Near Heiligenhafen lies the Steinwarder peninsula and Graswarder, which was an island until 1954 and is now connected to Steinwarder forming a single peninsula. Long, fine sandy beaches face the Baltic Sea, while towards the mainland, so-called spits – sand strips and salt marshes – protect the lagoon behind them and the harbour entrance. At the beginning of the 20th century, with the rise of seaside resorts and bathing tourism, colourful, thatched houses were built directly in the dunes above the sandy beach. Read more