'This is as real as a paradise can get.,
Roman Polanski, a controversial and acclaimed director who has given the viewers movie treats like 'Chinatown' and 'The Pianist', used these words to express his feelings about the natural scenery on and around the island of Sylt, where he has shot at least three of his many feature films.
As many tourists would already know, Germany is not really known for its beaches, as there are not too many beaches or beach towns that the country can boast of having. Sylt, however, comes as a splendidly odd exception.
Located in the northern parts of the country's geographical existence (it is, in fact, the northern most part of Germany), Sylt is an administrative province that falls under the jurisdiction of Nordfriesland District in the region of North Frisia. The seas that it lies in, hence, are occasionally referred to as Frisian Seas or Frisian Waters.
The most distinctive feature of the island of Sylt that also acts as its largest claim to tourism fame is its eccentric and uneven shape. The largest beach stretch that this island is blessed with measures about 26 miles, and is known as the best beach in the region.
Sylt, although not quite a tourism hub like Mauritius or Ibiza, is still a decently popular tourist destination, particularly for German citizens. It also doubles up as a resort city and a weekend gateaway for many European revellers in the region.
This articles is intended to review the status of accommodation facilities in Sylt, for the benefit of our readers.
Affordable Hotel Options in Sylt
To be perfectly blunt, without any hint of euphemism or trickery, it must be put on record here that Sylt does not have too many cheap hotels that tourists can stay at in order to save on their travel expenses.
Most of the hotels in Sylt are either holiday rentals or luxury resorts that cannot, by any stretch of imagination whatsoever, be counted amongst cheap hotels.
So, if you are planning on traveling to Sylt in near future, make sure that you have enough funds allotted to your accommodation expenses, for you will be needing all the backing you can get!
Luxury Resorts and Spas in Sylt
Okay, now that we have the burning issue of finding a fairly priced hotel in Sylt out of the way, we can discuss luxury hotel and resort options. It's much easier to find one here in Sylt, because that's pretty much the only kind that's available.
Sylt is most widely known as the resort town, and hence, when you actually land here in Sylt, the first sight that will take you by surprise will be that of umpteen resort options that you can avail of (of course, at sky-high prices!).
Among these various options, two of the most famous and heritage luxury hotels in Sylt are: Westerland and Wenningstedt-Braderup.
Westerland Resort, in itself, is much more than just a place of lodging. For decades, it has been the hub of tourism in the region, an important administrative center, a prominent travel and transport junction and a landmark that you simply cannot miss when you are in Sylt.
Wenningstedt-Braderup is much similar to Westerland, however, somewhat shorter in stature and popularity. In recent years, it has started attracting a lot of tourism in the municipality of Wenningstedt-Braderup, thanks to a number of modern renovations and implementation of aqua-centric parks.
Among other lavish Sylt hotels Landhaus Stricker, Budersand Hotel and Spa, Kampen, Alte Strandvogtei and Faehrhaus Sylt are notable because of their popularity among tourists and overall industry reputation they enjoy.
Must See/do Things in Sylt
Sylt is quite unlike other tropical tourism-centric island tourists usually prefer. It is, for starters, located in a relatively colder part of the country, making it impossible to travel there during winter months. So, whatever warmth that brief summer months provide, tourism in Sylt is forced to make the most of.
Among many sights and attractions that Sylt offers its visitors, two of the most prominent are Sylt Aquarium and Syltness Center.
Sylt Aquarium is the largest marine specimen collection in all of Germany, and is visited by more than 500,000 visitors every year. A diverse collection of marine life from all parts of the worlds makes for a wonderful viewing and observation. If you have children accompanying you, so much the better, as many educational tours allow children to learn about marine biodiversity and conservation in a very engaging manner.
Syltness Center is the local hub of natural hot water springs that are purported to carry many physical benefits and healing properties.
Uwe Dune is a prominent dune of land that, from its very top, offers breath-taking views of the North Seas and the whole of the island. A trip to Uwe Dune can be capped by enjoying a number of local delicacies that street food vendors along the way have ready for visitors.
Pious tourists and those who take special interest in art and architecture should make it a point to visit the Kirche St Severin, located in Keitum. It is a marvellous piece of Germanic architecture, branded with that trademark peace and tranquillity one can find only at places of worship.
Things to Remember While Sightseeing in Sylt
Sylt is a pleasure for all the senses, and hence, the only thing you need to remember while visiting Sylt is to enjoy it to your fullest.
Instead of getting trapped in commercial attractions, the best way to enjoy a gorgeously serene island like Sylt is to devote much of your time to exploring the outdoors along with the local culture.
If you have even the slightest of understanding of German language, you will find it very easy to hop around sights in Sylt.
Traveling Locally in Sylt
Sylt has an efficient local bus and ferry transport network that can take care of all of your local travel plans and needs.
That said, it must be remembered that the best way to get around in Sylt is by renting bicycles on an hourly basis. You can inquire for the details with your hotel management, as most Sylt hotels do provide specially fared bicycles on rent!