Borkum Travel Guide

  View from the promenade
by brummielaura
 
  • View from the promenade
      View from the promenade
    by brummielaura
  • Borkum - beach and Strandkoerbe
      Borkum - beach and Strandkoerbe
    by brummielaura
  • Feuerschiff Borkum Riff
      Feuerschiff Borkum Riff
    by brummielaura
  • Skeleton of a sperm whale
      Skeleton of a sperm whale
    by brummielaura
  • Katamaran
      Katamaran
    by brummielaura
 

Explore Borkum

Things to Do  

Kleiner Leuchtturm (Small Lighthouse)

Kleiner Leuchtturm (Small Lighthouse), Borkum

 brummielaura Says:  The first lighthouse in Germany powered by electricity, built in 1888/89. It's the smallest of a total of three lighthouses on Borkum.Visitors can't enter the lighthouse, but it looks nice on camera! 

Old Lighthouse (Alter Leuchtturm)

Old Lighthouse (Alter Leuchtturm), Borkum

 brummielaura Says:  The Old Lighthouse was built in 1576 and is 41m high. It was partly destroyed by a fire in 1879. As a result, the New Lighthouse (Neuer Leuchtturm) was built. However, the Old Lighthouse was restored later on. For a small fee, you can climb the stairs to the top - nice view... 

Heimatmuseum

Heimatmuseum, Borkum

 brummielaura Says:  The Heimatmuseum is a museum about local history and life on Borkum. The exhibits include a lot of weird and wonderful things, such as stuffed birds from the region, a vast collection of sand from around the world, the skeleton of a sperm whale and also the, erm, sexual... 

Beach Promenade

Beach Promenade, Borkum

 Kathrin_E Says:  The dike in front of the spa quarter and town centre has been terraced on two levels and turned into a promenade. The paved beach promenade above the main beach is everyone's favourite walkway for people-watching and being watched. The music pavillon and several cafes... 

Hotels  

Ringhotel Nordsee Hotel

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Restaurants  

Kaffeepöttchen Schill: Favourite Cafe with yummy cake

Kaffeepöttchen Schill: Favourite Cafe with yummy cake, Borkum

 Kathrin_E Says:  Cute cafe in a side street of the old town center. You can also sit in the courtyard, weather permitting. I recall a HUGE piece of yummy East Frisian eggnog and cream cake. Unfortunately I wasn't yet a VTer and had not yet learned to take photos of my food at those times;-) 

Nordsee-Grill: Fastfood

Nordsee-Grill: Fastfood, Borkum

 brummielaura Says:  This is not a place for gourmets, but for everybody who is looking for a quick good-value lunch. They serve fast food such as Bratwurst, Currywurst, chips (Pommes frites), Schnitzel, some fish dishes, baguettes, ...Plenty of seating. Self-service. Slightly (!) more upmarket... 

Kartoffelkäfer: Potatoes Galore

Kartoffelkäfer: Potatoes Galore, Borkum

 brummielaura Says:  This restaurant specialises in potatoes: jacket potatoes, fried potatoes, Kartoffelpuffer (German speciality), ...One of the nice things about this place (apart from the food!) is the location directly on the beachfront promenade. Beautiful panorama view of the sea! The... 

Nightlife  

Strandpromenade: Beach Promenade and Pavillon

Strandpromenade: Beach Promenade and Pavillon, Borkum

 Kathrin_E Says:  The little pavillon on the promenade along the main beach is used for live music. Along the promenade you'll find some pubs and cafes. In summer this spot will be much busier than in September when I took the photo. 

Transportation  

Catamaran (Katamaran)

Catamaran (Katamaran), Borkum

 brummielaura Says:  Compared to the standard ferry, the catamaran is the faster option to get to Borkum from mainland Germany (Emden Aussenhafen).The only downside is that, once aboard the catamaran, you have to stay inside - so you will miss out on standing on deck and having the wind toussle... 

Bike Rentals

Bike Rentals, Borkum

 Kathrin_E Says:  Bike rentals can be found, more or less, at every second street corner. Prices depend on quality and equipment of the bike - plain touring bike, number of gears, mountain bike, etc. Bikes can be rented per hour, per day, or long-term. The bicycle is the best means of... 

Shopping  

Any souvenir store: Silly Souvenirs...

