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Cuxhaven has something special to suit all tastes. Look forward to relaxing sunny days in Cuxhaven. Explore its beach and the Wadden Sea mud flats and gaze in awe at the spectacular backdrop of the inland heathlands. You can also admire historical monuments, visit exciting museums and savour some freshly caught fish. The B&B HOTEL Cuxhaven provides a comfortable stay near the town centre. Here’s why you should spend your next holiday in Cuxhaven:
There’s no shortage of exciting places and phenomenal views in Cuxhaven. Attractions are best admired from an elevated vantage point. The two-storey "Alte Liebe" viewing deck affords fabulous views of the town, the seascape, the beaches and the mouth of the Elbe river. Then, you can head off to see the Kugelbake on Cuxhaven-Döse beach. This large wooden structure was once a navigation aid for seafarers. The nearby Kurpark-Zoo is home to around 200 different animals. At the old fishing harbour [alte Fischereihafen], you can watch shrimp-fishing boats come into the town. Or head for the Marina to admire around 160 boats and yachts. This is also the departure point for boat tours around the harbour, to the seal colonies and to the island of Helgoland.
As part of a guided tour, you can explore the history-steeped Hapag Hall and visit the adjacent Steubenhöft pier with its fascinating emigration museum [Auswanderer-Museum]. There, you can discover more about the history of German fortune-seekers who sailed from Cuxhaven all the way to the US in centuries gone by. One major Cuxhaven attraction is "Windstärke 10". This museum of shipwrecks and fishing is a hard-hitting demonstration of the challenges inherent in seafaring. Also worth seeing is the penguin museum [Pinguin-Museum]. With its 11,000 penguin-related exhibits, it holds the world record in the Guinness Book of Records.
If you’d like to take in some Cuxhaven sea air, there are five beaches to choose from. One of Cuxhaven’s beaches is in Duhnen, right on the spa promenade [Kurpromenade]. To mix things up a bit, you can stroll around the shops on the promenade, visit the VHG stadium (which hosts beach sports tournaments) or have a spa therapy treatment at the Ahoi! spa complex. Families keen to go to the beach in Cuxhaven can head to the Kugelbake and admire the view over the mouth of the Elbe river. Little ones can enjoy exploring the play area on the grassy waterfront in Altenbruch. For longer beachfront walks in Cuxhaven, there’s the Grimmershörn stretch. Cuxhaven’s beaches offer a vast range of activities for watersports fans. The sandy beach in Sahlenburg offers perfect conditions for surfers. For those holidaying with a dog in tow, it’s best to head to Altenbruch, Grimmershörn or Sahlenburg, where there are dog beaches.
The UNESCO World Heritage-listed Wadden Sea is right beside Cuxhaven, so it’s well worth going walking amid the tidelands in Cuxhaven. It can take you as far afield as Hamburg, since Cuxhaven Neuwerk is part of the Hanseatic League city. The lighthouse in Cuxhaven Neuwerk is Hamburg’s oldest brick construction. However, you should only embark on this 12 km excursion with an official tidelands guide, since the tides can be treacherous. One insider tip for those holidaying in Cuxhaven is a horse-drawn tidelands carriage ride to Cuxhaven Neuwerk. You can get back to Cuxhaven easily by boat. One of Cuxhaven’s best events is the Duhnen tidelands race. For over 100 years, equestrian fans have been coming to Cuxhaven waterfront to watch horse and carriage racing. You can go on a horseback ride from Cuxhaven, too. Ride through the tidelands or explore the inland heathland and moorland. These routes in Cuxhaven are also perfect for long walks or for a holiday with a dog in tow. An excursion into the Wernerwald forest right on the North Sea coast in Cuxhaven-Sahlenburg is not to be missed.
In northern Germany, so the saying goes, there’s no bad weather – just unsuitable clothing. Cuxhaven’s beaches are well worth a walk, even in the wind and rain. You can also enjoy the view of the sea and the endless tidelands landscape in Cuxhaven from the panoramic sauna at the Ahoi!-Bad spa. After your sauna, make yourself comfortable by the open fire. If you’re got children with you, they can look forward to a pool with a wave machine and a big waterslide. One of Cuxhaven’s best poor-weather attractions is the tidelands visitor centre [Watt-Besucherzentrum] in the district of Sahlenburg. The exhibition explains everything about the flora and fauna of the Wadden Sea, salt marshes and coastal heathlands. Other not-to-be-missed attractions in Cuxhaven include Schloss Ritzebüttel castle, the ‘Dicke Berta’ lighthouse and the Joachim-Ringelnatz-Museum.
To explore the attractions of Cuxhaven, we’d recommend comfortable footwear, since it’s best explored on foot. The walking tour route will take you through the town centre and its shopping streets, the painters’ quarter and the history-steeped Duhnen village centre, or to the captains’ villas [Kapitänsvillen] in Grimmershörn. On the way, you can enjoy smoked fish from an age-old smoker oven at the Wilhelm Steffens old town smokery in the harbour pilot district or try some street food in the Meinkenkai district. There, you’ll also find the Seeteufel restaurant, which is renowned far and wide for its fish specialties. Cuxhaven is easy to get around by public transport – and a pass of six tickets costs just 7.50 euros.
The spa town on the North Sea coast offers perfect conditions for a short break or longer holiday for singles, couples and families alike. You can get there easily by train or plane into Hamburg, or by car via the A1 and A27. The Flixbus also serves Cuxhaven. You can also get to Cuxhaven, its attractions and beaches by bike via the cycle paths along the river Elbe, river Weser and North Sea coast. Or you can board a catamaran in Hamburg or on the island of Sylt. Many roads lead to Cuxhaven – so go ahead and start planning your unforgettable holiday to Cuxhaven now. The B&B HOTEL Cuxhaven is the perfect base for excursions and strolls around Cuxhaven. We look forward to your visit!
The Alte Liebe is indeed old: The two-story wooden structure was built in 1733 - as a jetty and breakwater. Even today, ships depart from the Alte Liebe for the islands of Neuwerk and Helgoland and the seal banks. Above all, however, people meet on the Alte Liebe to marvel at the big "pots" from all over the world that pass very close by here.
Ritzebüttel Castle, dating from the 14th century, is one of the oldest surviving secular buildings in Lower Saxony. After a long period of renovation, the interior of the 600-year-old building has had a completely new and unusual appearance since the fall of 1996. In the stylishly restored rooms of the castle, concerts, cabaret events, readings, lectures and art exhibitions, among other things, take place. The festival halls can also be rented for private or corporate events. Ritzebüttel Castle is also a popular venue for wedding ceremonies.
The landmark of Cuxhaven - the Kugelbake
The Kugelbake, the landmark of the city of Cuxhaven, used to serve as an orientation aid for sailors. In the Middle Ages, the word "beacon" was the designation for sea marks. And indeed, the 29-meter-high, wooden Kugelbake was a geographically important point for seafaring, because it showed where the Elbe ends and the North Sea begins. For orientation purposes, a fire burned in the Kugelbake at night.
Today, the Kugelbake has lost its actual significance, as modern radar piloting has taken over its task. Nevertheless, the Kugelbake is still a popular destination for excursions, because it marks the northernmost point of Lower Saxony and is a protected monument.
The signal system from 1884, whose name comes from the Greek and means "sign bearer", indicated wind strength and wind direction to passing ships, at the islands of Borkum (B) and Helgoland (H).
The wind force and wind direction indicator is still adjusted daily according to the current weather reports. The arrows stand for the wind direction, the signal arms on the mast for the wind force.
