Baltrumer Nordstrand

Baltrum is the smallest of the East Frisian Islands, covering 650 hectares. Only about a tenth of the area is used by the 640 residents. The community does without street names, with houses simply numbered, but it still has three villages. The largest of the three is Westdorf, framed by the beach promenade, with the most shops and restaurants, the town hall, spa facilities, and all three churches. Here, when the tide is high, the roar of the surf is ever-present. Ostdorf lies sheltered between dunes and the Heller, known for its tranquility, flower-decorated gardens, and its proximity to the mudflats and salt marshes. In the small Old Ostdorf, some of the original island houses still stand. Here you get a sense of the island’s eventful history. Time, peace, fresh air, pedestrians, bicycles, horse-drawn carriages, playing children, and no cars define island life on Baltrum. Time runs differently here – no one is in a hurry.