Germany special: 24 Hours In Sylt
Walk, cycle and visit a Second World War bunker for coffee and cakes on the largest of these North Sea islands
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8.30: Breakfast on herring, tiny brown shrimps and pumpernickel. You'll find these on the buffets at arguably the loveliest two hotels on the island: the Fährhaus (00 49 4651 93970; faehrhaus-sylt.de), in the marshy village of Munkmarsch, and its sister property, the Aarnhoog (00 49 4651 3990; aarnhoog.de) in Keitum. The former is an elegant whitewashed building dating back to 1869 and overlooking a yacht-filled harbour, while the latter is a typically Friesian redbrick manor house with modern-rococo interiors. At the Führhaus, double rooms start at €95 (£67) with breakfast, while doubles at the Aarnhoog start from €230 (£164), with breakfast.
On your bike
10.00: By far the best way to explore Sylt is on a bicycle (they're available for hire in every village, and most hotels provide them). There are superb, properly surfaced cycle lanes, separate and often some distance from the roads they run parallel to. If the wind is against you, or if you just can't be bothered to pedal back, the buses have cycle racks fitted at the back. Head north towards List, and the island's biggest sand dune.
Time for lunch
13.00: In List, you'll find Gosch (00 49 4651 237 45), the flagship of what's become a chain of fish shop-cum-cafés, whose motto - "Fisch macht schlank und fit!" (fish makes you thin and fit) - ought to be reason enough to drop in for lunch. Its interior has a slightly demented nautical theme, but it serves every which way with salmon, herring and crab as well as snacks such as rösti topped with shrimps and matjes rolls. There are also branches in Westerland and Wenningstedt, but this is the most attractive one to sit in - and the busiest.
Climb a dune
14.30: Walk off lunch by climbing one or both of the island's biggest dunes. The Wanderdüne , near List, is the highest (though it's only 52m above sea level), and on a clear day affords views as far as Denmark. The Uwedüne, near Kampen, and close to the centre of the island, gives you a sense of its curious glider-like shape.
Hit the beach
15.00: Given the length of the sandy west coast, you can still find stretches of wild, almost deserted beach even in high summer, if you're prepared to walk a bit. But for an authentic German beach experience, stick to the popular stretches and rent a strandkorb for the afternoon. These are the hooded wicker seats, wide enough for two, with striped awnings to keep the sun off, or the wind out, and equipped with pull-out foot rests and tables for your book and a drink. The beaches are immaculate, thanks to a kurtax that all hotels are obliged to add to your bill and which is spent on raking the sand and clearing it of flotsam and litter. You'll be given a receipt that you should carry with you; otherwise you'll have to pay to gain access. It's also worth remembering that beaches labelled FKK are designated for naturists (though on Sylt they tend to keep their jewellery on).
If the weather turns...
16:00: The Sylter Heimatmuseum at Keitum, Am Kliff 19 (00 49 4651 32805) is an engaging way to pass the time. It's a fine sea captain's residence, thatched and whitewashed, with the black-edged windows typical of the island and furnished as it would have been when it was built in 1739 - all box beds, Shaker-style, built-in furniture, and tiled walls and old stoves. Even if you don't want to go in, the exterior is worth a look, not least the gate made from two gigantic whale ribs. Alternatively, try the Altfriesisches Haus, Am Kliff 13 (00 49 4651 31101), an eclectic display of stuffed fish, prehistoric arrowheads, knots and other folksy ephemera.
Kaffee und Küchen
17.00: The village of Kampen is not just designer shopping central, it's also home to Die Kupferkanne on Stapelhooger Wai (00 49 4651 41010), an eccentrically tricked-out labyrinthine Second World War bunker-turned-tearoom that serves a good line in exotic teas, as well as excellent coffee and cheesecake.
Ready for fish supper
20.00: Sylt's three temples to gastronomy are the long-established Jörg Müller (00 49 4651 836440) in Westerland; Bodendorf's (00 49 4651 88990) at the Landhaus Stricker hotel ( www.landhaus-stricker.de) the newest on the island at Ortsteil Tinnum; and the Fährhaus. The latter specialises in traditional Friesian dishes and has a Stube (literally "room") next door serving food from the same kitchens at a fraction of the cost.
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