Sleeping Under the Stars: Camping on the Baltic Coast

If you’re in the mood for camping, you should consider the beautiful Baltic Sea coast. There, you’ll find many sandy beaches and top-notch campsites, ideal for couples, friends, and families.

The Baltic Sea coast can be quite refreshing in the winter months. Pitching a tent then is not for the faint-hearted. However, spring and summer are ideal seasons for a great camping holiday under the stars! And the best part: there are over 1500 kilometers and nine different countries to choose from.

Camping for the first time? Then northern Germany is the perfect place to start. You’ll find a range of campsites amidst beautifully green coastal landscapes, just about an hour from major cities like Hamburg or two and a half hours from Berlin. So what are you waiting for? Get ready to pitch a tent at one of the following locations along the beautiful Baltic Sea coast of Germany.

For a balanced mix of nature and history, set up camp on the Priwall Peninsula

Want a bit of nature and history? Camping on the Baltic Sea coast on the Priwall Peninsula is hard to beat. This area is just a 40-minute drive from Lübeck, a medieval city with Gothic architecture that was once the capital of the region.

How about waking up to a sea view? On the campsites of the Priwall Peninsula, there are both cabins and tent sites with uninterrupted sea views. And just a few minutes away lies the Passat, an elegant four-masted sailing ship built at the beginning of the 20th century. Today, it is a fascinating museum, perfect for sailing fans!

Priwall also has kilometers of sandy beaches to explore, as well as a few golf courses nearby if you want to channel your inner Tiger Woods. Take a ferry to nearby Travemünde, where you’ll find plenty of excellent fish restaurants along the riverbank.

Getting there: Priwall is just under an hour’s drive from Hamburg via the A1.

Want to escape it all? Then find a spot on Fehmarn

Need some peace and quiet and a little time for yourself? Along the German Baltic Sea coast, there are so many beautiful islands with numerous excellent campsites where you have the opportunity to sleep directly under the stars. Fehmarn is located 70 minutes north of Lübeck and has everything you need to entertain yourself or your group.

If your dream vacation consists of sunbathing and swimming, head to a heavenly beach like Südstrand. On rainy days, head indoors to the Meereszentrum Fehmarn, where you can stroll through an underwater tunnel. There’s also the charming Butterfly Park Fehmarn with a fantastic tropical house.

Fancy getting on the water with a speedboat, jet ski, or kayak? Then you’re in luck, as Fehmarn is known to be a fantastic destination for exciting water sports!

Getting there: Fehmarn is just under two hours from Hamburg. Crossing the Fehmarnsund Bridge is not to be missed. This incredible 963-meter-long bridge was built almost entirely over the sea.

To do it like a castaway and sleep right on the beach, hop into a Strandkorb in Eckernförde

Okay, long hair and Wilson as your best friend are optional. And don’t worry. You’re not lying directly on the sand. Still, there’s not much more unique than the Strandkorb! This German-designed sleeping and seating basket made of wicker is basically a large sun lounger with a roof. You’ll find them at some campsites along the Baltic Sea, including a few near Eckernförde.

Besides lying on the beach, you can cycle around the nearby lake and enjoy the city’s famous cuisine, including delicious cakes and local cheeses. From here, you can take a day trip to Kiel, a historic port city with plenty of shopping and sightseeing opportunities.

Getting there: Eckernförde is about 95 minutes north of Hamburg and is very easy to reach via the A7.

Become one with nature by making Rügen your choice

Another (and the largest) German Baltic Sea island is Rügen. It lies further east and almost borders Poland. This elongated island has many glorious sandy beaches that would also fit the Mediterranean.

Would you rather hike or just enjoy the beautiful scenery? Here you’ll find both. Half of Rügen consists of the Jasmund National Park with its white chalk cliffs, which resemble the famous Dover cliffs. The vast beech forests are perfect for hiking, as well as the National Park Center Königsstuhl, where you can enjoy a wide view of the Baltic Sea from an impressive viewing platform.

At the top end of the island, there are a handful of campsites. Although they are quite simple, the remote location and the quiet beach are more than enough to make up for it!

Getting there: The nearest major city to Rügen is Berlin, which is just under three hours away by car.

Want to explore more of glorious Germany? Then check out our guide to holidays on the island of Sylt as well as inspiring articles on sights outside the country’s major cities.