a travel blog by renata green
A complete guide to Berlin ‘s Wild East – namely the part of Germany’s capital that used to be behind the proverbial Iron Curtain, obviously.
Formerly the capital of the GDR, Berlin’s Eastern neighborhoods actually changed really fast for the better and cooler and are more exciting than the full and settled West today.
This Way to the Whole Story ->Since Germany’s fourth-largest airport – after Berlin, Frankfurt, and Munich – is in Dusseldorf, chances are that you’ll have the opportunity to spend a layover of up to 24 hours in this beautiful and fun city on the river Rhine.
As a matter of fact, it was not really surprising that on my way to Japan, I had a stopover in Düsseldorf. After all, the city has the largest Japanese community in all of Germany.
This Way to the Whole Story ->Hamburg is home to Europe’s third-largest harbor. This might give travellers – like for instance cruise ship passengers – the opportunity to explore the city on a layover. For them, I’ve put together a perfect itinerary for up to 24 hours in Hamburg.
This very popular category on my blog is designated to transform a layover into a short extra vacation.
This Way to the Whole Story ->While international tourism to Germany is increasing, visitors rather stick to the clichés like beer and Lederhosen at Munich and a cruise on the river Mosel; or they hang out at the hip capital Berlin – instead of enjoying Island Hopping in Germany.
I guess that’s the reason why many people think Germany is landlocked. They don’t think about long coasts, two seas, and about 80 islands.
However, that’s exactly what Germany’s north has to offer – and many fascinating phenomenons like the tideland that comes with it. As a matter of fact, Germany’s shoreline is longer than the Portuguese one.
So what are you waiting for? Join me on my island hopping…in Germany!
This Way to the Whole Story ->In this guide, I’m taking you to the small town of Potsdam that King Frederick II made great. Although it sounds like a cute, drowsy hamlet, everyone is amazed by the rich cultural and political heritage of this place where Europe’s history was written and re-written again.
Munich, the capital of the federal state of Bavaria, stands, of course, for the famous beer and Oktoberfest and is the epitome of Germany.
Since Munich also has Germany’s second-largest airport – after Frankfurt – chances are that you have a stopover here.
This Way to the Whole Story ->“The sun reflects strongly off the puddles, so don’t forget to put sun protection on your knee pits”, orders Ute pointing at my bare legs as we start walking on water off the shores of Cuxhaven.
I already did, but under her strict eyes, I repeatedly do as I am told. I do everything Ute marshals: The next four hours, she will guide me together with about two dozen other hikers into the tideland off the shore in Cuxhaven. My life will depend on her knowledge and sense of orientation.
We will be sort of walking on water – so I better listen to my leader.
Borkum – all the way in the West of East Frisia – is the last stop of my tour of German islands.
I’ve taken you with me from the former easternmost isle in the Baltic across the north sea to the Dutch border – where we’ll spend a couple of carefree summer days on Borkum.
The island of Borkum is one of the seven East Frisian Islands off the coast of Eastern Friesland. It is not only the largest, but also the westernmost one. Therefore, it’s geographically actually closer to the Netherlands than to the German mainland.
The island is located between the Westerems strait and the Osterems straits respectively between the North Sea and the Wadden Sea to the south which grants some fascinating and unique features.
This Way to the Whole Story ->“So, by which ferry did you get here?” asks the chubby little lady and her accent gives her away as Southern German. “Well, I came here walking”, I beam at her, still thrilled by my hike from the mainland to the island of Neuwerk.
The lady looks over the rough sea where the huge waves are rolling towards the shores of Cuxhaven. She frowns and shakes her head and is, obviously, thinking I’m trying to tell her a cock and bull story.
Little does she know: Visiting the island of Neuwerk, the way is the goal; definitely.
This Way to the Whole Story ->A trip to the island of Heligoland is always a good idea. On just one square kilometer, it unites soft sand dunes and rough cliffs. It adds tax-free shopping to natural wonders like frolicking seals and jumping guillemots.
Heligoland is a tiny archipelago that long ago used to be Danish and British. But, actually, it is as German as can be since the poet Von Fallersleben wrote the National Anthem during his stay on the island in 1841.
However, visiting Heligoland today, either on a day trip or for a longer stay, it is almost impossible to imagine that at the end of WWII, Germany’s supposedly only deepsea island was completely bombed out. For then long years, it was even uninhabitable.
Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, today, Heligoland is one of Germany’s most popular island when it comes to a couple of relaxing days in a secluded spot.
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