There are many ways to discover Schleswig-Holstein. Perhaps you'd like to follow in the footsteps of one of its famous sons or daughters - visiting historical landmarks along the way. It could just as well be that the past is of little interest and you prefer to indulge in a little modern culture. Be it classic art, shopping, wandering, perusing - Timmendorfer Strand and its neighbours Lübeck and Hamburg afford visitors practically limitless possibilities. Because getting out and about is often even more fun in a group, we've integrated a number of excursions, museum visits and other social activities into our comprehensive year-round guest program.

Maritim Golfpark Ostsee

Only a few minutes from Timmendorfer Strand and right on the shores of Lake Hemmelsdorfer, the Maritim Golfpark Ostsee has three combinable 9 hole courses spread out over 105 hectares. This fabulous golf club employs special drainage and all-weather turf to make year-round play possible and the flexibility of course combination means challenging rounds for players of all skill levels. On days when the wind proves too strong or the cold too bitter, the state-of-the-art indoor golf facility beckons with its comprehensive range of training equipment. The club offers guests staying at the Maritim Seehotel Timmendorfer Strand a 50% discount off green fees.

SEA LIFE Timmendorfer Strand

Visiting the SEA LIFE facility is a great way to discover what's living in the North Atlantic, North Sea and the Baltic without even getting your feet wet - underwater fun for budding biologists of all ages!

Opening times:
March to June daily from 10 am to 6 pm
July/August daily from 10 am to 7 pm
September/October daily from 10 am to 6 pm
November to February from 10 am to 5 pm
(last entry is 1 hour before closing time)
Wandering through the facility takes between 1 and 1.5 hours on average.

Entrance fee: adults 11 €, children from 3 to 14 years old 7.75 €, senior citizens over 60 9 €, students, disabled persons, conscripts and those doing their civilian service 10 €

Niendorf bird park and owl garden

In the last few years, Niendorf bird park, previously an insider’s secret, has become a popular destination for excursions. Germany’s most natural bird park is located only a few metres from the Baltic coast and Niendorf harbour, in verdant countryside close to the major holiday resorts of Timmendorfer Strand, Niendorf, Scharbeutz and Travemuende. This beautiful facility is not far from the tourist hustle and bustle and yet animal and nature lovers will find an attraction of a special kind here.

The bird park is located in natural marshland. The landscape is dominated by reeds and small ponds. The bird park houses about 1,000 birds of 250 different species. This wonderful reed landscape, which is part of the Aalbeek-Niederung nature conservation area, contains many zoological rarities, such as various cranes, storks, herons, pelicans and other marshland and water birds, along with parrots, pheasants, Andean condors, vultures and other birds of prey. Niendorf bird park has one of the world’s largest collections of live owls, with 38 different species having been successfully bred here!

A trip by passenger ship

A trip to the Baltic is always something special. Take an unforgettable trip along the imposing Brodten coastline with its craggy cliffs, or along the string of beaches near Luebeck Bay or even a trip to Groemitz, Boltenhagen, Wismar or the island of Poel – a view from the sea is always an impressive experience. Alternatively, you can opt for a sunset cruise to experience the silence at dusk or the night-time lantern cruise. The tour operator Beelis, the shipping company Boettcher and the MS Dana all offer numerous trips to sea-side towns between Easter and the end of October, or even in winter if the weather holds.

Scharbeutz and its environment

The nature trail in the Scharbeutzer Heide forest region is aimed at raising awareness of the local fauna and much imagination has gone into its conception: a hollow tree-trunk, for example, serves as a telescope through which you can watch a family of woodpeckers in their nest. Children can hang head-down from a pole in a cave and discover the world from the point of view of a vampire bat.

Scharbeutz forest high rope course

A nature and self-awareness experience has been created in the Kammerwald that offers a refreshing and exciting change from the usual spa programme. Three different trails take visitors high up into the trees. The trails offer a variety of challenges: balancing, swinging and jumping over tree trunks, wobbly bridges, nets, see-saws, cableways and many other tree-top fixtures.

Brodten cliffs

The Brodten cliffs along the coast east of the little town of Brodten are a tourist attraction. The cliffs extend for about 4 kilometres and are up to 20 metres high. The Brodten coastline is constantly changing, as it is subject to erosion. A popular holiday destination on the coast is the Hermannshoehe café and restaurant. This name dates back to Consul Her(r)mann Fehling, who liked to stay here. Walk or cycle to the Brodten cliffs to enjoy a wonderful view of Luebeck Bay.

Travemuende Baltic sea-side town

Travemuende is one of Europe’s most beautiful sea-side towns. Long beach walks and a visit to a quaint fishing harbour, where fresh fish are on sale, offer maritime pleasures all year round. A shopping excursion along the sea front, past the cruise ships docked at the Ostpreussenkai and a visit to a street café to view the ships in the Trave estuary are good for relaxation.

Travemuende lighthouse

This round, light brown brick tower is 31 metres high and was commissioned in 1539.
It is the oldest lighthouse along the German coast. As a technical and cultural monument, it is open to visitors. With its eight floors, the lighthouse has been turned into a maritime museum, with models of light-ships, various sea lanterns and old light installations from other lighthouses on display.

Karl’s adventure farm in Warnsdorf

There was a time when this traditional adventure farm was only known for its strawberries. Today, it is a place that invites visitors to stroll around, make discoveries and linger a while. All year round, seven days a week! There is no other place quite like the Warnsdorf farmers’ market in Schleswig-Holstein; here you can browse around to your heart’s content, find new ideas, sample local delicacies and simply be inspired. Exciting attractions await the little ones: the free play barn, pony rides, baking “bread on a stick”, making candles, painting ceramics or driving go-carts. The large outdoor playground is yet another bonus for children.

