If you love the wind and the sea, outdoor activities and the charm of a small city, there’s no better place to go than Flensburg in northern Germany near the Danish border. In this quaint town of red-brick houses on a green campus by the sea, studying will be a breeze!
Facts
89,934 Inhabitants ¹
9,899 Students ²
2 Higher education institutions ²
WELCOME TO FLENSBURG
Flensburg is situated directly on the Baltic Sea in the state of Schleswig-Holstein. It’s one of the northernmost cities in Germany. The only city further north and even closer to Denmark is Glücksburg. Flensburg is a big beer-producing town. In fact, Flensburger beer is one of the most popular in Germany.
The city still bears the traces of its long maritime history. In the district of Flensburg-Mürwik there used to be a marine base where products from around the globe found their way to northern Germany. Rum, for example! The Rum Museum located in the basement of the Maritime Museum presents the history of Flensburg’s rum trade that goes back many centuries. Before the Braasch Rum-Making Museum on Rote Strasse opened in 2014, the Rum Museum had been the only one of its kind in Germany.
Cross-border tourism with Denmark is very important to Flensburg’s economy. In fact, in 2008 the city installed bilingual street and place signs all over town, and Danish is taught as a second foreign language in school after English.
The architectural style in northern Germany is very different from that of Munich, for example. Especially along the east shore on Sankt-Jürgen-Strasse, you’ll see many small, Scandinavian-looking houses. And along the Wrangelstrasse, you’ll find a number of impressive 19th-century villas.
Tip
It’s always nice taking a walk down Norderstrasse. In front of the Danish Central Library, you can see shoes hanging from a string attached to the front of the buildings. It’s called “shoefiti” (a combination of “shoe” and “graffiti”), a trend that comes from the USA.
Northern Germany is frequently described as “flatland”, but there are several streets in Flensburg which are quite steep and will challenge even the hardiest biker. The road leading to the , for example, is pretty tough, but the view at the top is certainly worth the trouble.
Interview
SHOAIB FROM INDIA
LIVING IN FLENSBURG
Surfing, swimming, fish sandwiches – Flensburg is a popular holiday destination, something you’ll definitely notice in the summertime. With the seagulls flying overhead, you can feel the fresh breeze coming in from the sea which gives the city a pleasant feeling of freedom. There are three main beaches in Flensburg: the Ostseebad, the Strandbad Solitüde and the Fahrensodde near a small yacht harbour.
Many young people spend their time there and in town. There are numerous shops and nice cafés in Flensburg which make the city even more attractive. The trend in Flensburg is to buy locally produced clothing, food and accessories. You can find many self-made articles for sale at certain shops in the city.
You should make an effort (i.e. wake up a little earlier!) to go to the weekly market held at the Südermarkt downtown every Wednesday and Saturday. Maybe a fresh-squeezed fruit juice will help you get through the day. Are you interested in cultural events? There’s a vibrant theatre scene in Flensburg with numerous performances at the and the .
The sports programmes of the higher education institutions offer a wide range of courses such as boxing, football or even kitesurfing. You could also go to the Solitüde Beach and rent a stand-up paddle board (SUP) for a few hours. After that, you might like to look for starfish along the pier. Flensburg organises various festivals throughout the year, like the in November, the „Dockyard Festival“ with concerts and the „Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival“.
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