September 22, 2026, 7:47 pm | Read time: 4 minutes
On September 22, 2026, the TRAVELBOOK Award was presented in Berlin for the fifth time. One of this year’s categories: the most beautiful village in Germany–and thus a trending travel destination for the coming year. Five picturesque candidates were in the running. In the end, Nieblum on the North Frisian island of Föhr won with over 31 percent of the votes cast.
Nieblum on Föhr
The picturesque village of Nieblum is located in the south of the North Frisian island of Föhr–and according to its info page, it is “probably the most beautiful village” on the island, a “Frisian village like something out of a picture book.” Various awards support this praise. In addition to its charming village scenery, Nieblum is also a recognized seaside resort.
Not far from the 7.86-square-kilometer village is the incorporated district of Goting, and the beaches are also close to Nieblum. The village has about 600 residents, but its former inhabitants remain part of the village thanks to the so-called “talking gravestones.” The name Nieblum, which is Frisian for Njiblem, means “New Settlement” according to the North Frisian Föhr-Amrum administrative office.
What Makes Nieblum So Special
Once home to seafarers, Nieblum is still characterized by charming, thatched-roof captain’s houses. The stories of long-deceased whalers and other seafaring adventurers can be read directly on site, in the cemeteries of the talking gravestones. They are called this because the stories of the deceased are immortalized in sometimes epic detail directly on the gravestones. The Romanesque island church of St. Johannis, adjacent to one of these three cemeteries, is also impressive. Built around 1150, it remains a symbol of the Christianization of the region.
The village of Nieblum on Föhr is crisscrossed by cobblestone streets lined with impressive linden trees. The beauty of Nieblum is further enhanced by a sea of flowers in rose gardens, complemented by the sea and wide white sandy beaches, dotted with blue, white, and red beach chairs in the south of the village. It’s no wonder the island’s residents rave about Nieblum as the “Pearl of the North Sea” on their info page.
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What to Experience in Nieblum
First-time visitors to Nieblum have much to discover. All the beautiful small and large details that put Nieblum on the radar for this year’s TRAVELBOOK Award for the most beautiful village in Germany. Once you’ve taken enough photos of the linden avenues and thatched houses and delved into the life stories of the seafarers, Nieblum offers a range of other activities to pass the time. In the village center, for example, there are art galleries, boutiques, and other small shops for island visitors to browse. There are also a few dining establishments.
A main reason for visiting, besides the village of Nieblum itself, is certainly the beach for many visitors. From Nieblum’s village center, it’s just a ten-minute walk to the nearly six-kilometer-long main beach. It offers space for walking, swimming, and playing. There are the classic beach chairs, as well as a children’s playground. You can also try surfing and windsurfing here. The Nieblum water sports school offers lessons. There’s also a section for flying kites on the beach. Additionally, there are two dog beaches and a nudist beach nearby.
Besides beach life, Nieblum is also a popular place for golfing. According to the administrative office’s website, Nieblum has “one of the most well-maintained 18-hole golf courses in Germany.” There are also opportunities for cycling and horseback riding in and around the village.
For all the information on the other contenders for the title of Germany’s most beautiful village, visit TRAVELBOOK.
Methodology for the TRAVELBOOK Award
Again this year, we say: All nominated regions, countries, and the like for the TRAVELBOOK Award are already winners. Even if, unlike Nieblum, they didn’t achieve overall victory. Because: Every hidden gem travel destination has already made it to the shortlist in advance, meaning it was selected from a large number of contenders in a category.
Also interesting: Who would enjoy a vacation on Föhr
The TRAVELBOOK editorial team sought help from the community on Facebook and Instagram and consulted experts from the travel industry to create the shortlist. For the first time this year, not only TRAVELBOOK readers but also BILD readers voted. In total, more than 150,000 votes were cast to determine the trending travel destinations for 2027.