The Hanseatic city of Luebeck – a world cultural heritage site and the gate to the Baltic

Luebeck is unique! The entire city was therefore declared a world heritage site by UNESCO in 1987. The city centre is surrounded by water and has approximately 1800 listed buildings lining historical lanes and winding alleyways. Not only is it beautiful to look at, it also forms the core of a very lively city with about 214,000 residents. Formerly an independent free Hanseatic city, Luebeck is now the largest city in Schleswig-Holstein and is known as the “cultural capital of the north”.

A unique museum landscape

Luebeck’s museums, such as the St Anne Museum with its famous Memling altar and the modern art gallery, are a special pleasure to visit. At the Behnhaus, you can admire paintings and traditional Luebeck interior design. The Burgkloster presents various exhibitions and then, of course, there is the world-famous Holsten gate: its interior is dedicated to the activities of Luebeck’s merchants, who have placed their economic, political, cultural and architectural stamp on the city since Mediaeval times. A visit to the Luebeck marionette theatre and the theatre figure museum is an unforgettable experience for young and old. Buddenbrook House is another “must”. Here you can learn more about the writers Heinrich and Thomas Mann, who were born in Luebeck. They are presented side by side with other famous Luebeck residents, such as the composer Dietrich Buxtehude, the writer Erich Muehsam, the sculptor Bernt Notke, the Nobel peace prize-winner Willy Brandt and Guenter Grass, winner of the Nobel prize for literature, who chose to make Luebeck his home and to whom a museum in the Glockengiesserstrasse has been specially dedicated.

Eutin – the city of roses

This old royal residential city welcomes you. The historical city centre with its large old market place and its numerous historical facades in various styles, the “widow’s palace” that never served as such, the former court apothecary’s shop, the former municipal offices in Stolbergstrasse, artisans’ houses near the church and, of course, the brick-built St Michaelis church with its leaning tower all add to the charm of the compact old town of Eutin. It is hard to imagine something more impressive: the four-wing Eutin Palace, with its secure inner courtyard and surrounding moat, is located directly on the lakeshore and is surrounded by extensive, landscaped gardens. A guided tour through the Baroque rooms, some of which still have their original furnishings, is an unmissable experience. From the Eutin water tower, whose 156 steps rise through the 250,000-litre water tank itself, visitors have a wonderful view over the city of roses and the “little Switzerland” of Holstein. The tower is an industrial monument set in a pretty little garden with good picnic facilities. It was completed in 1909, was only taken out of service in 2006 and has since been open to guests.

Noctalis – the world of bats in Bad Segeberg

On four floors, Noctalis presents the variety, beauty and peculiar nature of these mysterious creatures. Visitors can use all their senses and have a lot of fun learning more about the lives of bats, exploring a cave and experiencing these nocturnal animals at close hand. Noctalis is not a museum, but an exciting, sensational adventure exhibition with live bats. Visit the tropical bats at Noctalis and watch these fascinating nocturnal hunters engage in their artistic flight manoeuvres and feed on their favourite food – bananas.

Banana museum in Sierksdorf

Why are bananas bent? Those who wish to discover the secret of this popular yellow fruit should visit the “Banana museum” in Sierksdorf. The collection resembles an old curiosity shop: banana-shaped marionettes, a Marilyn Monroe banana figurine, a banana dispenser, etc.
Each of these items has a history, recounted with relish by the collector himself – “Stelli Banane”!

Hansa-Park Sierksdorf

Germany’s only sea-side adventure park offers you an unforgettable maritime leisure experience. Set in the picturesque Baltic landscape, eleven different theme worlds, numerous rides and shows invite visitors to participate in fun and adventures – and, of course, to enjoy the necessary relaxing breaks in between.

“Noah’s Ark” zoo in Groemitz

More than 500 animals from all over the world on over 10,000 square metres, a petting zoo, a children’s playground, pony rides, a children's railway, barbecue spaces, a café and a restaurant all make for a wonderful family excursion!

Stolpe herb park

Without plants, we would be unable to breathe or eat – they live all around us. They are our medicines and aphrodisiacs, our spices and building materials.

The idea behind the herb park owned by the company re-natur GmbH is to allow visitors to experience plants as fellow creations and miracles. A series of buildings offering various experiences was built on an old farm in Stolpe in the “little Switzerland” region of Holstein. Visit the historical herb museum and the botanical gardens and attend various workshops to find out more useful and surprising facts about medicinal, aromatic and seasoning herbs, wild-growing vegetables, agricultural plants threatened with extinction and the magic plants of former nations. A herb shop adjoins the museum. Here you will find a selected range of herbal tea mixtures and organically cultivated spices, selected literature, incense, essential oils and plant-based cosmetics. Kitchen and garden accessories and a variety of potted herbs for your garden and balcony round off the product range on offer, all of certified organic quality. The “re-natur” café offers freshly baked cakes, herbal teas and excellent coffee.

Nessendorf donkey park

Visit Germany’s only donkey park! Over 100 charming donkeys of various breeds live here, waiting to be petted by visitors. You are your own coachman! Once you have accompanied your donkey for 30 minutes through the beautiful landscape of Holstein’s “little Switzerland” as a donkey driver, you will be familiar with its routine and can relax on the coach box with your family for the return journey. You will be back at the donkey park after about an hour. All donkeys have been equipped with our standard donkey-tracking equipment. It’s donkey business!

Perhaps you would like to join us soon? Friendly donkeys are available for riding. Visitors can enjoy freshly prepared meals at the inexpensive restaurants. An inviting coffee and beer garden is also available, while your children will feel quite at home on the playground, with its mini-excavator, and in the hay loft.