So what now? Don’t worry, you won’t miss any of the highlights of Baltic Sea cuisine. Here you’ll find insider recommendations from Timmendorfer Strand and you might even discover a new favorite beach dish.

Try these Baltic Sea classics

The Baltic Sea offers a relaxed pace of life. Clocks tick a little slower here. The cuisine is down-to-earth, regional and often surprising. Michell shares a few classics that are a must on any visit to Timmendorfer Strand.

#1 Sea Buckthorn Dessert – Vitamin Sea Sweetness

Bright orange, tart and fresh, and rich in nutrients: sea buckthorn is one of the most characteristic wild fruits of the Baltic Sea coast. The thorny shrubs grow directly in the dunes, where they withstand wind, salt and weather – they are particularly common in Schleswig-Holstein and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. Sea buckthorn is harvested between the end of August and October, when the berries are plump and sun-ripened.

These little fruits are real energy boosters: they contain ten times as much vitamin C as lemons, as well as vitamins A, E, B12, and valuable omega-7 fatty acids.

“The orange power berry is tart but healthy. Whether in a mousse, parfait, or cake, it’s a superfood with coastal flair and a sweet Baltic Sea kick.” – Michell Meister

Sea buckthorn is popular as a dessert, juice, fruit spread or liqueur – and makes the perfect culinary souvenir. Important: When picking sea buckthorn, avoid protected areas and choose local products that have been processed sustainably.

Tip: You can buy sea buckthorn fruit puree from the organic fruit producer “Ostseelibe” in many supermarkets.

#2 Holsteiner Sauerfleisch – Coastal Meat Classic

“A pork dish in jelly, seasoned with vinegar, bay leaves and onions, served with fried potatoes and tartar sauce. Hearty, rustic, typical of Schleswig-Holstein,” says the hotel manager. “Why do people eat it? Because even meat lovers on the coast need something hearty – and sour meat just has a vintage vibe.”

#3 Red Fruit Jelly – Sweet North Love

This dessert is a very popular part of the cuisine on both the North Sea and Baltic coasts. Michell recalls, “In the old days, we just picked whatever was available: currants, raspberries, cherries. They were boiled down with sugar and served with milk or vanilla sauce. It was a reward after a hard day’s work – now it’s soul food for those with a sweet tooth.

#4 Beets and Turnips

Finally, a word about Baltic Sea vegetables: Potatoes (boiled and served with salt, they are called “tüften” here), swedes, carrots, parsnips, horseradish, and various types of cabbage grow in the Baltic Sea region – often in organic quality! Once relegated to the role of side dish, they are now the center of attention for plant-based eaters.

Eating fish in the Baltic Sea

For many people, a vacation at the Baltic Sea without a fish sandwich or a visit to a seafood restaurant is unthinkable. But be careful where you eat, and remember one important issue: overfishing.

Overfishing of the oceans and the Baltic Sea

In its report on global fisheries, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) found that 41 percent of the world’s fish stocks remain below “healthy” levels.

“Fisheries and aquaculture employ millions of people and feed billions more. But illegal fishing, overfishing and pollution threaten fish stocks and ecosystems.” – OECD

The Baltic Sea also suffers from overfishing, as does the North Sea, whose culinary delights we featured in this blog post. According to the WWF Fish Guide, current fishing laws are not sufficient to protect stocks in a sustainable way. Conversely, this means that we as consumers need to be careful about the fish we buy.

„”It is tragic that herring and mackerel continue to be heavily overfished in the Northeast Atlantic. The countries that fish there know the damage they are causing and are willing to accept the collapse of stocks for short-term profit. (…) As long as they continue on this destructive course, WWF advises against buying these fish.” – Mark Heuer, fisheries expert at WWF Germany

What fish from the Baltic Sea should you avoid eating? (according to WWF)

• Herring (from the North Sea is acceptable, but not from the Baltic Sea)
• Matjes (young, immature herring)
• Mackerel
• Eel (European eel is highly endangered.)
• Cod (only cod from Iceland is acceptable)

Which Baltic Sea fish is still safe to eat?

In addition to Baltic salmon, you can also eat sprats. Sprats are small, herringlike fish that live in schools and are a staple of Baltic Sea cuisine. “Sprat stocks in the Northeast Atlantic are in good condition and fishing is at sustainable levels,” says WWF. “In the Baltic Sea, however, fishing pressure remains too high. This is evidenced by the fact that catch quotas have been consistently exceeded in recent years.”

