Keen to take your annual camping trip international this year? Consider heading to the beautiful Baltic Coast, a region that’s blessed with so many sandy beaches and top-class campsites ideal for couples, friends and families.
OK, first things first. The Baltic Coast can be pretty bracing in the winter months. Pitching a tent then really isn’t for the faint-hearted! But spring and summer are ideal seasons to enjoy a camping holiday beneath the stars! And this is the best bit – there’s over 1500km and nine separate countries to take your pick from. That’s a big choice.
First-time camping on the Baltic Coast? Northern Germany is a good place to start. You’ll find a range of campsites set among lush coastal landscapes just an hour or so from major cities like Hamburg and Berlin. So, what are you waiting for?! Get ready to pitch a tent at one of the following spots along Germany’s beautiful Baltic Coast…
To strike a balance between nature and history, set up camp along the Priwall Peninsula
Want a bit of nature and history? Baltic Coast camping doesn’t get much better than the Priwall Peninsula. You’ll find the area a 40-minute drive from Lübeck, a medieval city bursting with Gothic architecture which was once the capital of the region.
Fancy waking up to ocean views? Who wouldn’t right? Check out the Priwall Peninsula campsites, for both cabins and tent pitches with uninterrupted ocean views. And just minutes away is the Passat. The elegant four mast sailing ship was built in the early 1900s and is now a fascinating museum perfect for wannabe sailors!
Priwall also has miles of sand to explore, plus there’s a couple of golf courses close by if you fancy channelling your inner Tiger Woods. Keen to try the local cuisine? Catch a ferry across to nearby Travemünde where the riverfront is teeming with excellent seafood restaurants.
Getting there: Priwall is just over an hour away from Hamburg by car and an easy cruise along the A1.
To get away from your ex and a complete escape from everything, find a pitch on Fehmarn
Want to get away from it all? Need some peace, quiet and a little time for yourself? Your ex hated camping, but it’s your first true love? We understand. And so does the Baltic Coast.
Germany’s Baltic Coastline has so many gorgeous islands, where you’ll find loads of excellent campsites where you can sleep directly under the stars. You’ll find Fehmarn 70 minutes north of Lübeck and it has everything you’ll need to keep your entire group, or just yourself, entertained.
For hours of sunbathing and swimming make your way to a heavenly beach like Südstrand. On rainy days, head indoors to the Maritime Centre aquarium where you can wander through an underwater tunnel and even past terrifying shark tanks! Maybe you should have brought your ex? There’s also the enchanting Fehmarn Butterfly Park with its stunning Tropical House.
Fancy hitting the water on a speed boat, jet ski or kayak? You’re in luck as Fehmarn is known as an epic destination for exhilarating water sports!
Getting there: Fehmarn is just under two hours from Hamburg. The crossing over the Fehmarn Sound Bridge is unmissable. It’s an epic 963-metre-long bridge that’s built almost entirely over the sea.
To go all castaway and sleep right on the sand, hop in a strandkorb in Eckernförde
Ok, so long hair and your best-bud Wilson are optional. And don’t worry, you’re not actually right on the sand. But still it really doesn’t get more unique than the strandkorb! This German-designed sleeping pod is made from wicker and is basically a large sun lounger with a roof. You’ll find them at a few campsites along the Baltic Sea, including a couple at Eckernförde.
As well as lounging around (and snoozing!) on the town’s main beach, you can learn to windsurf, bike around the nearby lake, and tuck into the town’s famous culinary bites. These include delicious pastries and locally produced cheeses. And it’s within day tripping distance of Kiel, a historic port city with great shopping and sightseeing options.
Getting there: Eckernförde is about 95 minutes north of Hamburg and a very easy drive along the A7.
Be at one with nature by making Rügen your best bet
Another one of Germany’s Baltic Sea islands (and its largest), Rügen is located further east and almost on the country’s border with Poland. It’s a spectacular stretch with sandy beaches that wouldn’t look out of place in the Mediterranean!
Ready for a hike or just want some sweet views? You’ll find both here. Half of Rügen is made up of the Jasmund National Park where you’ll find white chalk cliffs just like the iconic ones found in Dover. There are also huge beech forests perfect for hiking, plus the Königsstuhl National Park Centre where you can stare out across the Baltic Sea from an impressive Observation Deck.
You’ll spot a handful of campsites at the top end of the island. While they’re fairly basic, the remote location and quiet beaches more than make up for it!
Getting there: The closest major city to Rügen is Berlin, with the drive taking you just under three hours door to door.
Want to explore even more of glorious Germany? Check out our driving guide to holidaying on the island of Sylt, as well as inspirational articles on things to see just beyond the country’s major cities.
