Travel tips Flensburg - Excursion to the northernmost city in Germany

What a cool Germany tour! From St. Peter Ording, we continued directly to Flensburg. The Flensburg Fjord region is, so to speak, the bridge between Germany and Denmark. Here in the north, you can experience Scandinavian flair, a wealth of culture, history, craftsmanship, and tradition. Flensburg was the northernmost region we’ve ever visited in Germany and a small, charming journey of discovery. Today, we’ll share our best travel tips for Flensburg and the highlights you shouldn’t miss.

Flensburg’s harbor and shipyard
The jewel box “Red Street”
Braasch Rum Manufactory and Museum
Historic Oluf Samson Gang alleyway
The beautiful Captain’s Quarter
Flensburg’s Old Town
Boat tours & ferries in Flensburg
More travel tips from our readers
Flensburg travel tips – accommodation

Flensburg’s harbor and shipyard

Right next to the harbor is a lively museum shipyard and a maritime museum. Old ships are restored, built, and sailed here through private initiative. Historic sailing ships, motor ships, and steamships are moored at the pier and at sea. For true sailors and landlubbers who are interested in rustic ships and love the smell of tar and rope, a visit could be just the thing. At the shipyard café, you can relax with cakes and drinks in a maritime atmosphere.

Hafen-Flensburg-Schiff-Segelschiff

And while you admire the ships at the harbor and stroll along the pier, you can also enjoy delicious fish sandwiches. Around the harbor, you’ll find regional fish and meat specialties, as well as sweet treats. At the tip of the harbor, you’ll find the Heimathafen restaurant, the Beach Club, and Ben’s Fischhütte on the pier of the museum harbor. Here at the harbor, you’ll also find the northernmost brewery pub in Germany – “Hansens.” Here you can get home-brewed, mild dark beer.

Tip: The Flensburg Fish Market takes place on the harborfront every first Sunday of the month (March to October). Here you can feast, shop, and browse. At around 60 stalls, there’s something for everyone, whether it’s freshly caught fish, culinary delicacies, or handmade household goods.

The Jewel Box “Red Street”

Near the Südermarkt is the “Red Street,” which is also often referred to as the “jewel box.” It used to be the city’s historic trade route. Whether fruit, vegetables, or livestock—everything was sold here. Merchants and craftsmen lived here on Rote Straße, and this special flair can still be felt today. Small, charming craft shops, boutiques, romantic courtyards, and many playful details are everywhere. The houses have been renovated and look truly lovely. It’s worth taking a look around the many courtyards and letting yourself be carried away.

You can find so many beautiful things here that you could easily redecorate your entire apartment with. Unusual home accessories from various design stores, great photos, sophisticated designs, cool gadgets, and much more. You can also find craft shops selling glassblowers, wool, leather, coffee, or rum tucked away in the small courtyards. Art galleries are a must here, as are restaurants, wine bars, and cozy cafés.

Braasch Rum Manufactory and Museum

In one of these courtyards on the Rote Straße lies the Braasch Rum Manufactory. Flensburg once grew rich thanks to the liquid “gold of the Caribbean.” Many sailing ships arrived at the port from the West Indies with the coveted sugar, rum, and other colonial goods. Over time, Flensburg established itself as Germany’s absolute rum city.

In this small, beautifully presented museum, you can learn all about the history of the Flensburg merchant family Brodersen, about the production and history of rum, sugar, and slavery. You’ll also discover truly rustic bottling plants from yesteryear, measuring instruments, information boards, an extensive collection of bottles of old rum varieties, historical photos, and much more.

You almost feel like you’re sitting in a professor’s old laboratory, combining and testing the latest varieties. A guided tour and tasting takes place here every Wednesday at 4 p.m. The price is €5 per person. Since only a maximum of 18 people are allowed to participate, you should register in advance by phone. Click here for the website with all the information.

Historic Alley: Oluf Samson Gang

Once upon a time, it was Flensburg’s most sinful mile. Today, the Oluf Samsons Gang is a truly picturesque alley in the northern part of the old town. Here you’ll find what is probably the most beautiful and best-preserved historic street in the region. Old fishermen’s cottages and captain’s houses, almost all of which were built by the merchant Oluf Samson. He wanted to build housing for socially disadvantaged citizens.

And so, for a long time, this corner was the neighborhood for poor people, fishermen, and artisans. After the First World War, the Oluf Samson Gang increasingly developed into an entertainment district with brothels, which enjoyed a boom until the 1970s. What must it have looked like here before?!! We’d love to beam ourselves back in time every now and then to see such historic places “live.”

The beautiful Captain’s Quarter

On the east side of the harbor lies the quiet former Captain’s Quarter in the St. Jürgen district. First, climb the St. Jürgen Stairs until you’re rewarded with a beautiful view of the city. Then, discover the quiet nooks and crannies of the historic old town between the churches of St. Johannis and St. Jürgen. Here and there, idyllic gardens, historic and truly pretty houses from times long past.

Old Town of Flensburg

The old town in Flensburg has many cozy alleys and interesting buildings. Flensburg was largely spared the effects of World War II, so many historic buildings such as churches, city gates, craftsmen’s houses, and captains’ houses (St. John’s Church, St. Nicholas’ Church, St. Mary’s Church, and St. Holy Spirit Church) were preserved.

In the middle of the Old Town is the pedestrian zone with numerous shopping opportunities. The Holm forms the heart of the city with many small and large shops. Smaller boutiques and designer stores can be found on Rote Straße. The Nordermarkt, one of the oldest squares in Flensburg with many restaurants and cafés, is a particularly good place to relax.

The Südermarkt is home to some of Flensburg’s oldest surviving buildings. The weekly market takes place here twice a week – and has done so for over 800 years. On Norderstraße, Italian ice cream meets Indian tea, and Asian food meets Danish furniture stores – truly multicultural. Tattoo shops, artist studios, and trendy stores also line the streets here.

And please don’t be surprised: While walking through the streets, you’ll often see shoes dangling high above the city. Hundreds of them hang from the overhead wires of the former tram – whether worn-out sneakers, aired boots, or sandals. Numerous legends surround these tied-together disposable shoes. And even today, no one knows exactly what they’re all about.

Boat Tours & Ferries in Flensburg

If you have more time and the weather’s good, you should take a boat tour. The ship MS Möwe travels along the Flensburg Fjord, past romantic bays and close to the picturesque coastal landscape. The tour continues around the Ochseninseln (Ox Islands) to the German coast, past the naval academy in Mürwik and the modern water houses in the Sonwik Marina. The round trip currently costs €12.

The MS Viking sails from Flensburg across the fjord towards the Baltic Sea resort of Glücksburg. The ship circles the Ochseninseln (Ox Islands) and then docks at the spa beach in Glücksburg. The trip takes just under 50 minutes. Here in Glücksburg, the impressive moated castle is not to be missed. Whether evening trips or round trips – the choice of ships is vast. You can find many more tours here: Boat tours Flensburg.

Travel Tips Flensburg – Accommodation

We stayed in a beautiful vacation apartment in the heart of Flensburg. The cozy 65 square meters can accommodate up to four people. It features two bedrooms, a living room with a dining area, a beautiful, bright bathroom with a shower, a small, fully equipped kitchen, and a terrace with a table and chairs. Thanks to the central location, we were in the city center in just five minutes – simply fantastic. A huge thank you to our loyal reader Anke and her boss, who made this stay possible.♡