Blekinge & Småland, Sweden
The Swedish regions of Blekinge and Småland, together with the island of Öland and its many holiday apartments on the Baltic coast, offer plenty of opportunities for active holidays and family breaks.
Baltic Sea Regions: Coasts, Islands and Destinations
Baltic Sea Regions
Bornholm, Denmark
In a very small area, the island of Bornholm brings together almost the entire spectrum of Scandinavian nature. The main town of Rønne is a gateway via one of the largest ferry ports on the Baltic Sea and the airport. With their healthy, invigorating climate, Baltic islands such as Bornholm are becoming a popular destination for anyone looking to support their wellbeing.
Eastern Jutland, Denmark
Eastern Jutland stretches along the coast from the Djursland peninsula to Horsens Fjord, on the Danish Baltic coast of the Kattegat, and as far as the Great Belt. The Eastern Jutland region includes several well-known Danish holiday towns, including Randers, Aarhus and Horsens.
Estonia
Estonia is the northernmost of the three Baltic republics. Its Baltic coast marks the transition from the Gulf of Finland to the Gulf of Riga. With the capital Tallinn, the two large Baltic islands of Saaremaa and Hiiumaa, and the seaside resort of Pärnu, Estonia offers important tourist destinations.
Finland’s West Coast
A holiday in western Finland on the Baltic Sea is an insider tip. The combination of cities such as Oulu, Kemi, Vaasa and Turku with an exceptionally appealing landscape of numerous small islands, inland lakes and secluded beaches makes Finland’s west coast a popular Baltic Sea holiday destination for the whole family.
Fischland-Darß-Zingst
Fischland-Darß-Zingst brings together Baltic Sea beaches, Bodden lagoons, Darß Forest and artists’ towns. Information about the towns, nature and day trips helps you plan your holiday.
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Funen–Langeland, Denmark
The Baltic Sea island of Funen, together with its neighboring islands of Tåsinge, Langeland and Ærø, is one of the most important holiday destinations on the Danish Baltic coast. Bridges and ferries connect the island with its neighbors Zealand, Langeland, Jutland and Als.
Gothenburg & Bohuslän, Sweden
Sweden’s west coast, with the holiday destination of Bohuslän, lies north of Gothenburg, where the Kattegat coastline continues from the Baltic Sea. This popular Swedish holiday region offers holiday apartments, hotels, campsites and opportunities for water sports.
Halland & Skåne, Sweden
Skåne and Halland cover the southern stretch of Sweden’s coastline, with numerous holiday resorts and vacation centers. Hotels, holiday apartments and campsites are characteristic of the region.
Island of Rügen
Germany’s largest island, Rügen, lies off the Pomeranian Baltic coast. The eastern half of the island is the most interesting in terms of scenery and tourism, with its hilly terrain home to most of the island’s sights and seaside resorts.
Kaliningrad Oblast, Russia
This region came into being as a result of the Second World War. The former Prussian province of East Prussia was divided between Poland and the Soviet Union. Kaliningrad Oblast comprises roughly the northern third of the former East Prussia. With an area of about 15,000 square kilometres and just under 1 million inhabitants, it is Russia’s smallest oblast and slightly smaller than Schleswig-Holstein.
Latvia
Estonia is the middle one of the three Baltic republics. Its 500-kilometer coastline on the Baltic Sea takes many forms, with old fishing villages and elegant seaside resorts defining the area. Latvia, a traditional meeting place of cultures in the Baltic region, is a tourism hotspot in northeastern Europe.
Lithuania
Lithuania is the southernmost of the three Baltic countries. Its Baltic coastline stretches for just under 100 kilometres, from the well-known seaside resort of Palanga in the north, past the port city of Klaipeda, to the Curonian Spit in the south. The inland region, with its diverse natural landscapes and cultural attractions, also offers numerous appealing destinations.
Lolland-Falster-Møn, Denmark
The three Danish islands of Lolland, Falster and Møn lie south of the largest island, Zealand. While Lolland and Falster are transport hubs, Møn is the classic holiday island, known for its chalk cliffs.
Mecklenburg
The areas close to the Baltic Sea stretch from Lübeck Bay in the west to the Pomeranian border on Fischland, part of the Fischland-Darß-Zingst peninsula. Mecklenburg’s largest city is the Hanseatic city of Rostock. The sandy beach and wooded hinterland are ideal for an active holiday.
Norrland, Sweden
All of northern Sweden borders the Baltic Sea, along the Gulf of Bothnia. Numerous coastal towns and attractive natural scenery, with rocky shores and archipelagos, define this Swedish Baltic holiday region.
North Jutland, Denmark
The northern part of the Jutland peninsula is not only home to Denmark’s northernmost point; it is also where the Baltic Sea begins for everyone approaching from the west. Under a definition newly established in 2014, Cape Skagen separates the Skagerrak, a sea area in the North Sea, from the Kattegat, the northwesternmost part of the Baltic Sea.
Östergötland–Gotland, Sweden
Situated between Småland and the Stockholm Archipelago, Östergötland offers numerous seaside resorts along Sweden’s Baltic coast. The island of Gotland is one of Sweden’s most popular Baltic holiday destinations.
Pomerania, Poland
The name of this Polish voivodeship comes from the historic region of Pomerania, which encompasses the entire Baltic coast and its hinterland, from the Darß-Zingst Peninsula to the Bay of Gdańsk. Today’s Polish Pomeranian Voivodeship was formerly also known as Pomerelia (Little Pomerania) and, between the two world wars, as West Prussia.