Which Baltic Sea fish sandwich is the most sustainable?

According to Michell, fish sandwiches are available in the Baltic Sea with Bismarck herring, fried herring, matjes or salmon. The best ecological choice is Baltic salmon, caught off the coast of Rügen. The sustainability of this fish is controversial, but it is not as strictly discouraged as herring and matjes. In the WWF Fish Guide, Baltic salmon is rated yellow in the traffic light system. In general, the WWF recommends wild Alaskan salmon (green).

Be careful with smoked fish platters

Smoking fish has a long tradition on the Baltic Sea. “The quaint fish stands right by the harbor or beach make it authentic,” says Michell. They offer smoked eel, mackerel, salmon and sprat, usually served with black bread, horseradish and onions. However, two of these four species are not acceptable. When it comes to eels, it’s important to remember that they are a highly endangered species, with a 95% population decline in Europe! Eels are on a par with polar bears, gorillas and moose in terms of endangerment. They do not reproduce in captivity or aquaculture. Every eel that ends up on your plate has been caught in the wild and is therefore missing from nature. So the only sustainable option is not to eat it.

Research in Timmendorfer Strand

Yvonne Bork, manager of the Lifestylehotel SAND, did some research for us in Timmendorfer Strand. “At the moment it is almost impossible to find eel,” she reports. And when it is available, it is almost unaffordable. “The price per kilo is between 15 and 23 euros.” Matjes herring is “still affordable” and particularly popular in fish sandwiches.

Falafel and sushi as sustainable alternatives?

The adults-only Lifestylehotel SAND is located in the second row of the popular Baltic resort and is a breakfast-only hotel. Here the focus lies on sustainable organic ingredients. They are also happy to advise you on where to eat sustainably. The restaurant Bartmans Kitchen, within walking distance, offers fish and meat as well as daily vegan alternatives. The Hafeneck Kiosk serves fish sandwiches, fries with vegan mayonnaise, and falafel. Hostess Marion Muller sums it up: “Scarcity changes consumer behavior. The general trend towards sushi and the like is currently also reflected in the restaurants on the Baltic Sea coast.”

“Are we witnessing a generational and cultural shift?” – Marion Muller

But is imported sushi fish more sustainable than local Baltic Sea fish?

It is more sustainable to eat imported fish that is MSC certified and comes from a healthy stock than to eat local fish that is on the red list of endangered species. So there you have it. And yes, at first glance it seems wrong, because we as sustainable travelers are so focused on regionality. And yet, in the case of Baltic Sea fishing, the more sustainable option is not to support it unreservedly.

In 2025, the WWF published a sushi guide that ranks the most popular sushi fish. For many fish, such as tuna and salmon, the way they are caught is important. For this reason, it is easiest to look for the MSC label as well as the species of fish.

Even easier and more sustainable: choose vegetarian sushi with cucumber, pumpkin or beetroot. It’s just as delicious and won’t harm fish stocks in the Baltic Sea or anywhere else in the world.

With or without fish…

… the Baltic Sea remains a place to savor – not in spite of, but because of the growing awareness of sustainable fish consumption. If you take a closer look at your fish sandwich, you will discover new alternatives, rediscovered regional classics, and exciting taste experiences off the beaten track. So why not give it a try? And maybe your next visit to the Baltic Sea won’t have to include the daily matjes sandwich on the beach.

Tip: Check out this blog post about a weekend by the Baltic Sea for more great ideas for coastal excursions!

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This is the ninth installment in our “Tips for a sustainable weekend getaway” series. Every three weeks, you can expect a new green idea on our blog!

Vacation naturally and enjoy the lifestyle

The Baltic Sea is wonderful in any season: the sea, the horizon, sandy beaches, dunes, wild oats and fresh air. Many good reasons to grab your partner and a beach bag and head to Timmendorfer Strand. Timmendorfer Strand is a real hotspot on the Baltic Sea thanks to its magnificent promenade. See and be seen. Well-kept, sophisticated.

Here you will find the sustainable and special Lifestylehotel SAND, which we want to recommend to you in this blog article.

The hotel is located on the second row of the beach and is super beautiful, bright and stylish, designed with natural materials and beach feeling in mind.

Friday: Starry sky over the Baltic Sea in a sleeping beach chair

After work it’s off to the sea! A plan that promises to be fun.

