A small brick building with a gabled roof and a cross, surrounded by green plants and a small lawn. A house covered in green ivy stands against a blue sky, with a wooden bench in the foreground.
Germany

Baltrum: The Island with the Bell

Blending In, Standing Out: Zum Seehund.
 Baltrum, Germany, July 2022

On a cloudy summer day, the ferry rocked gently as it carried me toward the island of Baltrum. As we approached the dock, I was greeted by a waving welcome committee—whether official or not, Baltrum is undeniably a friendly place.

The village is a collection of red brick houses and red brick paths, with a small red brick church at its heart. Right next to it, perched on a simple wooden frame, stands the island bell—Baltrum’s only landmark that isn’t made of brick. There isn’t much more to the town, but honestly, that’s all it needs.

The island’s name is a mystery, though some joke that it comes from how quickly you’ll be “bald rum” (soon done) with exploring it. But that turns out to be misleading. With nearly 15 kilometers of sand and dunes, circling the smallest inhabited East Frisian island is no task for the impatient. Here, you walk slowly—because there’s simply no reason to do otherwise.

As I board the ferry back, I see people waving from the dock again. Or maybe I just imagined it, to give this story a fitting ending. It doesn’t really matter. On Baltrum, it just feels right.

Map of Baltrum
A large ship with an orange superstructure is docked in the harbor, surrounded by gray water and a cloudy sky.
A sailboat glides over calm water near a green navigation buoy, under a cloudy sky.
A group of people stands on a gravel-covered jetty near a red navigation buoy, with a beach visible in the background.
Green meadow with scattered grass, a row of houses with red roofs in the background under a cloudy sky.
A two-story red brick house with a sloping roof, surrounded by lush greenery and a well-kept garden.
A small brick building with a gabled roof and a cross, surrounded by green plants and a small lawn.
The Old Church on Baltrum, built in 1826, is the island’s smallest but most historic place of worship. Next to it stands the simple wooden bell tower.
A red brick building with a gabled roof, surrounded by a paved path and green shrubs leading to the entrance door.
View of the church interior with blue pews, an altar in the center, and a chandelier hanging from the ceiling.
A small hill with a tall metal signal mast on top, surrounded by green grass and a cloudy sky.
A promenade with cyclists, a group of people by the sea, and gray clouds in the sky.
People walk along the beach as waves hit the sandy shore. Colorful beach cabins line up in the background.
A house covered in green ivy stands against a blue sky, with a wooden bench in the foreground.
On Baltrum, the ivy-covered restaurant 'Zum Seehund' has become part of the island’s landscape. A favorite stop for visitors, it blends into its surroundings as if nature itself had built it.
Red brick houses with gabled roofs and a church tower featuring a clock and weathervane under a cloudy sky.
The Inselkirche on Baltrum, built in 1930, stands tall among the island’s red-brick houses.
Two brick ramps lead from a paved path to a wide, open landscape featuring sky and water.
A white beach chair sits on a paved path, surrounded by green grass and a gray sky filled with clouds.
A brick walkway leads to a red brick building with balconies. Trees and a wooden structure are in the foreground.
A red brick tower with a clock face is surrounded by shrubs and trees under a cloudy sky.
The Inselkirche on Baltrum, built in 1930, is the island’s main church. Its simple brick design and tall clock tower make it a defining feature of the village.
A group of people stands on a stone jetty, waving at the camera, with a red lighthouse signal and the sea behind them.