unique experience with spectacular views, food, and culture.

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Where is the North Sea in Germany?

So where is the North Sea in Germany 🇩🇪 ?

If looking at the map above, Germany borders the country of Denmark. To the east, you have the Baltic Sea or Ostsee (East Sea) and to the west, there is the Nordsee (North Sea).

Technically, there is the Jutland Peninsula which includes a part of Northern Germany and a good portion of Denmark. The North Sea is to the west of the Jutland Peninsula.

The Particular geographic area of the North Sea region of Germany that we recently visited is called Ostfriesland or East Friesland.

Ostfriesland is a region of the German State of Lower Saxony. German districts that belong to Ostfriesland include the District of Aurich, Leer, and Wittmund. Emden also belongs to this area but is considered independent.

Many towns in Ostfriesland are located right along the coast of the North Sea.

This area also includes the East Frisian Island chain, consisting of the islands from East to West, Wangerooge, Spiekeroog, Langeoog, Baltrum, Norderney, and Juist.

Attractions and Places to Visit Around the North Sea of Germany

I’ve been to Ostfriesland once when I was younger and just recently for 2 weeks while visiting family near the town of Wittmund. Our first visit, with my parents we did a wattwanderung, which is a hike through the mudflats during low tide. To this day, this is still one of my favorite experiences and memories.

In October of 2022, Jill and I rented a car and explored Ostfriesland. We visited places like Suurhusen on a trip back from Groningen, the Netherlands. We drove to the town of Jever for a half day, and went on a day trip with family to visit a few of the fishing villages along the coast. Here are the attractions and towns we visited while spending two weeks in Ostfriesland ⛵️.

Wittmund

In Lower Saxony, there is a district and town called Wittmund. There are 14 towns and villages that are located in the district of Wittmund.

I have family that lives in the Wittmund area. The town of Wittmund is really nothing to write home about. I mean Wittmund has its charms. There is a marktplatz (town square), church, and some gorgeous red brick buildings. The town of Wittmund, also has or had some decent restaurants but many are seasonal or have closed because of Covid-19.

We recently spent two weeks in the area. One of our favorite activities was to take early morning and evening walks along the secluded farm roads. In October, the morning air was cool and brisk, the fog lingered until the sun came up. Every morning and evening, we were greeted by friendly ponies and herds of cows. 🐎 🐮

Carolinensiel

During our stay in Wittmund, we decided to take a day trip to some of the fishing villages along the coast of the North Sea. My aunt and uncle are more familiar with the area and drove us to a few attractions and villages. First on the list was the cute village of Carolinensiel ⛵️.

Carolinensiel was first established in the year 1730 and named after Georg Albrecht von Ostfriesland’s wife, Sophie Caroline.

Today, visitors can take it easy and walk around the small village. There is a historic museum by the port with displays and information on the area. We simply walked around the port and enjoyed the views of the harbor while looking at the traditional North Sea fishing boats.

Apparently, there is a trail in Carolinensiel that is a few kilometers in length ending up in Harlesiel, right on the coast.

Neuharlingersiel

Our next stop while touring villages in the North Sea of Germany was Neuharlingersiel.

When you picture the North Sea, you usually think of beaches and the famous strandkorb (German for Beach Basket). These beach chairs are fairly typical for this region and are large seats with an awning and storage space under the seats. We were on Badestrand in Neuharlingersiel and this is where we first saw the typical beach with the strandkorb. Unfortunately, we were here in late October which is not the ideal time of year to relax on the beach in the North Sea. Instead of beautiful sunny weather, we were met with rather cloudy skies, wind, and drizzle. But no matter what the weather is like, it’s always nice to take a stroll on a beach.

After walking the Badestrand, we walked around the harbor. At the harbor, you can see traditional fishing boats in the canal that leads to the ocean. Along the harbor in Neuharlingersiel, there were quite a few restaurants and shops. We did browse a few shops. For lunch we grabbed a backfisch baguette, which is one of my favorite meals.

