Top 10 winter islands in Germany

Germany's biggest island, Rügen, is located off the Pomeranian coast in the Baltic Sea. It's quiet during the winter, since few tourists visit. Nevertheless, the island has much to offer. Visitors can take guided tours in stormy weather, or hop on the historic Rasender Roland steam engine locomotive. Those who prefer warmer activities can enjoy the cozy delights of numerous wellness hotels.

In the winter months, tourists and locals can be seen heading to the beach with thick coats and cross-country skis instead of parasols and bathing suits. When there's snow on the German-Polish island of Usedom, the beach turns into a cross-country ski track. Skiers are treated to some impressive sights, like ice drifting by in the Baltic Sea and large icicles hanging under bridges.

Bertolt Brecht, Franz Kafka and Albert Einstein all went to Hiddensee to rest and relax. Located west of Rügen, it's part of the West Pomeranian Bodden nature reserve. It provides a habitat for rare birds such as sea eagles, which can be observed during the winter months. Hiddensee can only be reached by boat, and there are no cars on the island.

During the summer, you'll find masses of traditional covered wicker beach chairs stacked next to each other, and tourists laying in the sun. But come winter, Sylt turns into a long, empty beach. A fresh wind blows over the North Sea island as the waves crash. Few people venture a walk along the beach, but those who do are rewarded with an unimpeded view of the sea.

Not far from Sylt is Amrum, with its broad Kniepsand beach. In the winter months, the islanders are left alone to recover from the summer, when as many as 8,000 visitors flock there. Amrum essentially goes into hibernation, although the island has its own charm during the cold season. Tranquility and solitude characterize the untouched dune landscape.

The Halligen Islands are an attractive destination for adventurous people during the winter. The 10 small islands in the North Frisian Wadden Sea are subjected to severe sea weather. During "Landunter," the islands are nearly submerged. The only things above water during this time are the artificial earth mounds known as warfts, on which the locals build their houses.

The small archipelago of Helgoland is especially attractive in the wintertime. In 1721, the original bigger island broke into two parts. Located in the North Sea, 60 kilometers (35 miles) off the mainland, Helgoland looks a little like a fortress in the ocean, and is home to about 1,300 people. On the smaller island, Düne, winter visitors can observe gray seals being born.

Visitors to the East Frisian island of Norderney can enjoy long walks through deserted nature during the winter. Bird watchers will delight in the unique opportunity to see Brent geese and Eurasian Wigeons. Those who prefer to stay indoors can spend their time checking out historical buildings, like the Kurhaus, built in 1799, Nordeney's cultural center with a casino and town library.

The island of Borkum near the Netherlands has a temperate climate. It isn't too hot in the summer, and the winters are relatively mild. The air is clean and enriched with iodine. Worth seeing are the island's three lighthouses. The "Kleine Leutturm," or small lighthouse, on the southern shore, was built at the end of the 19th century and was Germany's first electrically operated lighthouse.

Beautiful winter islands beyond the North or Baltic Sea can also be found on Germany's lakes. In the summer, thousands of tourists flock to the flower island of Mainau on Lake Constance. In the winter, it transforms into a tranquil nature park surrounded by shimmering water. Soon, however, the early blossoming plants will awaken from their winter's rest and the tourists will return.