Villas in North Sea

Norddeich, Butjadingen and Büsum suit families who like tidal flats and cycling, but on this coast swimming depends on the tide. East Frisia around Norden has the most choice and ferries to Norderney and Juist. Cuxhaven is the easiest drive from Hamburg, and Dagebüll and Nordstrand lead to the North Frisian islands. Archsum is on Sylt.

Where

Villas: 1,087
From, per week: £162
Cheapest month: November
Nearest airports: Hamburg has the most flights from London, at about an hour and a half, and suits Cuxhaven, Büsum and North Frisia. Bremen, with flights from London Stansted, is closer for Butjadingen and East Frisia. Amsterdam Schiphol is another option for East Frisia, around three hours' drive from Norden.

Where to stay in North Sea

Norddeich, Norden and Greetsiel (East Frisia)

This is our biggest cluster on the North Sea, with Norddeich, Norden and Hage close together and Marienhafe a few minutes inland. Norddeich has a grassy beach behind the dyke, a seal station and the ferries to Norderney and Juist. Greetsiel, about 20 minutes south-west, is a fishing village with twin windmills and shrimp boats in the harbour. Bremen airport is around two hours away; Hamburg nearer three.

Best for: Families who want island day trips and plenty of choice

Not for you if: You want a beach you can swim from at any time: at low tide the sea goes out a long way.

Butjadingen (Burhave, Tossens, Fedderwardersiel)

A flat peninsula between the Jade Bay and the Weser estuary, with a lot of holiday homes for its size. Burhave and Tossens have sandy beaches in front of the sea wall, and swimming works best around high tide. Fedderwardersiel is a tiny harbour with shrimp boats and summer trips out to the seal banks. Bremen airport is around an hour and a quarter by car.

Best for: Families on a budget who want a quiet peninsula and flat cycling

Not for you if: You want dunes and open sea: the beaches here are sandy strips laid in front of the dyke, facing mudflats.

Harlingerland and Wangerland (Bensersiel, Nessmersiel, Esens, Horumersiel, Wilhelmshaven)

A string of small harbour villages; the 'siel' in their names refers to the old sluice gates in the dyke. Nessmersiel has the boat to Baltrum and Bensersiel the ferry to car-free Langeoog, with Esens, Westerholt and Altfunnixsiel just inland. Horumersiel and Friederikensiel in the Wangerland have sandy beaches. Wilhelmshaven, at the eastern end, is a naval port with a waterfront promenade and an aquarium. Bremen airport is under two hours away.

Best for: Families who want small harbours and ferries to the quieter islands

Not for you if: You want nightlife or big-town shopping: apart from Wilhelmshaven, these are small harbour villages.

Cuxhaven and Land Wursten (Dorum, Osterbruch, Wingst)

Cuxhaven sits at the mouth of the Elbe, and container ships pass close to the Alte Liebe pier. At low tide you can cross the mudflats from Duhnen or Sahlenburg to the island of Neuwerk on foot with a guide, or by horse-drawn carriage. Dorum is a quieter village with its own small beach. Osterbruch is inland near Otterndorf, and the Wingst has wooded hills and a zoo. Hamburg airport is under two hours away.

Best for: Families who want the shortest drive from Hamburg and ships to watch

Not for you if: You want a quiet beach in August: Duhnen and Döse get very busy on summer weekends.

Büsum and Friedrichskoog (Dithmarschen)

Büsum is a working shrimp port as well as a resort, with a long beach along the dyke and summer boats to Heligoland. Friedrichskoog, around 20 minutes south, has a seal station that rears orphaned pups, and the flat marsh roads here are easy cycling. Hamburg airport is around an hour and a half away.

Best for: Families who want a seaside town with a harbour and seals

Not for you if: You want natural dunes: Büsum's beach is a grassy dyke with a sandy section, facing tidal flats.

North Frisia (Dagebüll, Nordstrand and Archsum on Sylt)

Dagebüll is a ferry port more than a resort, with boats to Föhr, Amrum and the Halligen, tiny islands without dykes that flood in winter storms. Nordstrand is a former island now joined to the mainland by a causeway, with sheep on the dykes. Archsum is a quiet village on the east side of Sylt, reached by car train from Niebüll; Westerland's beaches are around 15 minutes away. Hamburg is around two and a half hours from Dagebüll.

Best for: Island hoppers who want Sylt, Föhr and the Halligen

Not for you if: You want easy logistics: island trips need ferry or car-train bookings in summer.

When to go to North Sea

July and August are the warmest and busiest months, especially during German school holidays, which are staggered by state from late June to mid-September. June and September are calmer, and June has very long evenings. The North Sea is cool and the weather changes fast, so pack for wind and rain in any month. From November to March island ferries and boat trips run less often and some cafés close, but the towns stay open and rates are at their lowest.