A backfisch baguette is basically a fried fish sandwich. It usually consists of some type of fried fish along with lettuce, tartar sauce, and a brötchen. It doesn’t get better then eating a fresh backfisch baguette from a local vendor while being near a harbor on the North Sea.

Another attraction in Neuharlingersiel worth seeing is the Sielhof. As you walk past the harbor and town district, there is a small castle or palace with a beautiful little garden. This palace is the Sielhof. This building has been turned into a café and restaurant.

Greetsiel

Greetsiel is a gorgeous little port town about 40 minutes away from Aurich by car. Out of all the villages we saw while on our visit to the North Sea region of Germany, Greetsiel was my favorite.

Not that the other villages weren’t beautiful and traditional, but Greetsiel had it all. A historic windmill was present at the entrance of town, a harbor lined with traditional fishing boats, brick roads and buildings, and fresh seafood.

Upon our arrival at Greetsiel, we stopped at a local café called Greetsieler Zwillingsmühlen. This cozy café had amazing cakes, a regional tea, and alcoholic hot chocolates. We indulged in all of the above and it was fantastic. Especially given that the weather was drizzly, cold, and cloudy all day. A Little alcoholic beverage is always necessary to warm the insides.

After a relaxing visit at Greetsieler Zwillingsmühlen we wet to the mill next door. I’ve always been curious what the insides of the historical mills looked like. Thankfully for us, this mill was turned into a museum and visitors can explore the inside of the mill.

Greetsiel had a decent sized historic district. I recommend starting off at the harbor area to view the channel with all the fishing boats. If you visit the North Sea in Germany, this is that typical view most people imagine. The rows of fishing boats docked with red brick buildings in the background and the occasional seagull terrorizing the local seafood stalls waiting for that moment to steal a bite to eat when the shop owners turns their back. Otherwise, I recommend walking around the historical center. There are many cute alley ways and the church is not to be missed. The Greetsieler Kirche is a small church built with red bricks in the center of town.

At the end of the day, there are plenty of dining options in Greetsiel. You have the option to grab a quick backfisch baguette with french fries or sit down for a meal at one of the many restaurants. Don’t worry, not all restaurants in Greetsiel are seafood related. In fact, we went to a Greek restaurant called Zorbas. I absolutely love Greek food in Germany and my all time favorite dish is the Gyros Fournou or Gyros Special. It’s a dish served piping hot with gyros meat topped off with a Metaxa sauce.

Pilsum Lighthouse

In Germany, the Pilsum Lighthouse is a well known lighthouse, mainly because it was in a popular film called Otto – Der Ausserfriesische. Otto is a famous comedian in Germany. In the movie, Otto lived in the lighthouse and it has been a popular site among tourists ever since.

The Pilsum Lighthouse isn’t just a movie prop. In fact, it was built in 1891 as a sector light for the Ems River that connects to the North Sea. The most prominent features of this lighthouse are the bright red and yellow stripes.

The Pilsum Lighthouse is just outside of Greetsiel, so we stopped here prior to visiting Greetsiel. There is a parking lot about 500m away. There is a paved path leading directly to the lighthouse. The day we went, there were a bunch of bird watchers at the lighthouse. Because of this, the lighthouse was open and we were able to go inside. I’m not sure if it is open daily to visitors. But in the event that it is open, the views are worth it.

Suurhusen

The “Leaning Tower of Suurhusen” is an attraction that I feel is highly underrated. I mean, the Leaning Tower of Pisa gets so much press, but technically the steeple at the Suurhusen Church is tilted even more. It’s even recognized by Guinness World Records as having the most tilt then any other tower in the world.

There is a plaque at the church stating that the tilt angle is 5.2° while the tilt angle for the Leaning Tower of Pisa is a mere 4.0°. Heck, there is another tower in Germany, Bad Frankenhausen that has a tilt of 4.9°.

The church, especially the tilt is very impressive. Unfortunately, pictures don’t do it justice. If you plan to visit the North Sea area of Germany, I recommend making a brief stop here. Visitors can walk the grounds and even enter the church.

