Heligoland is a small rocky island located in the North Sea northwest of the city of Cuxhaven. Heligoland has an exciting history, fantastic nature, and the island actually consists of both Heligoland and the neighboring island of Düne. The main island consists almost of two independent parts, one part of which is a sandstone cliff of up to 61 meters in height with steep slopes, while the other part is flat lowland. The two parts are called Oberland and Unterland.

Heligoland belonged to Denmark until 1807, when England during the Napoleonic Wars conquered it and subsequently took over its governance. The island became German in 1890, and Germany then established a naval base on Heligoland. On 18 April 1945, the British bombed Heligoland, which British troops occupied after the end of the war. In 1947, the British blew up all the island’s military installations in a gigantic explosion that changed Heligoland’s appearance. In 1952, Germany got back the island.

You can get to Heligoland with ferries from Hamburg and Cuxhaven. You get to the harbor on the main island, from where there is direct access to the small and cozy town on the island. Here the rows of houses lie in strips on the flat land and also on part of the Oberland. To the south, you can go to the old southern tip of the island, from where there is a fine view of the city, the harbor, the sea and the neighboring island of Düne, which historically formed one land together with the main island until a storm surge separated the island in two.

On the Oberland you can experience Heligoland’s unique nature. You can advantageously follow the path Klippenrandweg, which follows the coast. To the west stands the Lange Anna rock column, Heligoland’s natural landmark. You can also sail to Düne from the main island’s harbour, and on that island the nature is completely different, with beaches practically all around. There are also holiday homes and an airfield on the flat Düne. Another part of the experience on Helgoland is the status of the islands as being outside the customs zone in the EU, and thus Helgoland has established itself as a duty-free area.