Discover Ostholstein: Beach, Culture and Nature

Coast, harbour and water activities

The Fishing Experience Trail runs along the promenade in Haffkrug. Information panels and interactive features explain the area’s former fishing industry and the fish species found in the Baltic Sea. You can explore the trail independently; at eight stations, QR codes provide access to stories and narratives from an audio guide. This combines a stay in a coastal resort with an insight into the history of fishing. Niendorf, a district of the municipality of Timmendorfer Strand, attracts many visitors with its fishing and yacht harbour.

The water activities also vary: Ostsee Therme Scharbeutz offers a diverse aquatic world, large slides and a sauna area with eleven different saunas, as well as direct access to the beach. If these facilities are important to your plans, check the current offering in advance. The water-ski cableway in Süsel offers beginner courses every day; if you plan to take a course, check current operations.

At the Natureum Steinwarder nature experience park in Heiligenhafen, children and adults can experience nature with all their senses. The Meereszentrum Fehmarn offers a different view of the sea: it features more than 1,000 marine animals in over 40 display aquariums, which hold a total of 700,000 litres of seawater. The options range from experiences on the beach and in the water to observing nature and wildlife.

Nature trails and views

The Eutiner See Rundweg trail runs along Lake Großer Eutiner See, partly right beside the shore and partly on natural paths through the forest. Along the way, there are views of Eutin, Eutin Castle and the castle gardens. On Fehmarn, a one-kilometre nature trail in the Wallnau waterbird reserve passes through the nature conservation area. At Bungsberg, you can hike, cycle, observe wildlife and explore nature. An observation platform is located on the Bungsberg telecommunications tower, 42 metres above the mast.

Museums, history and cultural events

In Eutin, the Ostholstein Museum explores the town’s heyday around 1800 through changing exhibitions and a permanent exhibition. Eutin Castle Museum is located right beside Lake Großer Eutiner See and is surrounded by a landscaped garden. Every summer, the Eutiner Festspiele stage various operas and operettas as open-air performances. In the municipality of Grömitz, Cismar Monastery hosts changing exhibitions and holds concerts in its vaulted hall during the winter season. This means there is a seasonal difference to consider when planning your trip: summer performances in Eutin and winter-season concerts in Cismar. Check the specific dates before your trip.

In Oldenburg in Holstein, Oldenburg Rampart is one of the most significant archaeological monuments in Schleswig-Holstein. Using excavation finds and reconstructions, the Oldenburg Wall Museum presents the archaeologically and historically reconstructable history of the Oldenburg ring fort and the Slavs in Ostholstein. Lensahn Museum Farm offers another historical focus: it displays more than 4,600 historical exhibits relating to work and life in the countryside in the past.

Choose the right focus for your accommodation

If you want to combine several interests, list your preferred destinations and compare their locations with possible places to stay. For a trip focused on the beach and coast, Haffkrug and Scharbeutz are specific reference points; for culture and history, Eutin, Oldenburg in Holstein, Cismar and Lensahn offer different points of interest. Nature trails and outdoor activities add further options to this selection. This way, your search for accommodation starts with the places and experiences you actually want to include in your trip.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Ahrensbök, Dahme, Großenbrode, Heiligenhafen, Kasseedorf, Riepsdorf, Sierksdorf, Weißenhäuser Strand, Malente, Stockelsdorf, Bad Schwartau, Altenkrempe, Eutin, Neukirchen, Neustadt / Holstein, Grömitz, Kellenhusen, Timmendorfer Strand, Schashagen, Göhl, Grube, Fehmarn, Scharbeutz, Schönwalde Am Bungsberg, Ratekau, Heringsdorf, Oldenburg In Holstein, Gremersdorf, Süsel, Wangels and Bosau.

Go to the main travel overview: Schleswig-Holstein.