It turns out Timmendorfer Strand is the perfect little day out if you're living in Hamburg and fancy a visit to the North Sea. But I will be the first to admit that I never really knew Germany had beaches. Forests yes. Mountains maybe. But beaches? Surely not. In all my imagining of my life in Germany, I never thought I would be sunbathing on a beach in a bikini in May. But that was just my reality when we decided to hop in the van for a little road trip. One thing I really love about having a van is the freedom that comes with it. We can head off exploring different parts of Germany spontaneously knowing our bed is waiting wherever we park up for the night. Our trip to Timmendorfer Strand, was just a 90 minute drive from Hamburg, it was the perfect day trip out of the city.
When to visit Timmendorfer Strand & weather
The weather has been just incredible since I arrived. It's been hitting 25-28 degrees most days and I’ve been loving getting out and exploring the city sunbathing in the parks. So when a particularly hot day hit, we couldn’t wait to grab our swimmers and head to the ocean. May has been the perfect month for this there are public holidays pretty much every weekend! Sadly I’ve been told now they’re all over until October, so at least we made the most of it by squeezing in a few good trips. Timmendorfer Strand is a great place to head to when you need a break from city life. It’s easy to get to, easy to park and a lovely place to enjoy the sunshine.
What's the beach like?
On the breach, there are cute little wooden seats that you can rent for the day. Totally adorable but very expensive. I was much more keen to lay out on the sand and soak up some vitamin D. The beach was busy, we definitely missed the empty beaches of Western Australia, but it was lovely for a day out. We weren’t brave enough for a dip in the ocean, it was a bit Baltic for our tropical tastes and sticking a toe in was as far as we got. But there were a few brave souls who went in for a swim or to throw a ball. One guy was swimming there all day. My favourite bit was all the really cute little old men who were walking laps up and down the beach. All of them looked so grumpy but spent the afternoon walking up and down in front of us.
What else is there?
It’s not overdeveloped but there are lots of great places to pick up drinks and snacks along the seafront. And of course there are the usual cafes and restaurants. They even have a cute little jetty and a pier which almost looks inspired by Brighton Pier. I know nearby Rugen Island has been called the Brighton of Germany due to its own cute little pier and striped wooden seats. As you can see from the pics, it looked almost tropical that day on the beach and we couldn’t have been luckier.
- Read: Planning a visit to Rügen Island
- Read: Visiting Jasmund National Park & UNESCO site Königssthuhl
Have you been to the beaches in Germany? How do you think they compare to the rest of Europe?
