Borkum is the largest of the East Frisian Islands—but that doesn’t mean life here moves any faster. From the harbor, a small train chugs its way into the town center, a ride just as unhurried as the island itself. If that feels too slow-paced, there’s a handy signpost in town showing exactly how far it is to anywhere else in the world.

The island’s most famous landmark is impossible to miss. "The New Lighthouse", they call it, though it’s been standing for over 140 years. No matter where you are on Borkum, chances are it will find its way into your view. But if you turn your back to it and walk northwest through the rolling dunes, you’ll eventually reach a green-striped border post. This is Germany’s northwesternmost point. Beyond here, there’s nothing but the sea.

But why go any further? Borkum has everything a North Sea island needs: dunes, beaches, and a salty breeze. If you let yourself drift, you’ll realize the island has just the right plan for you—to do nothing in a hurry, to simply be.