Cuxhaven: Wadden Sea, coastal heathlands and maritime history

Wadden Sea, coastal heathlands, maritime history and a moorland landscape: the Cuxhaven destination offers a range of options for planning your trip. If you want to experience nature, you’ll find ideas in exhibitions, guided walks on the mudflats and trails through salt marshes. For those interested in culture, historic sites and an archaeological museum take centre stage. Diving and activities relating to the moorland are among the region’s other experiences.

Discover the Wadden Sea and coastal heathlands

An exhibition spread across three floors at the Cuxhaven Wadden Sea Visitor Centre, part of the UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site, shares fascinating facts about the Wadden Sea and the Cuxhaven coastal heathlands. The centre’s nature tours bring the mudflats, salt marsh, geest cliff and coastal heathland to life. This gives you the chance to explore different types of landscape instead of focusing your trip on just one natural environment.

Cuxwatt’s guided mudflat walks from Cuxhaven-Duhnen offer another way to get to know the Wadden Sea. They are available year-round for groups of all ages and last between 1.5 and 4 hours. As times may change depending on the tide, weather and the provider’s schedule, check the latest information in advance. For a shorter walk, the five-kilometre Spieka-Neufeld circular trail passes through the salt marshes north of the fishing harbour.

Maritime landmarks and history

The 29-metre-high wooden Kugelbake marks the point where the Elbe ends and the North Sea begins. From the two-storey viewing platform at Alte Liebe, you can look out over the Elbe. Together, the two sites offer a vivid impression of Cuxhaven’s maritime character, without requiring you to focus on any one particular topic.

The Hapag Halls also tell the story of travel: the historic emigration facility is now an event venue and offers guided tours and visits. Burg Bederkesa, home to the Cuxhaven District Museum, has an archaeological focus. If you’re interested in architectural and local history, you can combine these destinations with a museum visit.

Moorland, trails and special excursions

Explore the Ahlenmoor independently or on a guided tour, by moor railway, bicycle or on foot. You can choose from several ways to explore. There is also a well-signposted network of cycling and hiking trails around Bad Bederkesa. Bad Bederkesa’s Moor-Therme offers moor baths, moor packs and a range of therapies for spa and holiday guests.

In Spieka-Neufeld, you’ll find a unique blend of local specialities and technological history: visitors can see a one-of-a-kind shrimp-peeling machine at Alwin & Siegfried Kocken Krabbenhandels-GmbH. The visit adds an insight into shrimp processing to the region’s nature and culture offerings.

At Lake Kreide in Hemmoor, diving meets the history of chalk mining. The lake is up to 60 metres deep and a destination for divers. On a dive or an exploration tour in the “Eurosub” submarine, you can discover abandoned chalk-mining facilities and artefacts such as caravans, cars and an aeroplane.

Choose the right focus for your trip

When planning, take into account the starting points and locations mentioned for your chosen activities, and compare the accommodation’s location with your plans. Cuxhaven’s varied themes make it a destination where you can combine nature experiences and culture to suit your interests.

Discover more destinations: Otterndorf, Hemmoor, Cuxhaven, Oberndorf, Sahlenburg, Wanna, Wingst, Wremen, Osten, Beverstedt, Nordholz, Langen, Midlum, Loxstedt, Wehdel, Ringstedt, Neuhaus, Nordleda, Odisheim, Hechthausen, Mulsum, Bad Bederkesa, Am Dobrock, Land Wursten, Börde Lamstedt, Schiffdorf, Hagen im Bremischen, Mittelstenahe, Flögeln, Geestland, Osterbruch, Sandstedt, Steinau, Wurster North Sea Coast.

For the overview of the wider region: Lower Saxony.