Fehmarn Attractions - Top 10 Most Popular Attractions

The Baltic Sea island of Fehmarn attracts numerous tourists every summer with the promise of a relaxing beach vacation. In addition to the beach, Fehmarn offers many other attractions, including extraordinary natural spectacles, impressive wildlife, and exciting buildings and museums.

Here, we have summarized the 10 most beautiful sights of Fehmarn for you.

Since 1963, the Fehmarn Sound Bridge has connected the mainland over the approximately 1.3 km wide Fehmarn Sound to the island. 36 years after its construction, the bridge was declared a monument. It has since become a landmark for Fehmarn and even for all of Schleswig-Holstein.

The 21 m wide bridge accommodates a railway line, a two-lane road, and even a sidewalk. You can cross the bridge on foot to admire it at your leisure.

Locals jokingly refer to the steel structure's appearance as a clothes hanger. Much like a real clothes hanger, the bridge can sway in strong winds, and it is then closed to trucks and caravans, but remains accessible to cars.

The Fehmarn Local History Museum informs visitors about the island's history. In a total of 22 rooms located in several historic buildings in Burg, you will find exhibits from various eras that document life on the island. Key focuses include:

Along with its highly informative collections, the museum also contains some more unusual pieces. These include a bouquet made entirely out of fish scales and a chamber dedicated to 'superstitions'.

The museum is named after Peter Wiepert, a local historian and longtime director of the institution. The museum has existed since the end of the 19th century and has been continually expanded over the years, including the addition of the Pastor's Widow House from 1581, the oldest surviving residential building on Fehmarn.

Address: Breite Str. 49 23769 Fehmarn

In the main town of Burg on Fehmarn, you will find the island's town hall. The brick building has stood at the southern end of the marketplace since 1901. It houses the office and residence of the mayor, the general administration of the island, the registry office, and the city archive.

The original town hall of Fehmarn dated back to 1520 but was demolished shortly before the inauguration of the new building. A painting of the old town hall, created by a Kiel-based artist named Burmester, hangs in today's meeting room.

The new town hall, with its towers and winding corners, is impossible to overlook. The most striking feature is the city coat of arms above the entrance, which depicts a ring wall surrounded by water, as well as a nettle leaf.

Address: Am Markt 1 23769 Fehmarn

Fehmarn has several lighthouses, but none are as tall as the Flügge Lighthouse. Standing 16 m above the coast of Fehmarn, it guides ships safely through the Fehmarn Sound.

From a tourist perspective, the lighthouse stands out in another way as well. It is the only one on the island that can be visited from the inside. The 1915 structure offers a fantastic view of the island and the Krummsteert Nature Reserve.

The Flügge Lighthouse is located in the midst of a paradise for sea birds and other wildlife. The Krummsteert spit, along with the marine bay of Sulsdorfer Wiek, forms a nature reserve characterized by wet salt meadows, shallow waters, brackish waters, and the beach ridge.

Address: Leuchtturm Fluegge 23769 Fehmarn

At the entrance to Burg, you will find one of the largest saltwater facilities in Europe. Thousands of sea creatures from around the world are found in the three different areas of the facility. The first is the coral garden, where countless tropical fish swim among real corals.

The second area is the glass reef tunnel that takes you right through a massive water tank. Majestic rays swim overhead, and colorful schooling fish swirl around you. You won't get this close to the underwater world without getting wet.

In the third area, Shark World, you will face various species of these impressive creatures, from nurse sharks to tiger sharks. There are also numerous pieces of information about these marine residents and their habitats.

Address: Gertrudenthaler Str. 12 23769 Fehmarn

Since 1976, the Wallnau Waterfowl Reserve has been a nature reserve. As the name suggests, the area's ponds, reed fields, and meadows are especially popular for observing various bird species. An information center provides details about the reserve and the topic of bird migration.

Approximately 10 hectares of the roughly 300-hectare park are publicly accessible. You can wander through the underbrush on a boardwalk while keeping an eye out for birds. A lookout tower also allows you to see into the protected area, which offers a great view of the adjacent Baltic Sea.

In addition to birds, amphibians and other small animals also call the reserve home. Frogs live in the ponds, bees buzz around the meadows, and with some luck, you might even spot a fox.

Tip: For a snack, the café in the old manor house offers warm and cold organic dishes as well as refreshing beverages.

Address: Wallnau 4 23769 Fehmarn

In Burg on Fehmarn, you will find St. Nicholas Church, one of the oldest places of worship on the island. Although the exact date of its construction is unknown, it is believed to have begun around the 1230s.

The three-aisled church includes elements of both Romanesque and Gothic architecture, a result of its three-century-long construction phase. Additional late Gothic elements were added during an expansion in the 15th century. Even after the initial construction phase was completed, renovations and updates continued on the building.

Today, the church impresses not only with its magnificent architecture but also with numerous historical treasures inside. The bronze baptismal font dates back to the 14th century and is the church's oldest piece.

Tip: The bell tower can be climbed during guided tours for a lovely view over Burg.

Address: Breite Str. 47 23769 Fehmarn

The Galileo Knowledge World includes three museums in Burg and Burgstaken, each focusing on different aspects of Earth and human history as well as natural history and technology.

The exhibitions emphasize interactivity. Visitors can solve puzzles and conduct experiments themselves. Walk through a walk-in volcano or through the Tunnel of Life, where the history of our planet is presented in fast motion.

The two museums in Burg are called Planet Earth and Experimenta. They focus on technical, cultural, and scientific contexts. The Overseas Museum in Burgstaken, on the other hand, informs visitors about seafaring and the spirit of exploration, as well as the indigenous peoples of the Earth.

Address: Mummendorfer Weg 11b 23769 Fehmarn

This monument near Gammendorf has been commemorating a tragic event in the history of Fehmarn since 1933. After a weather change, the sailing training ship Niobe capsized off the coast of Fehmarn in 1932. Although help arrived quickly and part of the crew was rescued, 69 people lost their lives.

The initiative for the monument's construction came from a teacher who witnessed the tragedy during a class trip. While the graves of the sailors are located in Kiel, the monument stands close to the accident site. In 1966, it was repositioned and provided with a bronze plaque.

To this day, every year, a memorial service with a wreath-laying ceremony is held in remembrance of the victims on the anniversary of the tragedy.

West of the town of Puttgarden lies this impressive nature reserve. Over a length of 2.5 km, one can observe the effects of high water and ocean currents on the northern coast of Fehmarn.

In 1872, a flood disaster led to the construction of a protective dike along this coastal section. This changed the current conditions, and sand and gravel deposited from the sea allowed the spit to grow. Three shallow beach lakes were separated from the Baltic Sea and developed over time into inland lakes, which now serve as an ideal habitat for numerous waterfowl.

A wide variety of birds have now made their home in Green Brink. In addition to resident birds, various migrants from Scandinavia stop here in autumn. In total, over 170 different bird species can be found.

Tip: If you want to learn more about Green Brink, you can also visit it as part of a guided tour.

From fantastic nature reserves with numerous animal species to historical buildings and interesting museums, Fehmarn offers a variety of attractions. Along with the beach and the Baltic Sea - you could not wish for more from a vacation on the island.