Germany (Lonely Planet, 6th Edition) - Andrea Schulte-Peevers [638]
Brauhaus Husum ( 896 60; Neustadt 60-68; mains €6.50-19.50; 3pm-late summer, 5pm-late winter) Frothy beers including a thirst-quenching Husumer Weizen (wheat beer) are made on-site at this brilliant local brewery. Specialities include pizzas made from brewers yeast, and spare ribs with honey and mandarin sauce. Serious beer lovers should ask about regular brewery tours (€5).
Cafes and restaurants ring the St Marien-kirche and the Markt; you’ll find more around the Binnenhafen. Pick up fresh food at Husum’s market ( Thu year-round plus Sat Mar-Dec), which has been held on the Markt since 1465.
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AT HOME WITH EMIL NOLDE
Bright flowers, stormy seas, red-lipped women with jaunty hats and impressionistic seaside watercolours: these are some of the recurring themes of great Schleswig-Holstein painter Emil Nolde. Born in 1867 in Nolde village near the Danish border (from whence he took his name), he first gained fame for producing postcards in which he gave mountains human features. In 1906, after spending much of his early life in Berlin, Munich and Karlsruhe, Nolde joined the expressionist group Die Brücke.
In 1927 Nolde and his wife Ada built their own home and studio in Seebüll. Here, banned from working by the Nazis, he proceeded to produce 1300 ‘unpainted pictures’ in secret. He died in 1956.
Nowadays Nolde is considered one of the great 20th-century watercolourists, and his work is found across Schleswig-Holstein (and far beyond), including in Kiel’s Kunsthalle, the Schleswig-Holstein Landesmuseum in Schleswig and the Museumsberg Flensburg.
By far the biggest and most impressive collection is in Nolde’s former atelier at Seebüll, now the Emil Nolde Stiftung ( 04664-983 930; www.nolde-stiftung.de; Neukirchen bei Seebüll; adult/child €8/3; 10am-6pm Apr-Nov, to 8pm Thu Jun-Sep). The exhibition is worth a half to whole day’s excursion, which is lucky because that’s what it will take you, depending on where you’re coming from. The closest train stations are Niebüll (15km from Seebüll) or Klanxbüll (8km from Seebüll), from where you can catch a taxi to Seebüll. Some buses (included in the admission price) run by Niebüller Verkehrsbetriebe ( 04661-980 8890; www.nvb-niebuell.de, in German) come from Niebüll via Klanxbüll, and from Westerland via Klanxbüll to the museum, but must be confirmed directly with the bus company at least one day ahead. By road, follow the B199 and then the B5 from Niebüll.
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Getting There & Around
There are regular direct rail connections to Kiel (€15.20, 1½ hours), Hamburg (€31, two hours) and Schleswig (€6.80, 30 minutes), plus several links daily to Westerland on Sylt (€13.20, one hour).
From Nordstrand, Adler Schiffe ( 04842-900 00; www.adler-schiffe.de, in German) has boat trips to Amrum (€22.50 return) and Hörnum, Sylt (€26.50 return). Up to seven buses daily connect Husum with Nordstrand (€4.30, 43 minutes).
Husum has many bus connections with other towns in North Friesland, but service is sporadic to say the least. For timetables, contact Autokraft ( 0431-666 222; www.autokraft.de, in German).
Husum is at the crossroads of the B5, the B200 and the B201.
Bikes can be rented at the Bahnhof from Rad Station ( 805 550; per day from €4.50; 6.15am-6pm Mon-Fri & by appointment).
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NORTH FRISIAN ISLANDS
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With their grass-covered dunes, shifting sands, birds, seal colonies, lighthouses and rugged cliffs, you’d imagine Germany’s North Frisian Islands to be the domain of intrepid nature lovers. Instead, these North Sea islands are a favourite of the German jet set. On glamorous Sylt in particular, you’ll find designer boutiques housed in quintessential reed-thatched cottages, gleaming Porches and Mercedes jamming the car parks, luxurious accommodation and some of the country’s most extravagant restaurants.
Those with less cash to splash can still enjoy the pure sea air, especially in Sylt’s remoter corners. The islands of Amrum and Föhr are more peaceful still.
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