39
Above Mudflats at low tide, East
Frisia Below Exhibits in the Grosse
Kunstschau, WorpswedeDRIVE 1: Dramatic North Sea Coast
Eat and Drink: inexpensive, under €20; moderate, €20–€40; expensive, over €400 Cloppenburg
Lower Saxony; 49661
The market town of Cloppenburg
is famous for its interesting open-air
museum, Museumsdorf (open daily),
a re-creation of a medieval village.
Attractions include half-timbered
houses, windmills, and a small 17th-
century church. Also worth a visit
are the megalithic graves of Visbek
(04445 89 00 35; http://www.visbek.de)) to the
east of Cloppenburg, which date
from 3,500 to 1,800 BC. The main
attraction is the 263-ft (80-m) grave
known as Visbeker Bräutigam
(Visbek groom) and the 321-ft
(100-m) Visbeker Braut (bride).
ª Take the B72 and drive through
Aurich to join B210, then turn left,
taking B72 following signs to Norden.
Here, several ports serve as the
springboard to the Frisian Islands.
World Heritage Site. A popular
excursion here is the “Watt Walk” to the
wet lands that are formed when mud
is depo sited by tides. This tour by local
experts (Ostfriesland Tourism; Ledastrasse
10, 26789 Leer; http://www.ostfriesland-tourism.
com) includes an introduc tion to the
unique eco system. Tours on horse-
drawn carriages are also a delightful
way to explore this nature reserve.
The Moor und Fehnmuseum (closed
Mon), situated in Elisabethfehn, south-
east of the town of Leer, is also worth
a visit. The museum is dedi cated to
the extrac tion of peat and exhibits
the world’s largest plough.DAY TRIP OPTIONS
Centrally-located Bremen is a good
base for day trips along this route.A day in Lüneburg
Visit historic Lüneburg 1 , then
take a horse-drawn carriage tour
through Lüneburger Heide 2.From Bremen take the A1 in the direction
of Hamburg and then the A250 toLüneburg. Follow signs from Lüneburg.History beckons
Visit the art museums in Worpswede
7 and Fischerhude 8 and enjoy
exploring these scenic villages. Next,
stop at Bremerhaven 5 to take a
tour of its museums.From Bremen take the A27 to Ritterhude.
Follow instructions to Worpswede andFischerhude. Bremerhaven can be
reached via the A27.Island life
Spend a day relaxing at the beaches
of the East Frisian Islands q.From Bremen, take the A28 and B27 to
Norden-Norddeich where the coastal
road leads to the different ports with
access to the East Frisian Islands.EAT AND DRINKVERDEN AN DER ALLER
Pades expensive
Enjoy French, Italian, and regional food
in an old townhouse or in its backyard.
Grüne Strasse 15, 27283; 04231 30 60;
http://www.pades.de; closed MonCLOPPENBURG
Margaux moderate
This pleasant restaurant in Hotel
Schäfer serves top-class German
cuisine in a relaxed ambience.
Lange Strasse 66, 49661; 04471 24 84;
http://www.schaefers-hotel-cloppenburg.de;
closed Mon & TueEAST FRISIA AND THE EAST
FRISIAN ISLANDS
Kruse inexpensive
A congenial restaurant, Kruse serves a
great variety of high-quality local fish.
Anna Strasse 15–17, 26486
Wangerooge; 04469 14 14;
http://www.fischrestaurant-kruse.de
Weisse Düne moderate
The Weisse Düne serves typical island
specialities such as marinated crabs
with homemade dip and pickled
Matjes herring; Wiener Schnitzel (veal
coated in breadcrumbs) is also available.
Weisse Düne 1, 26548 Norderney;
04932 93 57 17; http://www.weisseduene.comhouses the Historisches Museum
(closed Mon), which displays exhibits
on the town’s history.
ª Take the minor road to Syke via
Thedinghausen. Follow signs to
Nordwohlde, turn ing right to
Harpstedt. Drive to Wildeshausen and
take the B213 to Cloppenburg. Follow
signs to the Museumsdorf.
q East Frisia and the
East Frisian Islands
Lower Saxony; 26506
With its unique landscape and lovely
beaches, East Frisia is a perfect place
to end a tour of northern Germany.
Meadows dotted with wind mills char-
acterize the country side. Along the
North Sea Coast extends the belt of
several East Frisian Islands: Norderney,
Baltrum, Langeoog, Spiekeroog, and
Wangerooge. All around them is
the Nationalpark Niedersächsisches
Wattenmeer, listed as a UNESCO