Southern Finland Coast
The southern Finnish coast borders the Gulf of Finland along its entire length, at the easternmost extent of the Baltic Sea. The coastline is exceptionally rugged and indented. Some 73,000 large and small rocky islands (skerries), each covering at least 500 square metres, form part of the nearly 40,000-kilometre coastline.
St. Petersburg Region, Russia
The city of St. Petersburg and its surroundings are among the most important tourist centers throughout the Baltic region. The city itself, with its historic buildings and palaces, is complemented by world-famous suburbs established during the tsarist era, many of which are now part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Stockholm, Sweden
Stockholm is not only the city itself on Lake Mälaren on Sweden’s Baltic coast, but also the center of one of the most important holiday regions along the entire Baltic coast.
Usedom Island
Usedom offers Imperial Resorts, wide beaches, the Achterland and day-trip destinations as far as Świnoujście. An overview for a Baltic Sea vacation.
Vorpommern and the Szczecin Lagoon
Vorpommern covers the area between Damgarten and Szczecin, including the former Hanseatic towns of Stralsund, Greifswald and Anklam, the seaside resort of Lubmin, the towns of Wolgast and Ueckermünde, and the holiday regions of Darß-Zingst, Rügen and Usedom.
Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, Poland
Only a small stretch of coastline along the shore of the Vistula Lagoon belongs to the Polish Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, whose capital is Olsztyn (Allenstein). This Baltic Sea lagoon is separated from the Baltic Sea by the Vistula Spit and has just one passage, now located on Russian territory near Baltijsk (Pillau).
West Pomerania, Poland
The western part of Poland’s Baltic coast, in the West Pomeranian Voivodeship (Województwo Zachodniopomorskie), corresponds to historic Farther Pomerania. The Baltic coast is characterized by wide sandy beaches, coastal forests, numerous coastal lakes and many seaside resorts. The center of Poland’s most important tourism region is Szczecin.
Zealand, Denmark
As the largest of the Danish Baltic Sea islands, Zealand combines the Copenhagen metropolitan area with a varied hinterland offering plenty of opportunities for active holidays, family breaks and holiday-home stays in Denmark.
Southern Jutland, Denmark
Southern Jutland comprises the Danish southern part of the Jutland peninsula (Jylland) as well as the island of Als. Its highly indented Baltic coast, with major towns including Haderslev (Hadersleben), Aabenraa (Abenrade) and Sønderborg (Sonderburg), is a popular tourist destination.
Schleswig
Every conceivable type of accommodation is available here: from farm holidays and campsites to youth hostels, guesthouses, small hotels, holiday homes and upscale luxury hotels. There is something to suit every kind of holiday.
Holstein
The Holstein coast and its hinterland are among the best-developed and most popular excursion regions in the entire Baltic Sea area. The triangle formed by Kiel, Lübeck and Fehmarn is also home to numerous sights from Holstein’s rich cultural history.
Map: Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 DE.
The Baltic Sea brings together wide sandy beaches, lagoon landscapes, island towns, harbors and Hanseatic cities. When planning a trip, the key question is less about choosing a well-known name and more about whether beach days, nature, cycling, a quiet island getaway or a city break is the priority.
Quick facts about Baltic Sea regions
- The German Baltic coast stretches from Lübeck Bay to Usedom.
- Rügen, Usedom, Fehmarn and Bornholm combine island towns with diverse coastal landscapes.
- In addition to seaside resorts, lagoons, cliffs, dunes and protected areas shape many travel destinations.
- Denmark, Sweden and Poland expand the options with more islands, port cities and coastal towns.
- Always check the latest information on ferries, seasonal services and rules in protected areas before setting off.
Choosing a region on the German Baltic coast
Those who appreciate short distances, promenades and plenty of options for day trips will find numerous seaside resorts in Holstein between Lübeck Bay and Fehmarn. Mecklenburg is a good choice for coastal scenery, harbor towns and the Mecklenburg Baltic coast. Fischland-Darß-Zingst combines long beaches with lagoon waters and smaller towns.
On Rügen, island towns, chalk cliffs, resort architecture and nature destinations are all close together. Usedom is a good fit for travelers looking to combine beach days with the Imperial Spas and excursions on both the German and Polish sides. For a specific choice, the pages for individual towns are more useful than broad promises about distances.
Islands and neighboring countries
The Baltic Sea offers a variety of travel experiences beyond Germany, too. Bornholm, Zealand and South Jutland open up Danish coastal and island destinations. In Sweden, there are Östergötland and Gotland; along the Polish coast, West Pomerania and Pomerania lead to more seaside resorts and coastal towns.
Practical planning
For beach days, choose a place with accommodation in a suitable location. Those who prefer to stay active can choose based on cycling routes, natural areas or activities on the water. For ferries, protected areas and weather-dependent activities, rely on the latest official information. For background on the state of the sea, visit the Helsinki Commission (HELCOM).
Frequently asked questions about Baltic Sea regions
Which region is best for a first Baltic Sea vacation?
A region offering beaches, amenities in town and options for day trips is often a practical choice. Whether Holstein, Mecklenburg, Rügen or Usedom is the better fit depends above all on how you travel there, where you want to stay and what kind of trip you have in mind.
What should I check before traveling?
For ferries, visits to protected areas and seasonal services, always refer to the latest official information provided by your destination.
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