For travel to Timmendorfer Strand, the following options are available:

• BlablaCar and Flixbus (cheap and sustainable option)
• Train (Timmendorfer Strand station)
• By car

Once you arrive at the SAND Lifestyle Hotel, you can check into your room, freshen up and head straight to the beach for a stroll. Either on the promenade or barefoot down to the water. Along the promenade you will find many restaurants to start your weekend with a cozy dinner.

Sleeping in a beachbed

Back at the hotel, you have the option of sleeping on the comfortable and sustainable COCO-MAT mattresses in your hotel room or booking the beach chair on the roof terrace (available until October) and spending the night under the stars. (The beach chair used to be on the beach, but unfortunately the local authorities often shone their flashlights in it, so it was moved to the roof of the hotel 😉 )

“A warm and cozy atmosphere, an open-air setting, a glass of sparkling wine, private atmosphere, letting your soul drift, forgetting time for a few hours and escaping from everyday life – that’s what we call true luxury“. – Marion Muller, owner of the Lifestylehotel SAND

Saturday: Late breakfast and beach day

You can sleep in on Saturday morning. After all, SANDBreakfast is available until 1 pm!

At the front cooking station you can order egg dishes made with fresh organic eggs and enjoy a rich breakfast buffet with regional organic products.

After a hearty breakfast, it’s off to the sea. If it’s warm enough, you can swim or play other sports like volleyball and frisbee, write love messages in the sand (and take pictures of them), take selfies, rent a beach chair, read, and relax.

Dinner recommendation: „”We recommend the restaurant “Bartmans Kitchen” within walking distance to our SAND guests” – Marion Muller, Lifestylehotel SAND

Excursions in Timmendorfer Strand

If the beach is too windy, too hot, or too cold, there are plenty of things to do:

#1 Kurpark

The Kurpark is a park in Timmendorfer Strand with trees, flowers and green meadows. Here is also the Trinkkulturhalle in a round glass building. Admission is free and you can see works of art by performance artist “Anja”.

#2 Fishing harbor of Niendorf

Niendorf has a beautiful fishing harbor where fishermen go out to sea in the early morning hours and later sell the day’s catch. There is a small kiosk where you can get refreshments and watch the boats.

#3 Sea Life

One of the biggest attractions in Timmendorfer Strand is Sea Life. The aquarium is home to around 2,500 marine animals, with sharks and sea turtles being the main attractions. Of course, Sea Life is not really sustainable. However, the Sea Life Trust is involved in a number of projects for marine sanctuaries, species protection and clean seawater. Still, you should think carefully about whether you want to support the aquarium – or whether you would rather dive into the Baltic Sea with a mask and snorkel to watch the fish 😉

Sauna on the roof – at the Lifestylehotel SAND

Before spending your second night at the hotel, you can round off an eventful day with a visit to the sauna. The sauna at Lifestylehotel SAND is located on the roof terrace, which makes the visit even more special. Afterward, treat yourself to a refreshing homemade iced tea and enjoy the relaxed atmosphere. After all, you are booking the sauna just for the two of you.

Sunday: Enjoy the sea one last time

Check-out is at 11 a.m. You are welcome to leave your luggage at the hotel, have breakfast until 1 p.m., and maybe go to the beach before you end your weekend at the Baltic Sea and start your journey home full of new impressions and energy.

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But for those who have more flexibility, we took a closer peek at the advantages of traveling this way.

• Soft Travel: Unquestionably, traveling impacts our environment. In fact, as more people are in one place, traveling has a greater negative impact. You can see the damage mass tourism is causing in various places around the world. Traveling in the off-season will contribute to the conservation of resources.
• More booking flexibility: You can wait to book and make last-minute changes to your itinerary
• On site: By traveling against the tourist streams, you can enjoy empty cities, beaches, and mountains. You will not be annoyed by endless lines in museums, queuing for hours at tourist attractions or people disturbing the peace and quiet of nature.
• Less expensive: Masses of tourists are frequently an issue for the residents of the destinations visited around the world. Fewer tourists mean more relaxed local people, who will certainly be happy to provide you with advice and are open to conversations. By choosing a counter-cyclical travel strategy, you support locals because seasonal variations pose significant economical strains on them. Many people lose income or jobs during less popular times of the year.
• Pleasant weather: Now some of you might be thinking about cold, rain and bad weather. But this is not true in many places, on contrary, weather is often more pleasant. And the rainy period doesn’t imply that it’s raining cats and dogs all day long, typically only a brief shower during the day. Particularly if you travel to Thailand, the green season, like the word indicates, will welcome you with rich colors and a sea of flowers. To provide you with some practical tips as well, our green pearls were asked for their recommendations.  

