Long before GPS and electronic charts existed, they were the only orientation for sailors on their way through the Flensburg Fjord and the Schlei: lighthouses. Their rhythm, their sector colours, their character — all of it was navigation in its purest form.
The four towers of the region are today monuments, excursion destinations and photo motifs — and from Villa Boreal all reachable in less than 30 minutes.
The four lighthouses in portrait
Holnis · Falshöft · Kalkgrund · Schleimünde
© Wolfgang Pehlemann / Wikimedia Commons
Holnis Lighthouse
Schausende · Holnis Peninsula · Glücksburg
The northernmost lighthouse on Germany's Baltic coast. Red-and-white striped reinforced concrete tower from 1964–67, 26.8 m tall, focal height 31.9 m. The first beacon here has been burning since 1896. Freely accessible from outside; the tower itself cannot be entered.
History
Leading, transverse and orientation light for fjord shipping. Today remotely monitored from Travemünde.
Visit
- ·15 min from Bockholm
- ·Freely accessible from outside, not enterable
- ·Tip: Restaurant „Leuchtturm" at Schausende marina, 9 min away
Holnis Lighthouse
Schausende, 24960 GlücksburgRoute
© Wikimedia Commons
Falshöft Lighthouse
Pommerby · Geltinger Bay
Red-and-white striped cast-iron tower, 24.4 m tall. Built 1908–1910 from cast-iron segments of the Isselburger Hütte foundry. 92 years in active service (1910–2002). Today a museum and official registry-office wedding room. From both galleries the view reaches as far as Denmark.
History
Warned of the Bredgrund and Kalkgrund shallows. Out of service since 1 March 2002. Honoured in 2010 with a special German postage stamp.
Visit
- ·25 min from Bockholm
- ·Climbable, seasonally April–October
- ·Tip: sunset visit + combination with Geltinger Birk nature reserve
Falshöft Lighthouse
Falshöft 1, 24395 PommerbyRoute
© Wikimedia Commons
Kalkgrund Lighthouse
Offshore · Entrance to the Flensburg Fjord
Stands in the middle of the Flensburg Fjord. The first fully automated lighthouse on the German coast, in operation since 11 June 1963. Foundation: 24 steel piles down to 32 m depth. Replaces the lightships Kalk Grund (1876–1910) and Flensburg (1910–1963).
History
An engineering masterpiece of its time. Today remotely monitored from Travemünde.
Visit
- ·Position 54° 43' N, 10° 2' E
- ·Visible from Holnis Point and Bockholm (binoculars)
- ·By rental boat from Langballigau harbour
- ·Not enterable
Kalkgrund Lighthouse
Flensburg Fjord, 24960 GlücksburgRoute
© Wikimedia Commons
Schleimünde Lighthouse
Pilot island Schleimünde · near Kappeln / Maasholm
The oldest lighthouse in the region (1871). Green-and-white striped since 2014. On the 112-hectare pilot island Schleimünde, only reachable by boat. No lighthouse in Germany has changed colour so often. On the island: a paddler stopover and the legendary „Giftbude" (small inn).
History
Formerly a pilot station (until 1980). The island has been owned by the Lighthouse Foundation since 2008. Only 5 m above sea level — repeatedly damaged by storm surges.
Visit
- ·Approx. 45 min from Bockholm to Kappeln
- ·Paddle steamer Schlei Princess, MS Nordlicht, MS Stadt Kappeln
- ·Family ticket approx. €40
- ·Dogs €1 surcharge
Kappeln Harbour (departure to the pilot island)
Am Hafen, 24376 KappelnRoute
OUR DAY ROUTE
The lighthouse route — one day, four towers
Morning: Holnis Lighthouse
Hike across the Holnis peninsula, then breakfast at the „Leuchtturm" restaurant at Schausende marina.
Late morning: Kalkgrund from the water
Rental boat from Langballigau harbour — or binoculars from Holnis Point.
Midday: climb Falshöft
Up the cast-iron tower, view as far as Denmark, combined with the Geltinger Birk nature reserve.
Half-day trip: Schleimünde by paddle steamer
From Kappeln harbour to the pilot island — with an obligatory stop at the „Giftbude".
OUR FAVOURITE MOMENT
Sunset at Falshöft
The Falshöft lighthouse stands on a headland between Geltinger Bay and the open Baltic Sea. At sunset, when the light over the Danish archipelago turns golden — that is one of the most beautiful moments in this region.
Our recommendation: a walk through the Geltinger Birk nature reserve, then climb the lighthouse, then a sundowner with a view of Denmark.
Conclusion
Four towers, four stories — and four entirely different ways to experience them. From the hike on Holnis to the wedding room at Falshöft to the boat trip to Schleimünde: the lighthouses of the fjord are the maritime backbone of this landscape. From Villa Boreal all four are within 30 minutes — or simply plan your stay on the fjord and discover the whole region at your own pace.