Any souvenir store: Silly Souvenirs..., Borkum

 Kathrin_E Says:  Souvenir shops in the streets of the town offer all kinds of sea-related souvenirs - mostly silly, some plain kitsch, others quite funny. The fantasy of the producers is admirable. To be honest, I preferred window-shopping with my camera after hours instead of spending... 

any souvenir shop: Storm Cups

any souvenir shop: Storm Cups, Borkum

 Kathrin_E Says:  Almost every souvenir shop in Borkum provides these cups in different designs. Since the wind blowing in from the North Sea is always strong, even the tea cups are windswept. These crooked cups are known as "Sturmtassen" (storm cups) and usually decorated with 'windy'... 

Local Customs  

"Moin" - The Local Greeting

"Moin" - The Local Greeting, Borkum

 Kathrin_E Says:  "Moin" or, if people feel an extraordinary desire to be communicative, "Moin moin", is the common greeting in the North of Germany. Visitors often wonder why people say "Good morning" throughout the whole day. No, that's a misunderstanding, it doesn't mean morning. "Moin"... 

Warnings Or Dangers  

Tides and Swimming

Tides and Swimming, Borkum

 Kathrin_E Says:  The tides cause strong currents, especially round the Western tip of the island. The official swimming hours that are announced on the beaches, and when the life guards are there to watch, are always the times of rising and high tide.Observe the hours. When the tide is going... 

Seagulls

Seagulls, Borkum

 Kathrin_E Says:  My favourite North Sea souvenir t-shirt depicts two bored seagulls sitting on poles at the beach. One says, "Shall we go and sh*t on tourists?", and the other says, "Great idea!!!"This seems to be a favourite hobby among seagulls indeed, and the effect is remarkable... Watch... 

What to Pack  

Bring Rain Gear

Bring Rain Gear, Borkum

 Kathrin_E Says:   The weather at the North Sea coast is unreliable and changes quickly. The good news is that it usually doesn't rain for long. Bad news is that there can be rain and cold any day and any time of the year, combined with the everlasting strong wind. Bring rain gear - jacket... 

Off The Beaten Path  

Protection of the Coastline

Protection of the Coastline, Borkum

 Kathrin_E Says:  The Frisian islands are constantly 'on the move'. Sand is washed away from their Western and Northern side and deposited further East. The map of the tidelands is undergoing a permanent change. You would not recognize the islands on a map that's 200 or 500 years old. The... 

Wattwürmer - Lugworms

Wattwürmer - Lugworms, Borkum

 Kathrin_E Says:  The Wattwurm (lugworm, photo 2) is, in a way, the heraldic animal of the North Sea tidelands. These worm live in the tideland ground in a U-shaped tube. The head sucks in the soil, thus forming a little funnel, which is then digested and emitted by the rear end, forming... 

Favorites  

There Is No Bad Weather...

There Is No Bad Weather..., Borkum

 Kathrin_E Says:  "There is no bad weather, there is only inappropriate clothing", as the locals say. The beaches and dikes can be walked in any kind of weather except real gales with flood danger. Strong wind, fresh cold salty air - that's North Sea feeling at its best. Have a hot drink... 

What I Love Most About The North Sea Coast

What I Love Most About The North Sea Coast, Borkum

 Kathrin_E Says:  What I love most about the North Sea and the Wattenmeer, the tidelands, is the constant change with the tides. The sea and the beach is never the same. At high tide the waves reach the sandy beach. At low tide you can walk further out. Observe the water rising and falling,... 

The Place

Plan a Borkum vacation with reviews, tips and photos posted by real travelers and Borkum locals

Experience Borkum
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The People

 
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 My favourite North Sea souvenir t-shirt depicts two bored seagulls sitting on poles at the beach. One says, "Shall we go and sh*t on tourists?", and the other... 

 

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Top 3 Borkum Writers

1

Borkum: Island with high sea climate

Kathrin_E profile photo

 I've got some interesting experiences in Borkum. I'd love to share with you the 42 tips I've written, the 70 photos uploaded, and 0 travelogues I've created. 

2

Borkum

brummielaura profile photo

 Borkum is the largest of the East Frisian islands off the coast of Germany (there are 7 islands in total). Tourists have been coming to this island since the 19th century, and for a reason - it's... 

3

I wished to see the Nordsee

ralucamn profile photo

 I look at the map and I choose to go to Emden. but the railwaystation look it ugly. so I took another train to Emdenhaven, because there must be the see... there was a ship to Borkum. and because the... 

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