Lonely strolls along Timmendorfer beach 

Marion Muller, the hostess of the SAND Lifestylehotel SAND at Timmendorfer Strand, suggests the period from autumn to spring for a vacation at the Baltic Sea. No matter if it’s lonely walks on the beach, special nature experiences in the backcountry or long bike tours on the sustainable myBoo bikes that you can rent at the hotel, one thing is for sure, you experience the Baltic Sea in a calm and authentic way.

Croatia in fall

In autumn, when peace returns to Croatia after the long summer, enjoy the slowness of being at the Eco Aparthotel The Dreamers Club with plenty of sun, seabreeze and the relaxing island of Korcula.

Thailand during green season

Juist the pearl of the Northsea

The North Sea Island Juist is especially worth spending a vacation off of the beaten track. There is much to discover. Be it the obligatory wadden hike or an excursion to the bird sanctuary island Memmert, a hiking on the beach or in the dunes, the list is long. And when you return to your accpmdation with chilled legs, with luck a true eastfrisian ceremony of tea is waiting for you.

Try it out and if you like, share your experiences with us.

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In August, we organized a trip with six bloggers to watch porpoises. Together with WDC (Whale & Dolphin Conservation), Kim Hartwig of the tourism cluster Schleswig-Holstein and Marion Muller of the Lifestylehotel SAND we spend half a day looking for porpoises and were lucky, we spotted a mother with calf. Porpoises are extremely shy and hence one must be concentrated to see the short flashing of the dorsal fin in the waves. We were so lucky to see a mother and her calf! 🙂

Endangered habitats

According to estimates only about 450 animals still live in the Baltic Sea, because the small whales are threatened with extinction. Bycatch with gillnets, the chemical soiling of the Baltic Sea, underwater noise and climate change leads to the fact that the natural living space of the porpoises becomes more and more destroyed.

In recent days, a terrible message has also made the round: In August this year, NATO carried out a blast in the Baltic Sea in a maneuver and defused naval mines laying on the ground still from the time of World War I. In the following weeks, a total of 18 porpoises were found on beaches around the Fehmarnbelt, according to NABU. Although the cause of death of the mammals has yet to be finally clarified, but hardly anyone doubts that there is a connection. Porpoises have a very fine auditory sense and such a blast in the ocean is very loud. According to SPIEGEL Online, a mine tore a crater of about five meters in diameter and one and a half meters deep into the protected reef. Because yes, you can hardly believe it, but the region is a designated marine reserve! It gets even worse when you know that during that time each year the porpoises are giving birth. Or to put it in the words of marine biologist Fabian Ritter of WDC:

“Military exercises in protected areas, even during the breeding season of porpoises, in the most sensitive time of the year? Isn’t that forbidden? The answer, unfortunately, is NO. ”

– Fabian Ritter, WDC

WDC has been committed to protecting marine mammals in the North and Baltic Seas for many years. Learn more about their great and valuable work on their website, where you can also sign up for sponsorships, learn exciting things about the animals and currently even participate in the advent calendar – this way!

Engagement for the environment

For many years, owners Marion and Lambertus Muller from Lifestylehotel SAND are involved in the protection of the environment at the Baltic Sea. Not only because they supported the blogger trip to raise awareness about the porpoises in August 2017. This year, they have a special activity planned for the Advent season: on their Christmas tree, there are little bags with cookies in the form of porpoises that guests can buy. 50% of the revenue goes to the WDC. They are also giving away a weekend in the advent calendar of the WDC – so try your luck!

SAND as far as the eye can see

The Mullers transformed the traditional Timmendorfer Hof into a stylish and sustainable place with a lot of charm. The abbreviation SAND stands for “Sand Aspires Natural Design” and connects a modern lifestyle with a focus on naturalness and sustainability. The natural material SAND runs like a red thread through the hotel. And so you want to sit on the terrace with your deck chair directly in the sand and never leave. All rooms are designed in maritime colors, with suitable, maritime accessories from the beach and flotsam. The focus is regional wherever you are and lets you feel at home during your precious vacation.

Deliciously vegan

The restaurant spoilt us with a vegan menu – simply delicious! The SAND not only offers an excellent kitchen but still a lot more for active vacationers, beach lovers or a relaxed time out.

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