Hub of the Baltic region. Schleswig-Holstein is the only German state
bordered by two seas: the North Sea and the Baltic. The sparsely populated state
makes the most of its geographical location between Scandinavia and Eastern
Europe: It is a hub for the countries encircling the Baltic Sea, which with a
total population of more than 50 million constitute one of Europe’s regions of
the future. In order to preserve Schleswig-Holstein’s natural beauty, great
importance is accorded to environmental protection measures. Efforts to keep the
seas clean as well as nature and soil conservation measures are therefore key
priorities of state policy.
“Gentle tourism“. The North Sea island of Helgoland with its famous red
cliffs was the backdrop for the poet August Heinrich Hoffmann von Fallersleben
in 1841 when he wrote the German anthem. The North Frisian Islands of Sylt, Föhr
and Amrum are a vacationer’s paradise; the same is true of the resorts on the
Baltic such as Damp, Hohwacht and Timmendorf.
Nature lovers are drawn to the tidal mud flats of the Wattenmeer National
Park on the North Sea. Farther inland lies the scenic area known as “Holstein
Switzerland“ with its many lakes. Well worth a visit are places such as Mölln,
the town of the legendary jester Till Eulenspiegel, or the cathedral town of
Schleswig with the Late Gothic Bordesholm Altarpiece, a masterpiece of
woodcarving created in 1514-1521 by Hans Brüggemann, and of course the city of
Lübeck.
Museums and music. Every town of any size has its own museum of local
history, but the regional museum in Gottorf Palace near Schleswig enjoys a
particularly high reputation nationwide. Other notable attractions are the
Molfsee Open-Air Museum near Kiel, which offers a glimpse of what country life
was like years ago, and the museum on the site of the old Viking town Haithabu.