Making the most of Flensburg
Use these notes to shape a realistic day ashore, then confirm any time-sensitive information for the date of your call.
Arriving at the port
Ships berth at Harniskai, around 1.5 km from Flensburg's historic old town.
Turn right from the dock and walk north beside the harbor to 2 museums and a historic harbor. One is the Rum-Museum, detailing the period when Flensburg was Danish and rum was imported from the Danish West Indies. Most rum-houses that turned rum into a finished product no longer exist, but the museum shows their work.
Getting around
Travel around Germany is very easy: trains are comfortable, reliable, quick and reasonably priced, while the excellent roads make motorised transport a good touring option.
Germany's famous national motorway network is called the autobahnen. There is officially no general speed limit, though many sections have strictly enforced limits for safety and pollution control. If hiring a car, remain in the right lane except to pass; speeds of 200km or more are not unusual.
Taxis are reliable, but costly.
Food and shopping
Große Straße ("Big Street") stands out for its baroque, classical and renaissance facades, as well as its extensive range of exclusive and proprietary-run ladies' and men's outfitters. After shopping, take a break at Nordermarkt (Northern Market), with its many cafés and restaurants.
When weather permits, people in Flensburg often eat outdoors, preferably beside the water. Restaurants and cafés on both sides of the harbor serve fish dishes with excellent views and attractive patios.
At Nordermarkt (Northern Market), taverns and cafés cluster together. In summer, it is the place to see and be seen.
Historic, cozy restaurants, taverns and wine-houses serving specialities from around the world occupy courtyards, atriums and back alleys of the pedestrian district, on either side of the streets through to Rote Straße (Red Street) at Südermarkt (South Market). Try the famed Flensburger Draft Beer or a glass of fine wine.
Notable purchases include precision optical equipment such as binoculars and cameras, porcelain, handmade crystal, silver, steel ware, Solingen knives, leather wear, sports equipment, Nuremberg toys and Bavarian Loden cloth. Eastern Germany also offers musical instruments, wooden carved Erzgebirge Mountains toys and Meissen china.
Germany has widely available snacks (Schnellimbiss), particularly Bock wurst (boiled sausage), Bratwurst (grilled sausage) and Curry wurst (spiced sausage), together with fries and hamburgers.
German fast food is inexpensive, filling and varied, with sausage stands, imbisses and specialist stalls offering many choices. Much is of Turkish origin and popular for being cheap and healthy. The favourite Turkish fast food is the Doner Kebab: a thick pita, usually filled with chicken or beef and accompanied by fresh French fries and salad.
Money
The currency is the Euro. ATM machines are plentiful.
Ask smaller establishments first whether they accept Credit Cards.
Staying connected
German spoken. Germans are considered punctual, disciplined and, not least, somewhat formal. German has two forms for you: "Du" is less formal and "Sie" more formal. With unfamiliar people, almost always use "Sie" and their last name.
For emergencies, dial 110 for Police, or 112 for Fire or Ambulance.
Most cafes provide free WiFi.
Opening Hours and
Stores must close by 8 p.m., with some shutting as early as 6:30 p.m. On Saturdays, shops close at 1 or 2 p.m., although most in major city centers remain open until 2 or 4 p.m.
All stores close on Sundays, apart from some bakeries open on sunday morning.