Aurich

Aurich is a town in the district of Aurich in Lower Saxony not far from the town of Wittmund. Aurich is more inland from the coast, but it can be a great home base for day trips.

We visited Aurich briefly, walked up and down the main shopping street. Honestly, I really liked the downtown area of Aurich, I wish I spent more time here. There were a lot of interesting shops here and decent restaurants.

There is one restaurant we did go to. It was highly praised by my uncle and oma. The restaurant is called Lüttje Hörn and they serve fresh seafood. For starters, we all ordered the fish soup and it was delightful. For the main course, I think we all ordered the same thing. In German, it is called a Fisch Filet Pfanne which translates to Pan Fried Fish Fillets. The dish had three different types of fillets, usually the daily catch with bratkartoffeln (fried potatoes). This dis was probably one of the best fish dishes I’ve ever had, highly recommended.

Jever

If you are going to visit the North Sea of Germany, I’d recommend taking at least a half day and explore the city of Jever. Check out the castle, church, walk the old town district, and most importantly, visit the brewery or try a Jever Pilsener.

I’ve already covered Jever in a post. You can read here on what to do in Jever and learn a little bit about the beer that is brewed in Jever.

Jever might also be a great place to stay and take day trips around parts of the North Sea. After all, driving distances in this region are not far.

Leer

One of the prettiest towns in the North Sea is Leer. The city of Leer is close to the Dutch border and lies along the Leda River which branches off the River Ems.

I would plan a half day in Leer because there is much to see and do.

The altstadt in Leer is pretty, the narrow roads and historical buildings are worth seeing.

If you are interested in seeing the inside of one of Leer’s historical buildings, head to the Wein Wolff/Haus Samson. There is a small museum on the upper floors that has a nice collection of objects and you can see the inside of what a home and shop used to look like.

Since Leer is located on the Leda River, you can take a small river cruise.

Leer is also home to J. Bünting Coloniale, a tea shop that has been around since the early 1800’s. You can venture inside the tea shop and try tea or sit down and have a cake.

Visit one of Germany's East Frisian Islands

There are a total of seven inhabited islands that make up the East Frisian Islands. All of them can be visited by ferry.

I’ve personally only been to Baltrum and Langeoog.

The islands are unique in there own way and all have something to offer.

On my latest trip to Germany, I visited the island of Langeoog. Langeoog had a nice downtown area but the main attraction is the 14km long beach.

If you are visiting the North Sea and looking for a unique experience, I highly recommend taking the ferry to one of the East Frisian Islands.

Sea Tides and Wattwanderung (Mudflat Hiking)

The low tides in the North Sea are legendary. If you visit the North Sea region of Germany, a Wattwanderung or mudflat hike should be high on your priority list.

I’ve been to this region before growing up and attended a wattwanderung and I still have very fond memories of this experience. Although I did not go during my last visit.

The tides in this area are very unique and sometimes the tide can be 5-15 km out. So visitors can actually walk from the coast to one of the nearby East Frisian Islands. While hiking you get a chance to see some of the smaller marine wildlife like crabs and fish. When I was younger, my dad bought me a small blue net. Whenever we walked through tidal pools, I used it to scoop up small crabs and other wildlife. Of course, I placed them back right away. Typically, I would recommend doing this with a guide as they know the area and tides.

Conclusion

The North Sea region is one of Germany’s best kept hidden secrets. A visit to the North Sea Region of Germany should be on everyone’s list of places to visit while in Germany. I get it, most vacationers go to places they are familiar with like a trip to Berlin or München. Why not try something different and check out the North Sea. Here you will find a completely different Germany.

I absolutely love this region of Germany although it is still foreign to me. It’s just so different then the typical places I visit in Southern Germany. Ostfriesland has a different culture, the architecture is unique, even the people stand out. I’m glad I have family that lives in the area so I can come back again and again to discover something new.

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Plan Your Trip: 🗺 ✈️ 🇩🇪

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Activities and Tours 🏖 🚁

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Places to Visit Around the North Sea Region of Germany

Where is the North Sea in Germany?